Free festivals
Thursday 22 May 2008
The UK festival season has kicked off but with so many to choose from how do you know choose which ones to go to? In the first of our articles on things to do over the summer, we mind your pocket by giving you the lowdown on the top 5 free festival events around the UK. That’s right, we said free!
June - Summer Solstice at Stonehenge
Every year around 20,000 or more people head to Stonehenge on June 21st – the only day of the year that you can walk right amongst the stones. It’s not for everyone, there's no amplified music for a start, but if sitting around an ancient site, banging on drums and watching the sun come up is your idea of fun, then this is the place to do just that, for free.
July - Rise Festival, London
Once again London will be hosting a free anti-racist music festival. This year it takes place in be Finsbury Park on Sunday 13th July. Line up is to be announced but in previous years artists like Jamelia, Kelis, Beardyman, plus a whole loads of DJs and acts have graced the stages and tents. Last year also saw a youth slam poetry competition.
July - T4 on the Beach, Weston-super-Mare
Fancy a day on the beach watching some amazing live acts? Every year Channel 4 hosts T4 on the Beach - a free one dayer in Weston-super-Mare. This year the line up covers all genres and hosts some pretty big acts including Adele, Sam Sparro, McFly,The Feeling, The Hoosiers, Scouting for Girls, Robyn and many more. It’s a race for tickets though so don’t delay, go book them!
August - Carnival, London and Leeds
One of the biggest Caribbean carnivals in the world - the famous Notting Hill Carnival, takes place in London over the Bank Holiday weekend every year and attracts close to 2 million people! Caribbean carnival fever has also spread to the rest of the UK and there are now events in Leeds, also over Bank Holiday, as well as Leicester, Manchester and Bristol, to name a few. Expect steel bands and outrageous costumes but also amazing soundsytems playing everything from dub to bashment.
If you’re heading to Notting Hill for the first time check out the legendary Rampage sound system which mixes up of hip hop, bashment and RnB. In the past acts have included Ms Dynamite, Sean Paul, Mos Def and Dizzee Rascal so expect big things! Also head for the 1Xtra soundsystem at both the London and Leeds events.
All summer - Pride events
There are gay Pride events all over the world and in the UK alone there are over 30, including Leicester in June, Nottingham, Bournemouth and Oxford in July, Brighton and Reading and Manchester in August and Cardiff in September.
The London Pride is probably the biggest of all the events with the parade ending up on Trafalgar Square. Taking place in July, this year’s theme is 'Fairytales, Myths and Legends' so you can expect to see a very colourful procession.
