HEADER IMAGE Thistle Brown courtesy of Forwards Festival
If the past few summers have proven anything, it’s that there’s no longer just one way to do a music festival. Across the UK and Europe, the calendar now stretches from single-day city centre takeovers to multi-day camps deep in forests and fields. Some festivals thrive on sprawling, eclectic line-ups designed for discovery, while others hand the reins to artist curators, building entire programmes around the musical worlds of a single headliner. Whether you’re after a quick one-day singalong, a weekend of indie pilgrimage, or a full-blown international festival adventure, the options have never been broader.
Below, BRICKS rounds up the festivals still worth booking this summer, from London parks to Scandinavian forests, to get the group chat planning.
Roundhouse Three Sixty
Roundhouse, London | 8 – 29 April
Line-up: Kae Tempest, Imogen Heap, Jacob Alon & Amaarae
Kicking off the season closer to spring than summer, Roundhouse Three Sixty transforms the Camden venue into a month-long celebration of boundary-pushing music, performance and conversation. Designed as an immersive programme rather than a traditional festival format, the series brings together a wide mix of artists whose work stretches across genres and disciplines.
Highlights include a headline set from poet and musician Kae Tempest, a rare performance from electronic pioneer Imogen Heap, rising singer-songwriter Jacob Alon, and alt-pop star Amaarae. Plus, a vibrant mix of music, spoken word, literature, theatre, visual arts, podcasts, and club nights. And, for attendees under 30, the festival is offering hundreds of tickets for just £5.
Mighty Hoopla
Brockwell Park, London | 30 – 31 May
Line-up: Lily Allen, Scissor Sisters, JLS, Trixie Mattel, Perrie, Five, Alexandra Burke
Few festivals capture the joyful chaos of pop nostalgia quite like Mighty Hoopla. Returning to Brockwell Park, the beloved queer-led weekender once again promises an unapologetically camp celebration of pop’s most iconic eras. This year’s bill mixes throwback favourites with cult heroes, from Lily Allen (performing her West End Girl tour set) and Scissor Sisters to boyband royalty JLS and Five.
Pop fans can also expect performances from Perrie and Alexandra Burke, while drag superstar Trixie Mattel brings her signature blend of comedy, music and glitter to the stage. Between the sing-along anthems, outrageous outfits and packed dance tents, Hoopla continues to prove that pop spectacle is best experienced with thousands of like-minded fans.
Primavera Sound
Parc del Fòrum, Barcelona, Spain | 3 – 7 June
Line-up: Gorillaz, Addison Rae, Doja Cat, Pinkpanthress, Ethel Cain, Ashnikko, Blood Orange, Ravyn Lenae, Geese, Wet Leg, Ok Lou
Barcelona’s Primavera Sound remains one of Europe’s most eclectic festivals, blending indie stalwarts, underground favourites and global pop stars across its sprawling waterfront stages. This year’s programme sees Gorillaz and Doja Cat leading the charge, joined by artists shaping the internet-age pop landscape, including PinkPantheress, Addison Rae and Ashnikko.
Elsewhere, cult favourites such as Blood Orange and Ethel Cain sit alongside rising names like Ravyn Lenae and Geese. With its famously late-night schedule and panoramic Mediterranean backdrop, Primavera continues to balance major headline moments with the thrill of discovering the next wave of artists.
Harry Styles’ Meltdown
Southbank Centre, London | 11 – 21 Jun
Line-up: Harry Styles, more TBA
Each year the Southbank Centre hands the keys to its Meltdown festival to a different artist curator, and for 2026 the role goes to global pop star Harry Styles. Taking over the Southbank complex for ten days, the festival will see Styles programme a line-up of collaborators, inspirations and favourite artists across multiple venues.
While much of the bill is still under wraps, the artist himself is confirmed to perform, promising a rare opportunity to see the former One Direction star within the more intimate setting of the Southbank Centre. With past curators including David Bowie, Grace Jones and Little Simz, Meltdown has long been a space for artists to reveal the musical worlds that shaped them.
LIDO
Victoria Park, London | 12-14 June
Line-up: CMAT, Bombay Bicycle Club, Maribou State, Father John Misty, Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, Alice Phoebe Lou
Victoria Park adds another weekend to its packed summer calendar with LIDO, a three-day festival that hands each night to a different headline act. Indie favourites Bombay Bicycle Club and electronic duo Maribou State will each lead their own evenings, but it’s Irish country-pop star CMAT’s day we’re most excited about. Her headline slot comes with a stacked supporting cast including Father John Misty and Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, promising a day of theatrical songwriting and big festival sing-alongs. With its mix of indie, folk and alternative sounds across the weekend, LIDO looks set to carve out its own niche in east London’s ever-growing festival circuit.
Roskilde
Festivalpladsen, Roskilde, Denmark | 27 June – 4 July
Line-up: Gorillaz, Lily Allen, Zara Larsson, Addison Rae, Wolf Alice, Little Simz, Kneecap, EsDeeKid
More than just a music festival, Denmark’s Roskilde has long been defined by its activist spirit and community-led ethos. Run largely by volunteers and operating as a non-profit, the festival channels its proceeds into humanitarian and cultural causes while transforming the site into a sprawling hub of art installations, performances and political conversation.
Once the music begins, the programme is just as expansive: Gorillaz lead this year’s line-up alongside pop favourites Lily Allen and Zara Larsson, with British heavyweights Wolf Alice and Little Simz also heading to the iconic Orange Stage. Emerging artists, including Kneecap and EsDeeKid, round out the bill, reinforcing Roskilde’s reputation as a space where musical discovery and social impact get down together on the dancefloor.
Mad Cool
Iberdrola Music, Madrid, Spain | 8 – 11 July
Line-up: Florence + The Machine, Lorde, David Byrne, Pixies, Wolf Alice, Jennie, CMAT, The Last Dinner Party, Sigrid, and Zara Larsson
Madrid’s Mad Cool Festival continues to bring arena-sized line-ups to the Spanish capital each summer. Leading the bill this year are Florence + The Machine and Lorde, joined by Talking Heads legend David Byrne and alternative rock icons Pixies. Elsewhere, British indie favourites Wolf Alice and rising stars like CMAT and The Last Dinner Party add fresh energy to the programme, while pop heavyweights including Jennie, Zara Larsson and Sigrid round out the eclectic mix.
Paredes de Coura
Praia do Taboão, Portugal | 12 – 15 Aug
Line-up: Amyl and the Sniffers, Wet Leg, Aldous Harding, Kurt Vile & The Violators and Cate Le Bon
Set along the banks of the Coura River in northern Portugal, Paredes de Coura has built a cult reputation for pairing indie credibility with one of Europe’s most picturesque festival settings. This year’s programme continues that tradition, bringing together the ferocious garage punk of Amyl and the Sniffers with the offbeat indie of Wet Leg. Elsewhere, songwriter Aldous Harding and psych-rock stalwarts Kurt Vile & The Violators join Welsh art-pop favourite Cate Le Bon on the bill. With forest camping, late-night DJ sets and a famously devoted crowd, Coura remains a favourite for fans seeking something slightly more off-grid.
Way Out West
Slottsskogen Park, Gothenburg, Sweden | 13-15 August
Line-up: The Cure, Gorillaz, Lorde, Nick Cave, The XX, Geese, Blood Orange, Fcukers, Sombr
Sweden’s Way Out West returns to Gothenburg’s Slottsskogen Park with a bill stacked with alternative heavyweights. Known for its sustainability initiatives and city-wide club programme, post-punk legends The Cure headline alongside Gorillaz and Lorde, while Nick Cave and The XX add further star power to the Scandinavian festival. The line-up also spotlights emerging artists, including Geese, Blood Orange, Fcukers and Sombr.
Green Man
Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales | 20 – 23 August
Line-up: Wolf Alice, Four Tet, Wednesday, Anna Calvi, Dry Cleaning, Fcukers, Aldous Harding
Nestled within the rolling hills of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Green Man has long been celebrated for its carefully curated blend of indie, folk and experimental music. This year’s edition sees Wolf Alice top the bill, joined by electronic producer Four Tet and the ragged alt-country sounds of Wednesday. Elsewhere, Anna Calvi, Dry Cleaning and Aldous Harding bring their distinctive songwriting styles to the Welsh countryside, while rising acts like Fcukers continue the festival’s tradition of spotlighting emerging talent. Between the woodland stages, literary talks and late-night discoveries, Green Man remains one of the UK’s most atmospheric festivals.
All Points East
Victoria Park, London | 21 – 23 & 28 – 30 August
Line-up: Tyler, the Creator, Lorde, Deftones, Jorja Smith & Tems
All Points East returns to Victoria Park with its signature format of artist-curated days and genre-spanning line-ups. Tyler, the Creator and Lorde headline two of the festival’s biggest nights, while alternative metal favourites Deftones bring their devoted following to the park. Elsewhere, soulful heavyweights Jorja Smith and Tems represent the R&B side of the programme, alongside a wider mix of collaborators and supporting artists. With each day built around a distinct sonic world, APE continues to stand apart from traditional multi-genre festivals.
Forwards Presents: Lorde
Clifton Downs, Bristol | 28 August
Line-up: Lorde, DJO, Audrey Hobert, Rose Gray
Ahead of the main Forwards Festival weekend, Bristol hosts a special one-day event dedicated to Lorde’s long-awaited return to the live stage. Taking over Clifton Downs, the New Zealand pop star will headline an evening supported by DJO, Audrey Hobert and rising UK pop artist Rose Gray. Known for pairing major artists with thoughtful conversations around culture and politics, the Forwards platform expands this year with standalone shows that bring international headliners to the city’s iconic open-air site.
Body Movements
Southwark Park, London | 30 August
Line-up: BASHKKA, Romy (DJ), Adonis, Little Gay Brother, Dalston Superstore, Daytimers, Body Swap, Queer House Party & Jay Jay Revlon’s Vogue Masterclass
Southwark Park once again becomes a celebration of queer dance music culture as Body Movements returns for its annual day-long gathering. Founded by DJ and producer Saoirse alongside a collective of London nightlife organisers, the festival brings together DJs, collectives and community spaces from across the city. This year’s programme features sets from BASHKKA and a DJ appearance from Romy, alongside takeovers from nightlife institutions including ADONIS, Dalston Superstore, Daytimers and Queer House Party. With voguing workshops, collective stages and a strong focus on accessibility, Body Movements centres queer and trans joy on the dancefloor.
C2C
Turin, Italy | 29 October – 1 November
Line-up: Robyn, Arca, Oklou, Yung Lean, Bladee, Kelela & BADBADNOTGOOD
Closing out our festival calendar, the Italian festival brings together artists operating at the edges of pop, club music and contemporary art, with this year’s line-up led by Robyn and Arca. Elsewhere, Oklou, Kelela and Swedish cloud-rap pioneers Yung Lean and Bladee represent the genre-blurring sounds shaping internet-era music. Known for its immersive audiovisual performances and late-night club programme, C2C is proving music festivals aren’t just for the summer.
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