Where creativity meets connection
Festival guide 2025
I know we’ve only just got NYE out the way, but 2025 is looking like being one of the best year for festivals yet. From the biggest names in rock to the comfortable of VIP experiences, there’s a world of new sounds to hear and horizons to broaden. So, grab a bottle of water and perhaps some suncream, because we’re going raving.
SNOWBOMBING
Mon 7 – Sat 12 April 2025
Mayrhofen, Austria
Snowbombing, the world’s most iconic winter music festival, transforms Mayrhofen into a playground of alpine fun, combining world-class music with unique mountain experiences. From mountaintop parties to après-ski celebrations, and everything in between, Snowbombing is unforgettable week of pure excitement, filled with moments that will be remembered for a lifetime. Snowbombing sets a new standard for what a snow festival can be.
Line-up highlights: The Prodigy, Armand Van Helden, Nia Archives, Skream & Benga, Hedex, Hybrid Minds, Ewan McVicar, LF System.
Be sure to experience:
• Mountaintop parties, brunches and surprise events
• Secret sets at Hans The Butcher
• Legendary takeovers day and night from this year's club partners
Tickets from €569
SOUND CITY
Fri 2 – Sun 4 May
Liverpool, UK
Sound City, the ultimate destination for discovering the freshest talent in music, returns in 2025 as the beating heart of the music fan's live music scene. Kicking off with the Sound City+ Conference on Friday, May 2nd, followed by the multi-venue festival across May 3rd-4th, this festival brings together the next wave of artists destined to define the year ahead. As a hotbed for new music discovery, Sound City is where the most exciting emerging acts take centre stage, setting the tone for the future of music.
Line-up highlights: The Royston Club, Nieve Ella, Rianne Downey, Overpass, Panic Shack, Siobhan Winifred, The Cheap Thrills, The Clause, Cliffords, The Stingrays, Better Joy, TTSSFU and more
Be sure to experience:
• Hottest rising stars in Liverpool's most iconic venues
• Spotlighting the most exciting music scenes outside of London and beyond
• The Sound City+ Industry Conference, taking place 2nd May
Tickets from £30.25
WYCHWOOD FESTIVAL
Fri 30 May – Sun 1 June
Cheltenham, UK
Set in the stunning Cheltenham Racecourse, the Wychwood Festival offers an exciting mix of live performances, vibrant arts, and over 100 workshops and activities for all ages. Whether you're dancing to incredible tunes, exploring unique workshops, or enjoying the lively family-friendly atmosphere, Wychwood guarantees a magical weekend that brings people together for memories that last a lifetime.
Line-up highlights: Shed Seven, James, Doves, The Zutons, Lottery Winners, Public Service Broadcasting and more
Be sure to experience:
• Joe Wicks’ live P.E. session + Over 100 workshops and family activities
• The UK's #1 Shrek tribute band The Ogretones
• Free for Under 10's!
Tickets from £169.50
ROCK FOR PEOPLE
Weds 11 – Sun 15 June
Hradec Králové, Czechia
Rock for People is Europe’s fastest-growing modern rock festival and one of the best-kept secrets in the festival calendar. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025, this high-energy event will host over 40,000 fans across five days, creating a thrilling environment for fans of all generations to come together and rock out to an eclectic mix of rock, metal, indie, and punk.
Line-up highlights: Linkin Park, Slipknot, Sex Pistols with Frank Carter, Avenged Sevenfold, Guns N' Roses, Biffy Clyro, Fontaines D.C. IDLES, Kneecap, Lorna Shore and more
Be sure to experience:
• 30th Anniversary Celebrations!
• Extend the weekend with extra day headlined by Guns N' Roses
• Theatre performances, children programs, NGO sector, films and more
Tickets from €108
PARKLIFE
Sat 14 – Sun 15 June
Heaton Park, Manchester, UK
Always at the forefront of modern youth culture, Parklife is THE summer celebration like no other, combining the hottest international acts, the freshest emerging artists, and a lineup that soundtracks the party of a new generation in 2025. Born in Manchester and raised in Manchester, nothing can compete with an agenda-setting date in the diary with its finger firmly on the pulse of the rising underground. Parklife is the invitation everyone's been waiting for. Welcome.
Line-up highlights: Charli xcx, Confidence Man, DJ Heartstring, Salute Presents True Vision, Ki/Ki, Girls Don’t Sync, Interplanetary Criminal, Prospa and more
Be sure to experience:
• The largest city festival in Europe
• A line-up of modern icons
• The brilliant atmosphere
Tickets from £135
AFRO NATION PORTUGAL
Weds 9 – Fri 11 July
Portimão, Portugal
The Afro Nation movement stands as the world's largest celebration of African music and culture. Since launching in 2019, Afro Nation has played a part in global stars like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido reaching headline status on major mainstream festival line-ups around the world. Afro Nation transcends borders, uniting the diaspora in a global celebration of dance, food, fashion, music and enjoyment. More than just a festival, Afro Nation’s influence reaches far and wide, with successful editions launched not only in Europe, but also in America, the Caribbean and Africa, with more expansions on the horizon. Afro Nation Portugal welcomes over 40,000 attendees that travel in from over 160 countries worldwide.
Line-up highlights: Burna Boy, Tems, Amaarae, Scorpion Kings, Uncle Waffles, DBN Gogo and more
Be sure to experience:
• 5 Year Anniversary celebrations on the beach!
• Exclusive pre and after parties at the NoSolo private beach club
• AfroSpa and AfroCutz VIP experiences
Tickets from £236
ELECTRIC CASTLE
Weds 16 – Sun 20 July
Transylvania, Romania
Electric Castle is a festival revolution that embraces every free-flowing notion of what a festival should be and dials it up to a new modern level. Spread across 10 stages at over 40 hectares through the grounds of a castle in the heart of Transylvania - the mythical meets the magical for a show where a surprise is waiting around every corner. An eclectic and powerhouse lineup bringing together cutting-edge innovators, game changing legends, thrilling new talent and some of the biggest names on the planet. One of the only 24 hour music fesitval's of the summer, Electric Castle is waiting to be discovered with one guarantee: once you enter, you’ll never want to leave.
Line-up highlights: Justin Timberlake, Queens of the Stone Age, Justice, Bicep Present Chroma AV DJ Set, Shaggy and more
Be sure to experience:
• One of Europe's only non-stop 24 Hours music festivals
• Vintage markets and art installations inside Bánffy Castle
• Sun rise hot air balloon rides, bungee jumping and more!
Tickets from €169
TRUCK FESTIVAL
Thurs 24 – Sun 27 July
Oxford, UK
Your favourite artists’ favourite festival Truck Festival, and an atmosphere like no other, all come together for a weekend of incredible live music, laugh out loud fun and countless new memories served in its own distinct charm. An unmissable rite of passage for the best in new, vibrant alternative music and The Godfather Of The Small Festival World. Expect a fun-filled weekend from one of the most exciting festivals of the summer!
Line-up highlights: Kasabian, Nothing But Thieves (UK Exclusive), Courteeners, Bloc Party, Blossoms, The Last Dinner Party, Franz Ferdinand, CMAT, Wunderhorse, Sports Team, Fat Dog, Natasha Bedingfield, Hard Life and more
Be sure to experience:
• Circle-pits going off to the Oxford Symphony Orchestra!
• Comedy and Karaoke in the Hill Farm barn (lead by Barry From Eastenders)
• Incredible music, laugh out loud fun and countless new memories
Tickets from £170
BOOMTOWN
Weds 6 – Sun 10 August
Winchester, UK
From its humble beginnings with handwritten tickets in 2009, Boomtown has grown into a true festival institution, attracting over 65,000 attendees each and every year and becoming one of the UK’s biggest shows. With a diverse musical lineup including reggae, world music, folk, jazz, ska, hip hop, drum and bass, techno, house, disco, jungle, psytrance (the list goes on…) and immersive art experiences, it transforms into a fictional city filled with captivating storylines and colourful characters. Dive into Chapter 4: ‘The Power of Now’ to embark on a journey through tales of honour, treachery, and political progress, encountering heroes, villains, and eccentric oddities along the way - at one of the world’s most unique weekend experiences. Once you enter Boomtown, you’ll never leave the same.
Line-up highlights: Maribou State, Sex Pistols ft. Frank Carter, Sean Paul, Overmono, Hybrid Minds, Nia Archives, Azealia Banks, RUDIM3NTAL, James Hype, Honey Dijon, Jyoty
Be sure to experience:
• Exploring the 12 main stages and 50+ hidden venues
• Shaping your own story in a fictional world through immersive theatre
• Voting for the districts candidates in the annual Boomtown elections
Tickets from £305
FLOW FESTIVAL HELSINKI
Fri 8 – Sun 10 August
Helsinki, Finland
With a jaw-dropping cutting edge lineup, outstanding art installations, sensational top-quality restaurants and much more to be discovered, Flow Festival Helsinki is a must for all looking for a unique experience next summer based in one of the world’s coolest cities. Constantly celebrating the innovators, icons and trail-blazing new talent shaping modern culture - it's future festival culture that sees fans from around the world return year after year.
Line-up highlights: Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C., Khruangbin, Bicep Present Chroma AV DJ Set, Beth Gibbons, Kneecap, Joy Orbison and more
Be sure to experience:
• Industry-leading approach to Festival Sustainability & Environmental Change
• The very best in acclaimed culture: Music, Arts, Talks and Debate
• Outstanding art installations and top quality vegan/vegetarian restaurants
Tickets from €259
Stuart Rolt
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