The 15 best grown-up festivals (with excellent cocktails and no dodgy portaloos)
Music festivals are no longer a mildly terrifying zone of disturbing hygiene and flat beer. The industry has grown up and, if you haven’t considered one in a while, it is time to ditch your preconceptions. Many of this summer’s events offer thrillingly broad, stimulating programmes and have moved on from being Duke of Edinburgh-style survival challenges.
Festival loos have been upgraded, too, with VIP options in “pampering salons” and even private, lockable cubicles on offer. As the variety of wine bars and stands selling high-end spirits and cocktails has increased, queues for drinks have gone down. You can even swap your tent for the comfort of an Airstream vintage caravan, a yurt with a log burner, or cool canvas bell tent in the walled garden of a country house.
These more sophisticated festivals attract a discerning crowd, who still love music but also enjoy thought-provoking activities and new kinds of cultural and social interaction. The most exciting of these are loosely being called “ideas festivals”. The premise is that the mind is a muscle and you don’t always need a yoga mat for a good old stretch.
Ciro Romano has devised a new festival, Kite, that combines specialist talks, from the satirist Armando Iannucci for example, with culturally relevant music from acts such as Grace Jones and Self Esteem. He believes literature, political and philosophical festivals are what people want these days. “Because of the internet and social media, as a society, we are more versed in current affairs and the world around us,” he said. Today’s more enriching festivals recognise that what we do with our hands is important too.
Many have embraced adult crafting, such as spoon carving, along with practical workshops like indigo dyeing, and are treating them like a form of wellness. The variety of experiences on offer is mind-blowing. “You could find yourself dancing next to a theoretical physicist at a rum shack, learning to build a raft with a Royal Marine or understanding why bad girls are good through Ancient Greek and Roman mythology,” said Helen Bagnall, an organiser at Also Festival, which explores big ideas. The more mature festival-goer’s appetite for quality food and drink is undiminished.
Expect banquets by Michelin-star chefs, such as Atul Kochhar and Tom Kerridge, and al-fresco feasts from Thomasina Miers and many more this summer. So if you’re bothered by images of mud rivers, consider the little luxuries and large range of cultural experiences at 15 grown-up music festivals guaranteed to enhance your life this summer. (Prices include stated accommodation and two entrance tickets, see websites for further details about bedding and VIP add-ons.)
Best new festival
Kite
Blending a passion for today’s big ideas with a love of music, Kite is a workout for both mind and body in the grounds of a Palladian mansion. There are two music stages – the second curated by Heavenly Recordings – a town hall for debates and live podcast discussions.
Speakers include Sathnam Sanghera, the author of Empireland, and Tina Brown talking about the Royal family.
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=> Comfort factor: VIP tickets grant access to Kirtlington house and gardens, where there will be space to relax beside lavender beds or fire pits, and the chance to join exclusive dinners with one of the speakers. => Where: Kirtlington Park, Oxfordshire => When: June 10-12, premium camping and VIP garden for two from GBP538; kitefestival.co.uk
Best for soul
The Cambridge Club
The warm sounds emanating from the grounds of Childerley Hall in June will come from bona fide legends – Diana Ross plus Nile Rodgers & Chic.
Alongside the disco, funk, soul and RnB are wellness activities, comedy from acts such as Jodie Harsh, and expert talks.
=> Comfort factor: There is a VIP area and a glamping area, whimsically called “Field of Dreams”, with hot showers, a disco and a variety of accommodation. => Where: Childerley Orchard, Cambridge => When: June 10-12, basic bell tent for two from GBP777; thecambridgeclub.co
Best opera ‘disrupter’
If Opera
In the rarefied settings of Grade I-listed Belcombe Court, a country house south of Bath, the company that was previously Iford Arts is attempting to make opera more accessible.
Along with broadening its audience, the festival is committed to giving its ensemble stability with a variety of roles across the season.
Highlights include a picnic prom and Puccini’s La rondine. The festival ends with a performance of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas at a church in Bradford on Avon. => Comfort factor: Expect a pop-up wine bar.
Boutique hotels are available in Bradford on Avon or five-star luxury is a taxi-ride away in Bath. => Where: Wiltshire => When: Aug 19-Sept 17, tickets not yet on sale; ifopera.com
Best for philosophy
HowtheLightgetsin
Asking vital questions about life, this festival of free thinking and music has a theme of Dreams and Jeopardy.
Speakers include Nobel Prize winning physicist Roger Penrose and eminent psychologists and biologists. There is music from Groove Armada and Nabihah Iqbal among others.
=> Comfort factor: Yurts, some with log burners and rugs. line up against a backdrop of mountains. => Where: Hay-on-Wye, Powys
=> When: June 1-5, mini-yurt for two from GBP903; howthelightgetsin.org
Best for posh loos
Also
The curators claim to have woven hundreds of ideas into the programming of this festival that puts speakers centre stage but also offers a varied bill of music, comedy, wellness, outdoor pursuits and workshops. Talks include one on consciousness, from neuroscientist Anil Seth, and writer and classicist Natalie Haynes on Medusa. Food options include festival picnic hampers to enjoy beside the lake, wine tasting sessions, Tibetan cookery workshops and a CBD coffee truck.
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=> Comfort factor: Bell tents are pitched in long grass and – best of all – you can request keys to your own private loo.
=> Where: Park Farm, Compton Verney, Warwickshire => When: July 8-10, 4m bell tent for two from GBP680; also-festival.com
Best for the arts
Latitude
A large and varied programme of spoken word, dance and theatre, is what gives this festival its thoughtful, intellectual edge. The comedy arena is often packed out and this year welcomes Russell Howard and Tim Key, who performs his sellout show Mulberry.
The Ballroom hosts dance classes, while the Listening Post is where to find readings and debates.
The Waterfront stage, meanwhile, often sets classical music above the lake. Cookery demos and literature talks are popular, with Dame Sheila Hancock, the actress, discussing her candid new book Old Rage this summer and Anchal Seda talking about taboos in South Asian culture. => Comfort factor: For a proper sit-down meal, The Hothouse is a highly-sociable, foliage-filled restaurant shaped like a giant polytunnel.
=> Where: Henham Park, Suffolk => When: July 21-24, Pink Moon classic bell tent for two from GBP1,250; latitudefestival.com
Best for no queues
Bigfoot
Bigfoot’s inaugural edition managed to crack what makes a festival great – namely no waiting for a drink, comfortable lodgings and brilliant music.
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This craft beer festival has lofty aspirations, taking cocktails and artisanal spirits seriously too. Besides an enviable bill of cutting edge music, expect plenty of relaxing beside a lake, kayaking fun and lots of sampling restaurant-quality food from Richard Turner, of Hawksmoor and Meatopia, for example and John Chantarasak, ex-Som Saa.
=> Comfort factor: Independent craft breweries man a big range of small stalls and last year it was possible to avoid queueing. Pre-pitched bell tents come with mattresses and lake views. => Where: Claydon Estate, Bucks
=> When: June 17-19, basic bell tent for two from GBP686; bigfootfestival.co.uk
Best for world culture
WOMAD
Celebrating its 40th year this summer, WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) is a treat for the senses and the festival equivalent of taking a round-the-world trip. Forget racing around to catch a hot new band, the music here is enjoyed at a slower pace, with sounds from across the globe drawing you into different tents.
The variety of food is also a real highlight, with both chefs and musicians offering talks and demos about far-flung cuisines. => Comfort factor: The spa has a relaxation tent, sauna, cafe and wooden hot tubs.
Vintage Airstreams are available to stay in, along with pods featuring pine bunk beds. => Where: Charlton Park, Wiltshire => When: July 28-31, basic bell tent for two from GBP1,060; womad.co.uk
Best near you
Pub in the Park
Stalls from the restaurants of Michelin-starred and celebrity chefs are set up beside the music stage at this touring festival.
With lots of lovely artisan drinks available too, the atmosphere is like a fun-filled market. Tom Kerridge’s The Hand and Flowers restaurant appears, while other chefs include James Martin and Michel Roux Jr.
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The music is chart-friendly, with Beverly Knight, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Supergrass playing this year. => Comfort factor: It is a single-day event, so there is no need to spend the night in a field.
With nine locations, find a hotel nearby instead. => Where: Various locations => When: May 12-Sept 18, weekend entrance for two from GBP331; pubintheparkuk.com
Best for Americana
Black Deer
This festival of roots music, barbecues and custom bike building is offering a members’ social club for the first time, where guests can order cocktails, watch live performances, dance to late-night DJs and, hallelujah, make use of the luxury loos.
Black Deer has built a solid following of fans who come to the festival for its Americana culture, gospel brunches and campfire area. => Comfort factor: The Fancy Camping area attempts to create an experience that’s more akin to a pop-up hotel, with a range of sleeping options. => Where: Eridge Park, Kent
=> When: June 17-19, classic bell tent for two from GBP1,293; blackdeerfestival.com
Best for seafood
Rock Oyster
Rather neck oysters than pints? Head to the Cornish town of Rock. Curated by Rick Stein’s son Jack, this food and music festival invites a host of celebrity chefs, including Gizzi Erskine and Romy Gill, to perform cookery masterclasses.
On grounds overlooking the Camel Estuary, festival-goers can book a wellness session or watersports, then dance to Laura Mvula or a DJ set from Huey Morgan. => Comfort factor: A pop-up teepee offers feasts with a seafood focus, from restaurants such as Rick Stein and Prawn on the Lawn. Bell tents are kitted out with airbeds, bunting, lanterns and rugs.
=> Where: Dinham House, Cornwall => When: July 29-31, basic bell tent for two from GBP739; rockoysterfestival.co.uk
Best small festival
The Good Life Society Summer Camp
This intimate camp is held across four weekends and is the antidote to overcrowded festivals. With a mix of craft workshops, outdoor pursuits and fabulous food, there will be only 100 guests at each event.
Talks aim to be fully inclusive and have a social conscience, with headline speakers including Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Max la Manna, a zero waste chef from New York.
=> Comfort factor: Chefs, including Thomasina Miers, will cook dinner for everyone each night. Glamping options inside a walled garden are accompanied by proper showers and loos. => Where: Hawarden Castle, Flintshire
=> When: Weekends in July, bell tent for two from GBP695; thegoodlifesociety.co.uk
Best for opera
Glyndebourne
The summer festival at this renowned opera house gives you the chance to dress fabulously. During the 90-minute interval, guests can picnic in the grounds or dine in one of three restaurants. Highlights include the first major staging of the feminist composer Ethel Smyth’s The Wreckers.
Alternatively, catch the first performance of La boheme at Glyndebourne in 20 years.
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=> Comfort factor: One of the restaurants will serve signature dishes from Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle. Book a hotel in Lewes, from where there is a return coach service. => Where: Glyndebourne House, East Sussex
=> When: May 21-Aug 28, standing tickets from GBP15; glyndebourne.com/festival
Best for a spa
Wilderness
Wilderness was perhaps the first festival to offer revellers a more luxe experience, with glamping, gourmet feasts and a choice of fancy wine bars.
The festival is not resting on its foodie laurels this summer and is making sustainability the focus of dining experiences. The exclusive Chefs Table will be catered for by experts pioneering innovative cooking techniques. Headliners have yet to be announced, but the music stage is reliably laid-back.
=> Comfort factor: The spa has wooden hot tubs strung around the edge of a swimming lake. There are multiple boutique accommodation options. => Where: Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
=> When: Aug 4-7, meadow bell tent for two from GBP511, entrance tickets not yet on sale; wildernessfestival.com
Best in the capital
BST Hyde Park
This series of live concerts in central London has a particularly heavyweight line-up this year, with Pearl Jam, Eagles and Duran Duran taking to the stage. Elton John and Adele have already sold out. The 65,000 capacity crowds are big but good-humoured and there is usually plenty of space.
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=> Comfort factor: If retiring to a proper bed appeals, this may be right up your street.
VIP tickets grant access to exclusive bar areas, with premium VIP including pre-concert hospitality at the Bulgari Hotel.
=> Where: Hyde Park, London
=> When: June 24-July 10, general entrance for two from GBP160; bst-hydepark.com