Festival fever: a traveller’s guide

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ike the majority of students, this year my four months of freedom will be spent juggling my time between an unpaid internship and part-time work, leaving little time or money for wanderlusting around the world as I would like. Determined not to let my commitments deny me the sun-filled, free-spirited summer that months of hard work has earned me, I have designed a master plan, that you too could take on. This plan is creatively entitled ‘The Summer of Festivals’ – trust me, hard work went into that title – and with each festival costing under £100 they’re set to provide an unforgettable array experiences and memories without breaking the bank.

Lovebox, London, July 18-19, tickets from £60.95 per day or £88.95 for the weekend

Located in East London, this July Lovebox Festival maintains its reputation for combining chilled boho vibes with an eclectic yet explosive line-up. This year, headliners include Chase & Status, M.I.A and Nas. If those aren’t enough, the stages will also be graced with the presence of A$AP Rocky, Annie Mac, Breach, MNEK, Crystal Fighters and many, many more. Hands down, this is the festival I am most excited for! Alongside the performers, this weekender also features unique experiences including a 70s inspired roller disco, an arabian palace for the V.I.Ps, and ‘The Parlour’, a converted ice cream van that provides festival-goers with glamorous makeovers using Swarovski crystals, gold leaves and glitter!

Wireless, London or Birmingham, July 04-06, tickets from £68.75

photo: John McGarvey/flickr

With demand so high, the organisers of Wireless festival have expanded from their London base to cater to those in the north. Kanye West, Pharrell, Drake, Rudimental, Bruno Mars and Outkast take the main stage, performing on alternate days across the three dates. With two of the London dates sold out already this is guaranteed to be a great one.

T in the Park, Scotland, July 11-13, tickets from £82.50

With three days to choose from T in the Park is sure to find a way to play sweet music for your ears. Whether Arctic Monkeys, Bastille, Disclosure, Bombay Bicycle Club, Ed Sheeran or The 1975 tickle your fancy, T in the Park epitomises the festival experience and gives you an excuse to do some sight-seeing in the beautiful county of Kinross-shire, Scotland. Plus the £50 deposit scheme provides you a little extra time to get your money together.

One of my favourite features of a festival is the herd of indulgent food trucks that accompany it

Latitude, Suffolk, July 17-20, Tickets from £77.50

The Black Keys, Two Door Cinema Club, Kelis, Haim and Damon Albarn make their way to Henham park this year to make up the music portion of what has been described as the ‘queen of arts festivals’. As well as a feast of great artists, Latitude plays host to some great comedians such as Dara O Briain; the Lavish Big Screen, presenting a selection of contemporary artists’ film and video; plus the Buttoned Down Disco, the UK’s largest indie dance festival armed with giant balloons and glitter cannons!

V Festival, Hylands Park and Weston Park, 16-17 August, tickets from £89

The menu for this tasty number includes the likes of Lily Allen and Example for starters, Justin Timberlake and The Killers for a satisfying main course, and if that’s not enough, a sweet dessert of Bastille, Sam Smith and Manic Street Preachers.

Reading and Leeds, 22-24 August, tickets from £99.50

Whilst this one only just fits below the £100 mark, no pennies will go to waste. Over three days the festival puts together a glorious line-up. Queens of the Stone Age, Paramore, Arctic Monkeys and Blink-182 are bound to guarantee extreme symptoms of festival-fanatic-syndrome including lack of voice, ‘dead’ legs and all-out fatigue, and if you aren’t experiencing any of these after one day at this festival, I highly suggest you attend another.

photo: flickr/ge’shmally

Festival of Colours, London 28-29 June, tickets from £29.99

If you’re planning on sharing your festival photos via Instagram this summer, I can personally promise that no filter will be needed here. Taking inspiration from the Indian Holi festival, this extraordinary experience gives you the chance to get immersed in vibrant shades of safely coloured powders whilst dancing to the likes of Zane Lowe, Drunken Masters and Crookers. This will definitely create amazing memories and will without doubt be a festival like no other!

The Craft Beer Festival, London, August 14-17, tickets from £35

For those who love the excuse for excessive drinking that festivals provide but aren’t up for staying on their feet all day, this beer festival is ideal. With the ticket price including entry, four pints of free beer, a free glass plus the chance to learn a bit about how the beloved beverage is made, this will certainly be a fun experience. And don’t think the focus on beer means the attention to music has gone amiss: the lineup here includes French electro-pop band We Were Evergreen, vintage sounding Amber States plus London-based singer Ursa Minor.

Real Food Market, London, Throughout the summer, Free entry

I know for certain that one of my favourite features of a festival is the herd of indulgent food trucks that accompany it. The Southbank Centre is known for hosting its Real Food Market on selected weekends throughout the year and with the next three weekends guaranteed to give ground to an array of wine, cheese and chocolate plus heavenly burgers, buns and baked goods, there is no chance of leaving this one on an empty stomach.