The Best London Music Festivals Summer of 2022
Festival season is fast approaching and looking at the London line up, it appears that the summer of 2022 is going to be one giant celebration of fun and freedom.
There’s definitely something magical about being surrounded by a field full of people you don't know, all united by the shared experience of music. It lends itself to expressing your true personality, experimenting with your identity, covering yourself in glitter paint and dressing up in costumes. What’s not to love!
So, Londoners, dig out your bucket hats and don your most outrageous outfits because we’ve rounded up the city's best music festivals and there’s even still some tickets available.
FLESH
May 28th & 29th
Flesh is a newcomer to the festival scene and just 40 minutes from central London. This UK-first LGBTQ+ electronic music and camping festival will showcase only underrepresented acts, with women, trans+, and non-binary artists from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, as well as other underrepresented groups such as LGBTQ and working-class artists performing. Flesh will be held at Springfield Farm, St Albans.
Line-up includes: Ellen Allien, VTSS, LSDXOXO, Rebekah, Chippy Nonstop, Jaguar, Syreeta, Hyperaktivist, and Juliana Huxtable
Wide Awake
May 27th & 28th
Back for its second year in Brockwell Park, Wide Awake festival promises ‘left-field Indie, Post Punk, Electronica, Techno, Jazz and more from an array of artists you won’t find anywhere else at a festival in London’. This is an independent festival for music fans looking for something different, spanning 2 days.
Line-up includes: BICEP, Primal Scream, Caribou, Floating Points, Leon Vynehall, Fat White Family, Overmono, Yard Act, Sofia Kourtesis
City Splash
May 29th
This fantastic festival is a celebration of Reggae’s impact on London youth culture, with over 40 artists across four different stages and a host of different Caribbean food stalls and workshops. Guests will enjoy a genre-spanning line-up, from Dancehall to Grime to Dub to Jungle to Roots to Hip Hop, all with a common thread: a reggae influence
Line-up includes: Barrington Levy, Mr Eazi, Protoje, Sister Nancy, Congo Natty
GALA
Peckham Rye Park
June 2nd - 4th
Returning to Peckham across the new Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, GALA will build on the success of 2021’s sell-out event, which was one of the first festivals back post-lockdown. (link to blog post that we mentioned this in last year). Last year’s event was a sensation – which is why this year the festival has been extended to three days this summer. Thursday will focus on live acts, whereas Friday and Saturday will be DJ’s and electronic music. Expect a varied line up spanning House, Jazz, Disco, Drum & Bass, Garage, Acid House and Afrobeats.
Line-up includes: Dan Shake, DJ Harvey, Little Dragon, Josey Rebelle, Shy One, Horse Meat Disco, Gilles Peterson, Homoelectric, Mafalda, Secretsundaze and more.
Mighty Hoopla
June 3rd & 4th
With freedom and expressionism at their heart, Mighty Hoopla provides an alternative to electeroci music with more than 200 artists and performers across 7 stages embracing the best of pop, alternative and queer culture. In addition to the alternative club nights, you can expect to find cabaret collectives and unique performances such as roaming comedy acts, vogueing troupes, orchestras, secret discos and mass karaoke.
Line-up includes: Girl Power from Jessie Ware, Anastacia, Jayda G, Katy B, Sugababes and Booty Luv, Five, Steps, Sink The Pink and Little Gay Brother.
Hampton Court Palace Festival
June 10th–25th
www.hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com
Taking place in the stunning Tudor Courtyard of Henry VIII's majestic Palace, this Festival provides world-class acts across 3 weeks in June. Enjoy the unique opportunity to see incredible performances within the intimate setting of Base Court set against the backdrop of Tudor history. Pack a picnic to enjoy on the grass of the beautiful East Front Gardens before watching world-class acts perform. Last year saw Tom Jones and Van Morrison perform, and this year there’s a pretty exciting line-up in the pipeline.
Line-up includes: Elbow, McFly, Kacey Musgraves, The Human League, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, Crowded House and Ministry of Sound Classical with Fat Tony and Seb Fontaine.
Cross The Tracks
June 5th
Cross The Tracks is a one-day event that mixes up legendary big names and hot up and coming acts across six stages. It also boasts London’s finest street food traders and craft beer brewers and is a good festival for people of all ages and backgrounds from families to young party people. Cross The Tracks offers a wellness area, talks from industry insiders, creative markets, a record and art fair, panels, workshops, as well as great music.
Line-up includes: Sampa The Great, Joy Crookes, Gilles Peterson, Macy Gray, Khruangbin and Romare
Meltdown
June 10th –19th
www.musicfestivalwizard.com/festivals/meltdown-festival-2022/
This annual festival is held each summer in London at the Southbank Centre. Each year Meltdown chooses an artist to curate the event. Previous Meltdown directors have included Elvis Costello, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Lee Scratch Perry, Morrissey, Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave, Scott Walker, John Peel and Ornette Coleman. This is one of the longest-running artist-curated music festivals and this year no other than Grace Jones is the iteration’s curator!
Line-up includes: Frontwoman of the Noisettes, Shingai, Sky Ferreira, The Love Unlimited Synth Orchestra, Dave Okumu, Peaches, Honey Dijon and Hercules & Love Affair
BST Hyde Park June
Saturday 5th - Sunday 3rd July
BST is spread across three weekends, with nine concert days featuring legendary headliners & support from today's rising stars. Between the three weekends is a free midweek programme called Open House, featuring fantastic free activities and entertainment.
2020 and 2021’s events were canceled due to the pandemic, so we predict a hugely celebratory vibe when the festival returns this year!
Line-up includes: Pearl Jam and Duran Duran were both scheduled to play last year, so they’ve rolled over to 2022. The Eagles, Adele, Elton John and The Rolling Stones
Wireless
Crystal Palace Bowl and Finsbury Park
July 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 8th 9th & 10th
Taking place across the first two weekends in July, with the first weekend in Crystal Palace and the second weekend in Finsbury Park, this is probably the most famous of all the London festivals! It offers hip-hop, rap and grime and it sells out fast!
Line up includes: A$AP Rocky, Little Simz, Tyler The Creator, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, J. Cole, Playboi Carti, Kali Uchis
Kew The Music
Kew Gardens
July 5–10th
Beautiful settings and great live music makes Kew The Music a festival not to be missed. Previous years have seen the likes of Gabrielle, Will Young, James Morisson, Rebecca Ferguson and Van bloody Morisson on the stage. Unfortunately due to COVID-19, the festival was cancelled last year, which is all the more reason to get your tickets for summer 2022.
Line-up includes: 80’s pop group Bananarama, Will Young, Van Morrison, Gipsy Kings, DJ Spoony, James Blunt and Gabrielle.
Lovebox
Finsbury Park.
July 16th
Lovebox is a one-day UK music festival which takes place in London's Finsbury Park on 16 July 2022. The newly expanded festival features some of the top pop, hip-hop, RnB, grime and rap musicians along with incredible house and dance music acts and DJs across the weekend. Now a key highlight of the London festival calendar, get ready for spectacular scenes of music madness as Lovebox Festival returns in 2022.
The top London festival has come a long way since its origin in 2002 as a club night and was co-founded by none other than dance DJ legends Groove Armada. Over its rich festival history, Lovebox has taken place in different venues across London, including Clapham Common, a 12-year stint in Victoria Park and the event currently takes place at North London's Finsbury Park. Lovebox 2019 featured incredible performances from Chance the Rapper, Solange, Loyle Carner, Brockhampton and Four Tet over the sunny July weekend.
Line up still to be announced
Kaleidoscope
July 23rd
Ally Pally is known for its gigs, beer garden and panoramic views across the whole of London but Kaleidoscope is one of the most popular events. It’s perfect for both kids and adults alike and 2022 sees Orbital and the Happy Mondays headline. Other acts this year include David Rodigan MBE and Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon as well as comedy acts from Dom Joly and rising star Sindhu Vee.
Line up includes: Orbital and the Happy Mondays headline for 2022, with Crazy P, The Cuban Brothers, Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon, The Magic Numbers, House Gospel Choir, Dom Joly and Zero 7
Higher Ground Festival
July 24th
www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/higher-ground-festival/
Higher Ground is a new boutique, one-day festival, with Patti Smith (one of the most ambitious, unconventional, and challenging rock and rollers of all time) held on the slopes of Alexandra Palace. With an artistic scope including singer-songwriters, genre defying acts and contemporary sounds, this festival is perfect for those with artistic leanings.
In addition to powerful live sets from leading international names, the event will feature DJ sets, workshops, talks and readings, food trucks, bars, and activity areas.
Line-up includes: Alongside the icon that is Patti Smith, you’ll also get to hear Nadine Shah, Spelling, Connie Constance, Nabihah Iqbal, Joviale and a whole host of other acts.
Body Movements
Hackney Wick
July 30th
New to the festival scene, this festival has been designed to celebrate LGBTQ+ people within dance music – or ‘queer bodies in electronic music’ – you’ll be able to get your rave on to acts from collectives in a range of different venues in Hackney Wick, including The Yard and the Colour Factory.
Line-up includes: Adonis, Little Gay Brother, Jungle Kitty, Big Dyke Energy, Pxssy Palace, Queer House Party, Nite Dykez, Lezzer Quest
If, like us, you can not wait for festival season to start in the city of London then make sure to keep an eye on this blog post as we will be updating it with more summer festival info and events as the details are announced!
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