British festivals represent the gold standard for the live music industry. Institutions like Glastonbury and Isle of Wight have been putting on massive events headlined by top artists years before American counterparts Coachella and Lollapalooza hit their stride. Yet, these are camping festivals situated in remote (but beautiful) destinations.
If you want to dance in a field with your friends while music is being played at loud volumes, you don’t necessarily have to leave London. The capital has dozens of massive events held in public parks and other spaces that provide a nice alternative to roughing it at festival grounds. It’s the best of both worlds as you’ll be able to see a massive artist like Dua Lipa and then take the train back to your hotel or Airbnb. This makes it much easier for international travelers who want to explore London and see a show.
And since festivals don’t typically allow bags, especially large ones, have a plan for your extra stuff ahead of time. Bounce luggage storage locations in London are always available.
How storing your luggage can help
If you’re planning a trip around a London festival, you might want to look into a secure place to store your luggage at one point or another. Luggage storage is always useful for these sorts of trips, and that’s where Bounce comes in, with hundreds of locations across the city near venues as well as major transit facilities.
How it works
- Online booking: Using the site or mobile app, you can use the search function to find the nearest luggage storage location to where you’re heading. Plug in a few details and you’ll be booked and confirmed in minutes.
- Cater it to your schedule: Your reservation is for 24 hours, so you won’t have to worry about our hourly rates while you’re attending an event. You can also for multiple days based on your travel plans.
- Easy check-in: Each customer receives a QR confirmation code that’s used to seamlessly and quickly check in at the Bounce storage location. Every drop-off and pick-up are completely cashless.
Here are the best music festivals held in London:
All Points East
Situated in Victoria Park, All Points East has quickly become the city’s top festival for indie-leaning rock, pop, and electronic acts. The lineups simply ooze cool, and the crowds from London’s trendy clubs and bars seem to spill out into this leafy corner of Victoria Park every year. It’s one of the larger festivals, but manages a comfortable and approachable experience for almost any type of music fan. The coolest and buzziest bands tend to end up on All Points lineups, with major headliners like Tame Impala, The Strokes, Mitski, LCD Soundsystem, Nas, Death Cab for Cutie and a host of elusive bookings like Jai Paul and Postal Service. This one is as close to a “must-hit” as it gets.
Nearest transit station: Mile End Underground Station (Central Line, Hammersmith & City, District Line)
Skepta is emblematic of London’s influence on global music, so it only seems right that he’s curated a brand new festival that’s soon to be a highlight of the city’s summer calendar. They’re starting with a bang with the inaugural edition featuring performances by Skepta (obviously), The Streets, Mahalia, JME, Lancey, K-Trap, Odumodublvck, and more. If you’re interested in British hip-hop and R&B, it’s definitely worth a trip to Crystal Palace Park.
Nearest transit station: Crystal Palace Overground Station (a five-minute walk).
If you’re trying to see living legends like the Rolling Stones, Guns N’Roses, Lana Del Ray, Stevie Nicks, and Kings of Leon, simply camp out near London’s most historic park for this summer concert series. There’s also been a focus on (the other type of) British Royalty, with iconic pop acts like Adele, Robbie Williams, and Elton John being the festival’s biggest bookings in recent years.
Nearest Tube station: Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly Line)
Every August, Victoria Park welcomes the globe’s top EDM and electronic artists along with 50,000 fans with the sole purpose of creating the largest dance party in the UK. Premier DJs and producers like Justice, Kraftwerk, Aphex Twin, Charlotte de Witte, and countless others have graced this stage.
Nearest transit station: Mile End Underground Station (Central Line, Hammersmith & City, District Line)
American tastemaking institution Pitchfork has expanded to uber-trendy markets like Paris, Mexico City, Berlin, and London to bring its eclectic programming to new audiences. Its London edition doesn’t resemble the outdoor spectacle of larger festivals, as it’s held in venues throughout the city every November. You’ll be able to “create your own adventure” by picking from a handful of shows with unique lineups across a full week. The lineup skews towards underground and up-and-coming artists only your coolest friends know about. The major shows are held at venues like The Roundhouse, Fabric, HERE at Outernet, and The Village Underground.
Photo by Aranxa Esteve on Unsplash
A relative newcomer to the London festival scene, Wide Awake is your favorite artist’s favorite festival. With a strong focus on psychedelic and experimental music spanning from rock to pop and electronic, the independent ethos runs deep at this festival. The vibe? There’s definitely some vibes going down at Brockwell Park. Past headliners have included inventive pop megastar Caroline Polachek and feel-good punks IDLES. UK legends Slowdive and Aussies King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are amping up the profile of the festival alongside a bevy of respected DJs.
Nearest transit station: Herne Hill (Southeastern and Thameslink service). Brixton Victoria Line Station is also an option.
This Finsbury Park festival brings the hype train to North London every July with a lineup running the gamut between pop, hip-hop, R&B, and UK grime. It’s a massive festival featuring massive global stars like Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, 21 Savage, Future, and Ice Spice. Don’t miss out on earlier sets from the UK’s best-emerging talent, especially London-based grime artists.
Nearest train station: Finsbury Park Tube Station (Victoria Line, Piccadilly Line)
