It’s festival time.
As emblematic of British summertime as Pimm’s, and far more exuberant, we know that festivals are all about the fashion (okay—music too).
Get ready for ELLE to deliver the freshest fashion and news from all the best fests, starting this weekend at Coachella and finishing in five months at Bestival.
Still not sure of your festival plans? Brush up on the options in our guide to the summer’s finest.
But before that, take festival fashion inspiration from our edit of last year’s best-dressed . A bit of fringing, a bouquet of statement sunnies , and barely a welly in sight... it’s music to our eyes.
Coachella, 15-17 April, California
Those trekking to Indio, California for this weekend’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will take in Kings of Leon, Kanye West and The Strokes against a staggering desert backdrop. That, and Mulberry is hosting one helluva backyard barbecue for all the VIPs. Check back for all our coverage on Monday morning.
All Tomorrow’s Parties (ATP), 13-15 May, England
East End cool kids head to Butlins for a hip take on the holiday camp experience, with tunes from Animal Collective, Beach House and Big Boi.
Primavera, 26-28 May, Barcelona
Fleet Foxes, Mogwai, Girl Talk, James Blake and more jet to Barcelona for a music festival with a city-break feel.
Isle of Wight, 10-12 June, England
Get a ticket to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, and you’ll feel like you’ve just time-travelled to the ‘70s. In a good way—Jimi Hendrix played here in 1970, and since then, the UK’s original music festival has maintained its laid-back feel and sunny disposition. This year, it’s all about the Kings of Leon, Kasabian and the Two Door Cinema Club.
Sonar, 16-18 June, Barcelona
Another excuse for a Catalonian escape, Sonar bills itself as an avant garde music and multimedia arts festival. That means MIA and Janelle Monae play alongside audiovisual performances from the likes of dark video artist Chris Cunningham.
Glastonbury, 22-26 June, England
Needing no introduction , Glasto is the consummate British music festival. Last year, 150,000 ticketholders flocked to Worthy Farm; this year, expect even bigger crowds to jostle for a view of the stage ahead of next year’s pause for the Olympics. Beyonce, Elbow, Mumford & Sons, Coldplay, U2—there’s something for everyone... everyone who can get tickets, that is.
Hop Farm, 1-2 July, England
A small, sweet festival on a farm, this one’s all about the fans. No branding, no sponsorships, no VIPs—just performances from the Eagles, Brandon Flowers, Death Cab for Cutie and more. See the looks we loved from last year’s festival.
Bilbao BBK Festival, 7-9 July, Spain
Head to the mountains outside of Bilbao, Spain for this festival, starring Coldplay, Blondie and Jack Johnson. Every night ends with tent parties in the hills...
Wireless, 1-3 July, England
It’s huge and it’s right here, in the middle of Hyde Park. Pick up a ticket for all the buzz of the big acts without the hassle of camping.
1234 Festival, 9 July, England
Head to Shoreditch for a one-day primer in the bands everyone will be talking about. Florence and Lightspeed Champion both played here in their early days—who will be the breakout stars this year?
Latitude, 14-17 July, England
Technicolour sheep, a comedy arena and a literary tent round out the laid-back main stage performances at this family-friendly classic.
Benicassim, 14-17 July, Spain
Dance all night, recover on the beach—what could be bad?
Lovebox, 15-17 July, England
Head to Victoria Park for a genre-defying East End festival that feels insidery, despite marquee acts like Snoop Dogg, Scissor Sisters and The Wombats.
Secret Garden Party, 21-24 July, England
Take a plunge in the lake, mud wrestle and engage in a heated debate at this idyllic arts and music festival in the Cambridgeshire countryside.
Port Eliot Festival , 21-24 July, England
It’s not just the location—the sprawling Cornish stately home of the Earl and Countess of St Germans—but the attitude that sets this literary festival apart. Don’t miss the fashion line-up (curated by Sarah Mower) and appearances by Stephen Jones, Justine Picardie and David Sims.
Ben & Jerry’s Double Scoop Sundae, 23-24 July, England (London and Manchester)
A petting zoo, free ice cream and ample musical acts make this a delicious way to spend the weekend.
The Big Chill, 4-7 August, England
It’s chilled, it’s alt, it’s on the grounds of a castle... tickets go on sale on 18 April.
Field Day, 6 August, England
This one-day festival started quietly in 2007, building up a reputation strong enough to entice Phoenix to headline last year. Making the trip to Victoria Park is a great way to hear dozens of emerging bands in a day.
Wilderness , 12-14 August, England
Prepare for the birth of a classic. In its inaugural year, Wilderness has people talking. Go hot-tubbing at the Wilderness spa, dine under the stars at feasts prepared by the chefs behind Moro and Petersham Nurseries, and waltz through The Midnight Masked Ball, before stumbling back to the boutique camping area.
V Festival, 20-21 August, England
V is big—so big that it takes place at two parks simultaneously, flipping the line-ups from Saturday to Sunday. This year, acts playing two shows in two days include Eminem, Rihanna and the Arctic Monkeys.
Electric Picnic, 2-4 September, Ireland
Cross the water for a weekend in Ireland. The great line-up features Arcade Fire, Beirut and Jimmy Cliff, but it’s the start-up circus feel of the proceedings that has people calling it the next Glasto.
Offset, 3-4 September, England
Another newbie, Offset was launched in 2008 by a group of friends sick of identical lineups at the big-box festivals. Its Hainault Forest site makes it easily accessible for Londoners—just hop on the Central Line and get jiving to Anna Calvi and Atari Teenage Riot.
Bestival, 8-11 September, England
THE destination for fancy dress fans, Bestival keeps attendees coming year after year with its serene Isle of Wight setting, incredible line-ups and kooky details (an inflatable church and Bollywood tent? Why not!)
And a bonus: Pitchfork , 28-29 October, Paris
Okay, so summer has passed... but who could resist one more festival, particularly when it’s as special as this? For its first fully fledged foray outside the US, Pitchfork brings Bon Iver, Wild Beasts and Jens Lekman to Paris’s Parc de la Villette. Book your Eurostar seats now.
Check out our favourite festival looks...
http://www.elleuk.com/style/street-style/your-best-festival-looks
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