Sounds Good

TRUCK

Where: Hill Farm, Steventon
When: July 17-18
Big names: Basement Jaxx, The Charlatans, Peter Hook, Temples, Clean Bandit, Public Service Broadcasting
Clientele: Young indie-loving first-timers and hardened Oxford scenesters
Best for: Loads of big names covering almost every genre crammed into two fun days
Don’t mention: The clashes.With so many great international and local acts playing such a compact
festival, there are some inevitably hard decisions over who to miss.
Tickets: £79.50 + fee from www.truckfestival.com

RIVERSIDE

Where: Charlbury
When: July 25-26
Big names: TBA
Clientele: Trendy organic Charlbury-ites with free-range kids
Best for: Great local music in a pocket-handkerchief site, which raises loads of funds for good causes and is still free to get in.
Don’t mention: If you stay until the end, you will miss the last train… and Charlbury is a long way from anywhere. Alternatively, stay off the booze and drive or club together for a taxi.
Tickets: Free from www.riversidefestival.charlbury.com

FAIRPORT’S CROPREDY CONVENTION

Where: Cropredy, near Banbury
When: August 13-15
Big names: Fairport Convention, Emmylou Harris,The Proclaimers, Level 42, Iain Matthews, Paul Carrack
Clientele: Poncho and Aran sweater-clad folkies
Best for: Folk and ale. It may have tried to move away from its roots as a folk-rock gathering, but that’s still essentially what it is. And no one likes a pint of real ale or cider more than a folkie, so polish your tankard and join in with a pint of Wadworth’s finest.
Don’t mention: The deckchairs. A large part of the clientele set up day camp on the hillside facing the stage with chairs, flags, cool boxes and blankets, all of which is treacherous once the sun goes down.Tread carefully or you risk twisting an ankle or getting a tankard thrown at you.
Tickets: £120 before July 31, £125 afterwards at www.fairportconvention.com

WILDERNESS

Where: Cornbury Park, Charlbury
When: August 6-9
Big names: Bjork, Ben Howard, George Clinton’s Parliament & Funkadelic, Nick Mulvey
Clientele: London hipsters looking for Hoxton in the Cotswolds
Best for: Everything. Food prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, the site, rustic craft workshops, wild swimming, fly fishing, nature walks, lakeside spa, partying in the woods. Even the music is pretty good.
Don’t mention: Bedtime. The 2pm curfew means the night winds up just as it gets going.

READING

Where: Just over the county boundary at Little John’s Farm
When: August 27-30
Big names: Metallica,The Libertines, Mumford & Sons, alt-J, Bring Me The Horizon
Best for: Music ... and nothing else. A music festival in the purest sense, Reading and its sister event in Leeds offer the best new indierock, rock and dance. There’s no folk, no jazz, no world music. Just loud stuff that’ll leave your ears ringing. Food is for teenagers, there are no healing fields, real ale bars or yoga sessions and you won’t learn to knit your breakfast or align your chakras.
Don’t mention: Wandering valuables.The days of hell’s night, when the festival ended with a conflagration of burning tents and gas cylinders, are over, but crime is an issue.
Tickets: £213 + fee from www.readingfestival.com

CORNBURY

Where: Great Tew Park, near Chipping Norton
When: July 10-12
Big names: Tom Jones, Martha Reeves, Rodger Hodgson of Supertramp, Razorlight, Blue, Chas & Dave
Clientele: Middle class families and sheepish-looking members of the Chipping Norton set
Best for: Mainstream pop with a few classic gems, in a beautiful family-friendly site. It has never claimed to be the coolest festival, but “Poshstock” pulls in the punters with a quality middle of the road line-up and a very good local music stage hosted by Riverside Festival.
Don’t mention: The Camerons. Will they be there? Almost certainly!
Tickets: £182 weekend / £182 camping / £330 VIP from www.cornburyfestival.com

TOWERSEY

Where: Thame showground
When: August 28-31
Big names: Bellowhead, Joan Armatrading, Show of Hands, Stornoway
Best for: Longevity. This is the longest-running independent festival in the land, and also the longest event, taking place over four days. Settle in for the long game if you’re here for the whole thing. Alternatively dip in and out if you don’t fancy dedicating the best part of a week to its engaging mix of folk, world and acoustic fare.
Don’t mention: The beer running out. There’s no more distressing site than seeing a well-rounded CAMRA member being forced to drink lager because the last barrel of Old Badger Tail ran out half way through the last night.
Tickets: £120 from www.towerseyfestival.com

ALEX JAMES & JAMIE OLIVER PRESENT THE BIG FEASTIVAL

Where: Alex James’s farm, Kingham
When: August 28-30
Big names: Groove Armada and Dizzee Rascal, Paloma Faith, Grandmaster Faith, Roots Manuva
Clientele: Yummy mummies and their polished blokes, with wholesome five-aday-eating kids
Best for: Surprisingly good music for what is essentially a glorified farmers market and cookery show. It’s also tremendous for kids, with oldfashioned rides and loads of hands-on activities. And host Alex James is the perfect party-loving gentleman.
Don’t mention: Queues. No macaroni cheese or posh hot dog is worth waiting 20 minutes for.
Tickets: £150 + fee from www.jamieoliver.com/thebigfeastival

LATITUDE

Where: Henham Park, Beccles, Suffolk
When: July 16-19
Big names: Portishead, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, alt-J, Caribou
Clientele: Broad-minded, well-read and well-behaved folk
Best for: Self-improvement. Latitude has top-notch poetry, drama, lectures, book readings and comedy. You could never see a band and still have the best festie experience of your life. Though you will.
Don’t mention: The distance. Suffolk is further than you think.
Tickets: £192.50 + fee from www.latitudefestival.com

GLASTONBURY

Where: Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset
When: June 24-28
Big names: The Who, Foo Fighters, Kane West, Florence & The Machine
Clientele: Professional, Guardian-reading, deck chair-toting holiday types, who have a mate with ultra fast broadband to secure the tickets before they all go. And thousands of blaggers.
Best for: Finding yourself in the mystical Isle of Avalon… or at least filling your boots with the world’s best music and gallons of cider.
Don’t mention: The mud, the expense, the increasing yuppification, the vast distances and the fact admission is afforded only to those with the organisational abilities of Field Marshall Montgomery and a superfast broadband connection; or who work for the BBC. Never has a festival moved further from its hippy roots.
Tickets: Sold out. www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

WOMAD

Where: Charlton Park, Malmesbury
When: July 24-26
Big names: Laura Mvula, Bellowhead, Tinariwen, De La Soul
Clientele: Liberal-minded world travellers, Radio 3 listeners, posh 20 and 30-somethings (look
out for Royals)
Best for: Soaking up global sounds and eating your way around the world.
Don’t mention: The walking. The hike from the car park should not be underestimated.
Tickets: www.womad.co.uk

SECRET GARDEN PARTY

Where: Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon
When: July 23-26
Big names: Jungle,The Cat Empire, Caravan Palace, Public Service Broadcasting, Kate Tempest
Clientele: People who went to Glastonbury before it “got too big”
Best for: Partying to quality music.
Don’t mention: Dressing up. Make the effort, or you’ll feel like a scruff.
Tickets: Sold out. www.secretgardenparty.com

BESTIVAL

Where: Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight... but not to be confused with the Isle of Wight Festival
When: September 10-13
Big names: The Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Duran Duran,Tame Impala,The Jacksons
Clientele: Hardened fun-loving festival-goers, who have kept going to the end of the season, not afraid to put on fancy dress
Best for: Partying. Even when the headliners have finished, the party goes on, with raves and seriously good acts in marquees. There’s always time to walk in the woods.
Don’t mention: Traffic. Get there before or after everyone else, to avoid gridlock from the ferry ports as the island turns car park.
Tickets: £195 from www.2015.bestival.net

ISLE OF WIGHT

Where: Newport, (Isle of Wight, not South Wales)
When: June 11-14
Big names: Fleetwood Mac, Blur, The Black Keys, The Prodigy
Clientele: Adventurous souls who love their music and are not put off by the early fixture, nor a trip across the Solent.
Best for: The best line-up of the summer at a fun-loving festival off the Hampshire coast, in the spiritual homeland of British festival-going
Don’t mention: The ferry fares can come as a shock. Be sure to share with mates.
Tickets: £195 camping from www.isleofwightfestival.com