Student festival guide 2021
Music festivals are the ultimate summer experience, but they're not known for being student budget-friendly. We review this year's hottest festivals, with one eye on cost...
Credit: Monkey Business Images – Shutterstock
With so many festivals taking place across the UK and Europe, it's getting trickier every year to decide which ones to go to – and more importantly, which ones you can actually afford.
No music festival is going to be cheap, but if the line-up features lots of your favourite artists, they can be cheaper than going to lots of individual gigs.
Plus, some festivals offer once in a lifetime experiences that are worth the money. Remember, the artists themselves are only part of the full package: the atmosphere, food, surroundings and other activities are all things to take into account.
Note that the prices indicated for these festivals are just for tickets and/or camping, so they don't include travel to and from each festival and are subject to availability. However, we have included booking fees so you don't get any nasty surprises when you get to the checkout.
Will festivals happen in 2021?
Yes, festivals will be going ahead in 2021! Well, some will at least.
Sadly, some big-name festivals like Glastonbury and Download have been cancelled for the second year in a row.
But the good news is that the vast majority of major festivals are still taking place in 2021, assuming we don't deviate too much from the government's planned roadmap for returning to normality.
So, that means you'll have the chance to go to Field Day, Reading/Leeds, Parklife or whatever festival you've got your eyes on this year.
Top 20 UK festivals 2021
Here are the best student festivals in summer 2021:
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Parklife – Heaton Park, Manchester
Dates: 11th – 12th September
Headliners: TBC
Cost: TBC.Manchester's favourite music festival is, unsurprisingly, also a favourite with the city's massive student population.
The weekend usually features a top drawer line-up with loads of acts alongside a few big headliners.
You can also pay more for a weekend VIP upgrade (which includes access to 'The VIP Colonnade', an exclusive backstage garden!).
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Latitude – Henham Park, Southwold
Dates: 22nd – 25th July
Headliners: Lewis Capaldi, Bastille, First Aid Kit
Cost: £226.80 (weekend ticket with standard camping).Latitude is one of the pricier festivals out there, but the line up normally justifies the dollar. The festival will boast big artists (TBC) alongside its main headliners.
It's a great all-rounder festival, where you can get back to nature by camping and lake swimming before dancing to DJs until the early hours.
Oh, and there's also pink sheep.
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Wireless – Finsbury Park, London
Dates: TBC
Headliners: TBC
Cost: TBC.We're still in a bit of a grump with Wireless for cutting the Birmingham leg of the festival, making it a London-only affair.
Wireless hosts the sounds of grime, hip-hop, rap and R&B in North London's Finsbury Park.
Wireless isn't a camping festival, so you'll have to factor in the price of London accommodation for this one.
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Lovebox – Gunnersbury Park, London
Dates: TBC
Headliners: TBC
Cost: TBC.Following Citadel's demise, Lovebox has expanded and is now bringing musical mayhem for three days instead of two (Citadel festival, Lovebox's indie twin, used to be held on the same site on the Sunday).
Lovebox boasts a brilliant line-up every year. Again, this isn't a camping festival so you'll have to seek out a friend who's willing to let you crash on their sofa for a night or two.
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Reading and Leeds – Richfield Avenue and Bramham Park
Dates: 27th – 29th August
Headliners: Stormzy, Post Malone, Liam Gallagher
Cost: £232.20 (weekend camping pass), £81.50 (Friday day ticket and Saturday day ticket), £86.50 (Sunday day ticket).As two of the longest-running music festivals in the world, Reading and Leeds are somewhat of an institution in the UK.
The festivals run the same line-up, alternating between Richfield Avenue in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds.
Reading and Leeds started out a lot more rock, metal and punk-focused, but over the years they've become a bit more open to mainstream hip hop and dance music (causing a bit of controversy among loyal fans).
This year's eclectic line-up features everything from Disclosure, Yungblud, Lewis Capaldi and much more.
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Camp Bestival – Lulworth Estate, Dorset
Dates: 29th July – 1st August
Headliners: Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Becky Hill
Cost: £195 (student weekend ticket).Camp Bestival, the little sister of Bestival (RIP), is a confirmed unmissable date in the UK festival calendar, and its line-up never fails to get us excited.
Although the festival used to take place on the Isle of Wight, it has now been relocated to the Lulworth Estate in Dorset.
This year the stonking line-up features Sophie Ellis Bexter, Friendly Fires, Kelis, Vengaboys and so much more!
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Creamfields – Daresbury Estate, Cheshire
Dates: 26th – 29th August
Headliners: deadmau5, Eric Prydz, Martin Garrix, Tiësto
Cost: SOLD OUT.
Creamfields is a raver's paradise, with some of the biggest DJs in the business making appearances every year. The line-up is absolutely huge, and basically reads like an A to Z of the industry.
Tickets are on the upper end of the price scale, but they do offer payment plans to help you spread out the cost. The payment plans don't charge interest, but there is a fee to use this service which varies depending on how much your ticket is worth.
Plus, like most major festivals these days, they offer boutique camping in the form of Dreamfields.
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Victorious – Southsea Seafront, Portsmouth
Dates: 27th – 29th August
Headliners: TBC
Cost: £30 (early bird price for Friday day ticket), £40 (early bird price for Saturday and Sunday day tickets), £105 (early bird price for a weekend pass without camping).This one is for the indie fans out there, with a brilliant big-name line-up considering this is still a relatively little known festival.
Since there are so many big acts, it's also a pretty cost-effective option too, although you'll need to pay extra for off-site camping.
Best of all, the Castle Stage is situated in front of the stunning Southsea Castle, making this one of the most picturesque festivals around.
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Isle of Wight Festival – Newport
Dates: 17th – 20th June
Headliners: Lionel Richie, Lewis Capaldi, Pete Tong, Duran Duran
Cost: £181.50 (student weekend pass with or without camping), £75.20 (day ticket).Situated just off the South coast (not far from Portsmouth and Bournemouth), the Isle of Wight might be a slightly trickier destination to get to, but it's well worth the trip for such an amazing line-up.
As well as the main headliners, you can also look forward to Becky Hill, Sam Fender, Jess Glynne and Carly Rae Jepsen.
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Mighty Hoopla – Brockwell Park
Date: 6th June
Headliner: Cheryl
Cost: £55.The poptastic Mighty Hoopla is back again this year in Brockwell Park, celebrating all things glitz and glam!
The main headliner will be accompanied by the likes of Becky Hill, RAYE and Atomic Kitten.
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We Are FSTVL – Upminster, London
Dates: TBC
Headliners: TBC
Cost: TBC.One of the best EDM festivals around, We Are FSTVL always guarantees a stellar line-up, big beats and jewels – lots of jewels.
It takes places on the Airfield of Dreams (a.k.a. Damyn's Hall Aerodrome) in London and, unlike a lot of festivals in the capital, you can get the full camping experience.
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TRNSMT Festival – Glasgow Green, Glasgow
Dates: 9th – 11th July
Headliners: Lewis Capaldi, Liam Gallagher, Courteeners
Cost: £183 (weekend pass), £134.50 (two-day pass), £70.25 (one-day pass).TRNSMT festival started life as a replacement to T in the Park, but has grown into a hugely popular festival in its own right.
It's spread out over a weekend, right slap bang in the centre of Glasgow, designed for you to spend time exploring the city as well as enjoying the festival.
There are payment plans available for the two-day and weekend passes, and if you're going for a one-day pass, just make sure all the acts you want to see are playing on the same day.
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Field Day – Meridian Water, London
Date: 10th July
Headliners: Bicep, Tale of Us, Floorplan, Floating Points, Mall Grab, Maribou State, Ross from Friends, DJ Seinfeld, George FitzGerald
Cost: SOLD OUT.Field Day is back this year, but for one day only. But don't fret, the line-up includes some of the best names on the techno scene.
You'll be able to catch your usual insanely eclectic mix of acts, including Artwork, Josey Rebelle, Jungle and Prospa. Have a read of what we thought of it!
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Boomtown – Matterley Estate, Winchester
Dates: 11th – 15th August
Headliners: TBC
Cost: SOLD OUT.It's chapter one of this completely unique and bonkers festival, and it's titled The Gathering.
Boomtown is described as a "living theatre" on its website, giving an indication of its focus on storytelling. But, with this year's festival being the first chapter of a new narrative, they're taking a fresh approach.
If you're looking for a festival that's going to make your Instagram pop, this is the one to go for.
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Green Man – Brecon Beacons, Wales
Dates: 19th – 22nd August
Headliners: TBC
Cost: TBC.If you fancy a more chilled and laid back vibe, then Green Man might be more up your street.
This folk festival takes place against a backdrop of stunning Welsh mountains, with fewer beats and more acoustic guitars. There are 10 different areas with something for everyone to enjoy, be it literature, comedy, science and/or Welsh beer!
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Boardmasters – Newquay, Cornwall
Dates: 11th – 15th August
Headliners: TBC
Cost: SOLD OUT.If you're looking for some good old British beach fun (yes, this exists), then look no further than Boardmasters in Cornwall.
With surfing competitions, surf art and intimate gigs on the beach, it's an outdoor-lovers dream.
Snap your tickets up now and cross your fingers for some sunshine!
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NASS Festival – Shepton Mallet, Somerset
Dates: 8th – 11th July
Headliners: The Streets, A.M.C. feat Phantom, Hybrid Minds
Cost: SOLD OUT.NASS in Somerset is one for all the adrenaline-junky skateboarders and BMXers out there.
Whether you want to take part in the action or just watch from the sidelines, NASS is a great weekend for drum and bass, hip hop, grime and dance music lovers too.
At NASS, you can expect some pretty big names in music – as well as appearances from some of the best pro BMXers and skateboarders.
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Shambala – Secret Location, Northamptonshire
Dates: 26th – 29th August
Headliners: TBC
Cost: SOLD OUT.If you're on the hunt for something a little bit different with your festival experience, then it's well worth checking out Shambala in Northamptonshire.
This laid back, intimate festival is all about creativity and participation – from yoga to flash mobs, theatre troupes and cabaret, Shambala is more than just music.
It's also one of the most eco-friendly festivals around. They've already got rid of single-use plastics like cups and straws. Plus, they don't allow glitter, encouraging you to use face paints or masks instead.
Music ranges from funk, soul, disco and reggae to drum and bass, so there's guaranteed to be something to suit your taste somewhere.
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Beautiful Days – Escot Park, Devon
Dates: TBC
Headliners: TBC
Cost: TBC.Set up in 2003 by rock band the Levellers, Beautiful Days prides itself in being a completely independent festival: no sponsorship, no advertising and an extremely chilled-out vibe.
At the time of writing, they're still to confirm whether the festival will go ahead this year.
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British Summer Time Hyde Park, London
Dates: 9th July – 11th July
Headliners: Pearl Jam, IDLES, Duran Duran
Cost: £68.05 (Sunday one-day ticket), £78.25 (Friday or Saturday one-day ticket), £143 (Friday and Saturday two-day ticket).BST Hyde Park started back in 2013 and generally includes a line-up of international superstars and epic supporting acts.
The festival is usually held for 10 days, but this year it currently looks like the festival will run for one weekend.
Tip: if you can't afford to buy a ticket to your dream festival, you could always go as a volunteer!
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