What are the BEST SMALL FESTIVALS in the uk?

I'm going to NOZSTOCK this year. It's described as 'A festival built from a curious amalgamation of performance, art, electronic supersounds and good old-fashioned guitar-strumming and drum-bashing.'
Basically, it's got comedians, all types of music, good old fashioned free loving festival. At night there are experimental dance, trance, dubstep and DnB raves in old cow sheds and the wood .

It's really small, based on a farm, only 2000 odd people. And I use the word 'odd' in both senses of the word.

There's something for everyone, and this year's theme is Carnival.
I would HIGHLY recommend it!

Reply 81

gypsyclimber

12

Oh and also, I would recommend Moseley Folk Festival if you're into that kinda music. It's in the secret park in Moseley by a lake, very beautiful and very small. Get some really big names there too, for a good price. Nice food, good local beers. Get your ticket now!

Reply 82

Chipsticks

Original post by SleepingTheClockAround

Indietracks in Ripley is small cosy and not very expensive :smile:

Indietracks is the best! Trains and indiepop and booze, what more do you need?

Reply 83

username424629

Blissfields Festival in Hampshire!

Reply 84

tootsies

11

Secret garden party is spectacular, so pretty and has all the nice people and filters out the people who go to festivals for the wrong reasons. Boomtown is probably my favourite, it's awesome, small and has some great little features - but it's a very popular one with where I'm from so I may just love it because there was about 50 people I know in a tiny vicinity!

Reply 85

ellisregan

not sure if its as small as you're looking for but RockNess is amazing. So chilled out and never seems to be any real bother there.

I remember speaking to a security steward last year who was actually so bored because there was no bother like fights or just plain idiots.

Reply 86

Jale

11

Not cheap by any means, but the ATP festivals are AAAAAMAAAAZZZIIIIING. Really music-led. No sponsorship at all. Almost 2/3 of the cost of the ticket is actually the accommodation.

Reply 87

marquisinspades

Bestival isn't that small anymore, but it's the most wonderful festival; even though it's grown loads since it started, it still has that lovely small festival feel where everyone's really friendly (IOW born and bred here!) It's worth it, even though it's got so much more expensive. Also Rhythmtree festival, especially if you're into world stuff, but again it has a lovely atmosphere. For a cultural festival, how about the Brighton Festival?

Reply 88

username208984

14

Man I want to go to ATP SO MUCH. Might have to just say hell to it and go to this years, looks amazing.

Reply 89

rebeccaroo

6

BEATHERDER / SOLFEST / FARMFEST / KELBURN CASTLE / EDEN / ALCHEMY <3 <3 <3

But i'm having a baby in March, so i'll probably only do Solfest (and strictly as a punter only, as i usually work) as its the most family friendly....Ohhhhh looking forward to having a skank in the reggae / dub tent with my little girl in a sling, haha! Check me! Or maybe not...depends how well i cope with motherhood! /= Seriously jealous i'm missing Beaty this year though, my favourite by far!

Reply 90

Pi!

14

2000 Trees is looking good so far. Rolo Tomassi, Pulled Apart By Horses, run, Walk!, Brontide and it's fairly cheap.

Reply 91

EmperorMustard

11

Lovebox in Victoria Park, London, looks good this year and it was great fun last year. Line-up includes Magnetic Man, Hot Chip, Friendly Fires, Skream, Rusko, Crystal Castles, Sub Focus, Netsky, Joy Orbison, Azealia Banks, The 2 Bears and a load of others

Reply 92

fnm

13

2000 trees is full of indie/hipster kids though, mostly who are just there to take photos for FB. A bit like Reading really.

Reply 93

Pitt1988

15

Boomtown fair is good though getting bigger!
One love festival was amazing!
There's a small local on to me in a village called grewelthorpe called limetree, been there a few times and that has always been a quality weekend!

Reply 94

unnoun_element

www.summersaturnalia.com if your a fan of electronic music.

Festivals in July in Skipton (nr Leeds & York), Early bird tickets only £45 - acts announced so far include...

Italtek, Arkist, Ignition Technician, Statelapse, Extra Curricular, Monty Adkins, Ball-Zee, Dankle & Dr Weevil & many more

...main headline acts still tba ;-) reliably informed their gonna be something special though!

Reply 95

joeclarke3

Original post by gypsyclimber

I'm going to NOZSTOCK this year. It's described as 'A festival built from a curious amalgamation of performance, art, electronic supersounds and good old-fashioned guitar-strumming and drum-bashing.'
Basically, it's got comedians, all types of music, good old fashioned free loving festival. At night there are experimental dance, trance, dubstep and DnB raves in old cow sheds and the wood .

It's really small, based on a farm, only 2000 odd people. And I use the word 'odd' in both senses of the word.

There's something for everyone, and this year's theme is Carnival.
I would HIGHLY recommend it!

Such a good shout! Looking to replace Aeon Festival after it was cancelled this year! The line up was looking SO sick! Icicle, Norwood Casette Library, George Fitzgerald and so many others.

Does anyone else know of any festivals with dance tent lineups that are looking decent this year? Alchemy haven't released a full lineup yet and I was looking at Underhill, simply cause it's cheap and they've got a couple of decent artists (Krafty Kuts and Julio Bashmore).

Any recommendations for bass heavy festies then?

Reply 96

gypsyclimber

12

Original post by joeclarke3

Such a good shout! Looking to replace Aeon Festival after it was cancelled this year! The line up was looking SO sick! Icicle, Norwood Casette Library, George Fitzgerald and so many others.

Does anyone else know of any festivals with dance tent lineups that are looking decent this year? Alchemy haven't released a full lineup yet and I was looking at Underhill, simply cause it's cheap and they've got a couple of decent artists (Krafty Kuts and Julio Bashmore).

Any recommendations for bass heavy festies then?

Haha I am actually going again this year, because last year was so mother flippin' good. Best festival I've ever been too, and that's saying something. There really was something for everyone - the dubstep was fantastic, as well as the psytrance and the other music, and the crowd were fantastically bizarre. It was like a throw back to the good old festival days.

My brother's going to Nass festival which I believe is a bass heavy one. He says it's got a really really good line up this year, although I don't know how small that is..

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 97

joeclarke3

This all sounds very promising, going to get my ticket ASAP. Do you know how quickly they sold out last year? Questions questions questions! I've considered Nass too, similar price to Noz but I dunno... I think the size puts me off a bit. I prefer the independent, cosier festies I guess! Bearded Theory is another to consider too. Some decent psytrance there, just a shame it's like 2 weeks before my exams start, would have been well up for it!

Reply 98

gypsyclimber

12

Original post by joeclarke3

This all sounds very promising, going to get my ticket ASAP. Do you know how quickly they sold out last year? Questions questions questions! I've considered Nass too, similar price to Noz but I dunno... I think the size puts me off a bit. I prefer the independent, cosier festies I guess! Bearded Theory is another to consider too. Some decent psytrance there, just a shame it's like 2 weeks before my exams start, would have been well up for it!

Well if I were you I'd get tickets sharpish, as it's definitely gaining popularity - and rightly so! It sold out not tooo quickly, but yes, I've got mine and I'd suggest you get yours too earlier rather then later. Well the psytrance at Noz is fantastic, in the trees with all the neon lights and butterflies -it's truely magical - that's where you'll find me for definite! Hopefully I will see you for a dance in the summer then :biggrin: