Wide Awake
Photograph: Garry Jones
Photograph: Garry Jones

The best music festivals in London 2025

BST Hyde Park, South Facing, All Points East and all the other amazing festivals you can buy tickets for in 2025

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The future of some of London’s day festivals may have been thrown up in the air earlier this summer, but Londoners are still exceptionally lucky to have an abundance of day-long musical extravanganzas to choose from, with something taking place almost every weekend throughout the warmer months. Forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days. When you live in London, you can hop on the tube, and an hour later you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over.

We Londoners love live music, so it’s no surprise that we’re absolutely spoilt for choice when summer rolls around. You’ve got festivals devoted to hip-hop, jazz, leftfield pop, disco, afrobeats, heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Whatever your taste may be, my god does London have a day festival for you.

We are right in the thick of festival season right now. You’ve probably already secured the tickets and started planning your outfit, but if you’re doing things a little last minute this summer, there is still time to plan your day festis. Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – and see what takes your fancy.

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The top music festivals in London for 2025

  • Music
  • Finsbury Park

Krankbrother is hosting a series of unmissable live shows in Finsbury Park this August. From ‘Beyond Beliefs’ hitmaker Ben Böhmer to superstar DJ Honey Dijon and duo CamelPhat playing their first-ever headline outdoor event in the capital, these gigs-meet-day-fests are not to be missed by the capital's club kids.

Line-up includes: Ben Böhmer, ANOTR, Honey Dijon, Logic1000, Kerri Chandler, Horse Meat Disco, CamelPhat.

Finsbury Park, N4 1EE. Various dates, Aug 1-11.

  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Brentford

Wake up babe, a new house and techno festival in London just dropped. Legendary house DJ Jamie Jones has announced he is bringing a brand-new festi to the capital this summer, taking over Boston Manor Park with one of his world-famous Paradise parties. Spread across four stages, Paradise in the City promises to have ‘cutting-edge sound and state-of-the-art production’, all produced by partners LWE. The line-up spans to a variety of techno and house DJs, all hand-selected by Jones, with DJs including Richy Ahmed, Seth Troxler and Hot Since 82 announced. Expect a day of four-to-the-floor belters with an Ibiza vibe. 

Line-up includes: Jamie Jones, Richy Ahmed, Seth Troxler, Hot Since 82, Omar S, Fleur Shore.

Boston Manor Park, TW8 9JU. Sat Aug 2.

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  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Camberwell

After a great debut last summer, London’s Jazz Cafe returns to Burgess Park for its sophomore edition in early August, with a line-up traversing jazz (of course), RnB, hip hop and electronic sounds across four stages. Headlining the 15,000-capacity festival in September is American singer and saxophonist Masego, best known for his RnB hit ‘Tadow’.  And just announced on the lineup is New York rapper Westside Gunn, who will make his UK stage debut. Also on the lineup is Benny the Butcher, Elmiene, Nooriyah and more. 

Line-up includes: Masego, Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher.

Burgess Park, SE5 0RJ. Aug 3.

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Camberwell

After setting up in its new home of Burgess Park last year, Maiden Voyage will once again transform the south London space into one big grassy dancefloor for its 2025 edition. This time, Azealia Banks will headline the PXSSY PALACE main stage, while R&B fusion star Amaarae will also appear on the bill alongside a host of the hottest DJs right now, including Ben Klock, Shanti Celeste and Call Super. 

Line-up includes: Amaarae, Ben Klock, Objekt, Call Super, Manuka Honey, Shanti Celeste, Or:la.

Burgess Park, SE5 0RJ. Aug 9.

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  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Crystal Palace

After a hugely successful first year in 2024, award-winning and influential rapper, DJ, and record label head Skepta is not only bringing his Big Smoke festival back for a second year but expanding it too. This year, the event will take over Crystal Palace Bowl for two days, with both closed out with sets from the man himself. On August 9, he’ll deliver a full-scale performance and will be joined on the line-up by a mix of rising stars, including Chy Cartier and SkylaTylaa, and grime and drill legends like Central Cee, JME, Frisco and Chip. August 10 will be presented by Skeppy’s label Más Tiempo and see the big man wrap things up with a DJ set, plus performances from Maceo Plex, Ilario Alicante, Jammer and a very special dance music guest still to be announced. 

Line-up includes: Skepta, Central Cee, JME, Frisco, Chip, Chy Cartier, SkylaTylaa, BXKS

Crystal Palace Bowl, SE19 2BA. Aug 9-10

  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Greenwich

This summer, some contemporary dance music greats will take up residence at a stunning venue. Labyrinth On The Thames – masterminded by promoter Labryinth – will see different artists from the world of electronic music takeover the Old Royal Naval College (a UNESCO World Heritage Site!) for six days of unmissable performances. So far, South African DJ and producer Black Coffee, melodic house star Anjunadeep, global dance phenom FISHER and legendary techno DJ Solomun have been confirmed as headliners, with further acts TBA.

Line-up includes: Black Coffee, Anjunadeep, FISHER, Solomun.

Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9NN. July 31- August 3; 8-10.

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  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Crystal Palace

Now in its fourth year, South Facing might still be a fledgling festival compared to some of the other events on the calendar, but it continues a long and impressive legacy of live music events at the Crystal Palace Bowl, which has previously hosted the likes of Elton John, Bob Marley, Vera Lynn and Pink Floyd. South Facing brings the same level of thrilling eclecticism with its line-ups for summer 2025, with headline shows from Busta Rhymes, Basement Jaxx, Mogwai, Tinlicker, Nile Rodgers and Morcheeba, plus takeovers from Flackstock and Love Motion festivals. 

Line-up includes: Busta Rhymes, Redman, Morcheeba, Basement Jaxx, Tinlicker, Nile Rogers and Chic, Louie Vega, Dimitri From Paris, Mogwai, Lankum.

Crystal Palace Bowl, SE19 2BAAugust 8-24.

  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Victoria Park
  • Recommended

All Points East returns to Vicky Park for its seventh edition in 2025. Since debuting in 2018, the festival has garnered a reputation for building some of the most exciting line-ups in the UK. Its headliners are often indie or dance-focused big-hitters, while its undercards are packed with cult heroes and rising stars you can say you saw first. As well as the ticketed weekend events, look out for All Points East In the Neighbourhood, the festival’s free midweek programme of community activities including film screenings, live sports, theatre, family fun and more. 

Line-up includes: Cleo Sol, Sault, Barry Can’t Swim, Orbital, JADE, Doechii, RAYE, The Maccabees, CMAT, Confidence Man, Shygirl, Tyla, Bombay Bicyle Club, Dry Cleaning, Chase And Status, Sammy Virji. 

Victoria Park, E3 5SN. August 15–17, 22-24.

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  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Bermondsey

Seasoned London festival-goers have been singing the praises of this 10,000-capacity Southwark Park festival since it debuted in 2023, thanks to its boutique size, community vibe and collaborative line-ups created with help from some of the city’s best culture venues. So we’re pleased to note that Rally is returning for its third edition in August 2025, with another genre-hopping line-up of cutting-edge British sounds traversing dance music, hip-hop and indie rock. 

Line-up includes: CASISDEAD, Floating Points, Ben UFO, Speaker’s Corner Quartet, Porridge Radio, TAAHLIAH.

Southwark Park, SE16 2TX. Aug 23.

  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Bermondsey

Having outgrown its first home in Hackney Wick, London’s queer nightlife festival Body Movements levelled up last summer, making a dazzling debut in Southwark Park with five stages showcasing the great and good of the LGBTQ+ party scene in the capital and beyond. It was easily the best edition yet of the groundbreaking festival, so we’re thrilled that the great and good of the London queer scene will once again come together in the same location for its 2025 edition, on the Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend.

Line-up includes: Mura Masa, HAAi, I.Jordan, Coucou Chloe, Cakes Da Killa, Adonis, Pxssy Palace, Little Gay Brother.

Southwark Park, SE16 2TX. Aug 24.

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  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Acton

Organised by the people behind Percolate and Love International festival in Croatia, mid-September’s electronic music one-dayer Waterworks is a final chance to squeeze every last drop of festival fun out of the summer. Returning to west London’s Gunnersbury Park for its fifth edition, the festival’s line-up features a plethora of talented selectors playing just about every genre of dance music. 

Line-up includes: Two Shell, Yung Singh, Special Request, Palms Trax, Skee Mask, Octo Octa, Eris Drew, Djrum.

Gunnersbury Park, W3 8LQ. Sat Sep 13.

  • Music
  • Hackney Wick

Created by the minds behind Brainchild Festival, Colour Factory, Orii Community and Voices Radio, Jazz on Wick is a new festival for 2025. Taking place across multiple venues in Hackney Wick, the day-to-night celebration of jazz and adjacent astral sounds features neo-soul singer BINA., genre-blending quartet oreglo, multi-instrumentalist Allexa Nava and a special edition of the Orii Jam (complete with special guests TBA). 

Line-up includes: Allexa Nava, BINA., oreglo, Orii Jam feat.special guests, Brainchild DJs, Eglo Records, Voices Radio.

Colour Factory and nearby venues, E9 5EN. Sat Sep 13.

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  • Music
  • White City

Bringing together a wide spectrum of voices from various disciplines of alternative East and South-East Asian creativity, Margins United is back for its second year in the capital. The line-up centres around Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, a trailblazer in both hyperpop and J-pop who previously collaborated with SOPHIE and Charli xcx. She's joined by DJ Jax Jones, LA’s alt-pop riser Emei and south London rapper Jianbo.

Line-up includes: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Jax Jones, Tohji, Jianbo, DJ Love, Lucy Tun.

Exhibition (and Scala, King’s Cross), W12 7FU. Sat Sep 27.

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • London

Pitchfork Music Festival is gearing up for another November edition with a jam-packed schedule of eclectic live music encompassing everything from avant-rock and post-punk to psych-pop, UK rap and deconstructed dance music. Gigs take place at plenty of the capital’s most illustrious music and nightlife venues. Previous years have seen shows at Fabric, EartH and The Roundhouse, as well as atmospheric small venues like the Shacklewell Arms, Hackney Church and Union Chapel. Joining the likes of Oklou and King Gizzard are plenty of up-and-comers who will no doubt be household names in years to come.

Line-up includes: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Oklou, Laurie Anderson, 10K Global, Kali Malon, Unwound.

Various venues. Nov 4-8.

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  • Music
  • Jazz
  • London
  • Recommended

Every year, the EFG London Jazz Festival brings together the best and brightest of the genre in venues across the city, from capital’s arts venues like Southbank Centre and Barbican, to atmospheric gig spots like Village Underground and Union Chapel. This year is no different. The 2025 line-up promises a bounty of bops, whether you’re looking to discover new artists on the scene (Rita Payés, Nov 19), or want to witness some legends in action (Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nov 15). As well as tons of concerts every day, there’s also sessions, workshops, talks and more to take part in and enjoy. More announcements to come. 

Line-up includes: Tune-Yards, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Hiromi, Fergus McCreadie, Chris Thile and more TBC. 

Various venues. Nov 14-23.

The best festivals in the UK

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