The best music festivals in London 2024

Crystal Palace Bowl has hosted a whole lot of legends in its sweet history as a music venue: Bob Marley, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Cure. Carrying on its musical heritage is South Facing Festival, the open-air musical festival that takes place within its grounds across six nights. Offering an eclectic selectiond of dedicated day festivals, whether you fancy pop bangers from Jess Glynne or jazz grooves from the likes of Yussef Dayes, with a particular highlight being Love Motion with Grace Jones. 

Line-up includes: Yussef Dayes, Future Islands, Popcaan, Yussef Dayes, Jess Glynne, Damian Marley.

Crystal Palace Bowl, SE19 2BA. Jul 26-Aug 10.

One of London’s biggest dance music festivals is back to take over Boston Manor Park in 2024. If previous years are anything to go by, you can expect Junction 2 to provide a careful balance of massive names and hotly-tipped up-and-comers across the last Friday, Saturday and Sunday of July. It's basically the holy grail of raves, so if you're a regular at Ministry of Sound you don't want to miss it.

Line-up includes: Richie Hawtin, LSDXOXO, Hot Since 82, Barry Can't Swim, The Blessed Madonna.

Boston Manor Park, TW8 9JX. Jul 26-28. 

London record label Cloud X is returning to Crystal Palace Bowl this August with its one-day festival celebrating the best in R&B, soul and alternative rap. The line-up boasts the likes of grime legend Ghetts and Mercury Prize nominee Berwyn, fast-rising singer-songwriter Sam Tompkins and funky house pioneers Crazy Cousinz, and much more, promising a varied day out. 

Line-up includes: Ghetts, Berwyn, Bellah, Sam Tompkins, Skrapz, Izzy Bossy, Crazy Cousinz, and more.

What’s better than raving in the sticky, dark spaces of a club? Getting out into nature and dancing the day away, of course. For one day in August, drum’n’bass icons Hospitality will take over Beckenham Place Park and get the green space bumping with big beats. Head into the woods and celebrate both Mother Earth and d’n’b’s finest, from Pendulum to High Contrast.

Line-up includes: Pendulum, High Contrast, LTJ Bukem, Flava D b2b Lens + P. Money, Flux Pavilion.

Beckenham Place Park, BR3 5BS. Sat Aug 17.

LCD Soundsystem are once again taking over Vicky Park for All Points East (remember how epic 2018 was?), alongside Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service and Loyle Carner in a series of standalone days of bloody good live music. Support comes from Jai Paul, Nas and so many more famous faces, you'll be spoilt for choice.

Line-up includes: Mitski, Ezra Collective, LCD Soundsystem, Nas, Death Cab for Cutie, Ethel Cain, Loyle Carner.

Victoria Park, E3 5SN. Aug 17-25.

Music streaming platform Boiler Room are returning with their biggest party yet. The 2024 festival will feature full-stage takeovers from the likes of Club Heartbroken and Teletech, while the line-up is stacked with names that’ll make you go ooh. There’s still a secret stage announcement to come, too.

Line-up includes: Giggs, Skream & Benga, Mr Scruff, Optimo, Marlon Hoffstadt.

Location TBA, London. August 25.

Is it just us or does Field Day feel way younger than 17 years old? Time flies, eh? Drawing in over 50,000 ravers to its soirée in Viccy Park, the festival is back with an electronic-leaning line-up for 2024. The biggest draw: Justice, who’re back with a new album and a fresh set of house bangers. There are also achingly cool acts like Vegyn, Yaeji, Shygirl, Brutalismus 3000 and more. 

Line-up includes: Justice, PinkPantheress, Charlotte de Witte, Romy, Mura Masa. 

Victoria Park, E3 5SN. Aug 24.

This year, RALLY has taken a serious step-up in terms of its line-up. Headlined by UK electronic titans Mount Kimbie, in what’ll be the duo’s first British festival show in seven years, it's got an eclectic line-up of musical talent on offer, including interesting live acts and cutting-edge DJs. All this will take place during the Bank Holiday, on August 24, joining a bumper weekend of live music happenings in London that weekend.

Line-up includes: Mount Kimbie, Nilüfer Yanya, bar italia, Armand Hammer, DJ Marcelle, Call Super.

Southwark Park, SE16 2FD. Aug 24.

Having outgrown its first home in Hackney Wick, Body Movements is making the move to Southwark Park for its biggest and best edition. This massive day-to-night festival celebrates LGBTQ+ clubbing culture in London and beyond with Swedish rapper and singer COBRAH, who previously headlined the festival’s winter 2023 edition and Berlin-based DJ LSDXOXO and French singer and producer Coucou Chloe alongside party organisers Adonis, Big Dyke Energy, Little Gay Brother, Pxssy Palace and Queer House Party, to name a few.

Line-up includes: COBRAH, Confidence Man (DJ set), Coucou Chloe, LSDXOXO (Live), Manuka Honey, Nikki Nair, Saoirse, Shanti Celeste, TAAHLIAH.

Southwark Park, SE16 2KX. Aug 25.

This time, the event – which celebrates the best in South Asian music, film, art and more – will take over The Cause, bringing with it over 30 DJs and live acts set across six stages. There’ll also be terrace parties and installations of both the AV and art kind. The line up includes esteemed DJ and producer Mighty Zaf, and DJ and creator of South Asian creative collective The Beatriarchy Gracie T, plus many, many more. If previous years are anything to go by, Dialled In is a good time. 

Line-up includes: Mighty Zaf, Gracie T, Bengal Sound, Paul Purgas, Skeptic. 

The Cause at 60 Dock Road, E16 1YZ. Sat Sept 7.

Maiden Voyage has a brand new home in Burgess Park, oh and it's in September now. Catch the likes of Venezuelan multidisciplinary artist Arca, rising R&B talent Erika De Casier, and Australian producer in SE London, with new stage hosts including London Queer club Adonis and Berlin-based collective Live From Earth. Then year's main stage comes curated by PXSSY PALACE, and Sunday party UNFOLD will be back to showcase their epic sound and stage production. A dreamy day out for London clubbers. 

Line-up includes: Arca, Tai Lokun, Erika De Casier, Jayda G, Jeff Mills, Mall Grab, Young Marco.

Burgess Park, SE5 0AL. Sept 14. 

You’ll know London’s Jazz Cafe as the brick-and-mortar venue in Camden that’s been giving city-dwellers memorable nights out in Camden for 35 years. This summer, it’s branching out and heading to Burgess Park for its first-ever festival. The Jazz Cafe Festival will continue its M.O. with a line-up bursting with brilliance and artists that span genres. Nils Frahm will headline with support from EarlI Sweatshirt, Baby Rose, Gilles Peterson, Omar Souleyman and many more.

Line-up includes: Nils Frahm, Earl Sweatshirt, Eliza, Buena Vista All Stars, Baby Rose, Gilles Peterson, Omar Souleyman.

Burgess Park, SE5 0RJ. Sun Sept 15.

Pitchfork Music Festival is back in the UK for its fourth edition in November, 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, including Fabric, HERE at Outernet, The Village Underground, EartH and The Roundhouse, plus a bunch of atmospheric small venues like the Shacklewell Arms, Hackney Church, Union Chapel and St Mathias Church.

Line-up includes: Tierra Whack, Arooj Aftab, CASISDEAD, Sega Bodega, Kae Tempest, Empress Of, Snow Strippers, Shame, Marika Hackman.

Various venues. Tue Nov 5-Sun Nov 10.