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Glastonbury came and went in spectacular fashion, London’s Lido Festival made it’s debut and Download maintained its status as the UK’s biggest rock fest. In other words, the UK is deep into festival season. And this week, it’s the turn of legendary arts festival Boomtown, which for 2025 is titled: ‘Chapter 4: Power Of Now’.
Sex Pistols, Azealia Banks, Maribou State and Nia Archives are among the acts topping the bill this year. And beyond the music itself – from techno and disco to jungle, gabber and dancehall – expect huge immersive stages that are true works of art in themselves.
Got tickets for the South Downs dance fest? Want to get your hands on some last minute? Here’s your ultimate guide ahead of Boomtown 2025.
RECOMMENDED: The best music festivals in the UK.
When is Boomtown Festival 2025?
Boomtown 2025 is happening from Wednesday August 6 to Sunday, August 10.
Where is Boomtown Festival 2025?
As ever, it’s taking place on the Matterley Estate in South Downs National Park, near Winchester.
Who are the headliners for Boomtown 2025?
This year, the headline slots belong to Maribou State, Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, Sean Paul, Overmono, Azealia Banks, Nia Archives, Honey Dijon, Kurupt FM and Rudimental.
What’s the Boomtown 2025 lineup and set times?
There are 12 main stages and over 50 ‘hidden’ venues, with more than 600 artists lined up to perform. Here’s the set times for the main Grand Central stage, where you’ll find most of the festival’s headliners from Friday to Sunday. You can see the entire timetable by downloading the Boomtown app.
Friday August 8
- 12pm: Opening ceremony
- 12.30pm: The Wailers
- 2.30pm: Gardna Live
- 4pm: Joey Valence & Brae
- 5.30pm: Souls of Mischief
- 7pm: Kojey Radical
- 8.30pm: Koffee
- 10pm: Spice
- 11.30pm: Kurupt FM
Saturday August 9
- 2pm: Eva Lazarus & Friends
- 3.15pm: Ms. Dynamite
- 4.15pm: Goldie Live
- 5.45pm: FAT DOG
- 7.15pm: Nova Twins
- 9pm: Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter
- 10.45pm: Kenya Grace
- 11.45pm: Hybrid Minds
Sunday August 10
- 2pm: Hot 8 Brass Band
- 3.30pm: Pa Salieu
- 5pm: Sean Paul
- 6.45pm: Boney M
- 8.30pm: Maribou State
- 10.15pm: 4am Kru
- 11.49pm: Closing ceremony
Can I still buy tickets for Boomtown Festival 2025?
The festival is sold out but there are some resale tickets available via its Citizen-to-Citizen Ticket Marketplace, which you can access here.
How to get to Boomtown Festival
Train
Boomtown’s nearest station is Winchester, which is around three miles away from the festival site. There’ll be a shuttle bus from the station to the site, which costs £22 for a return ticket. It’ll run on a loop all day throughout the festival. The running times are:
- Very frequently Wednesday 11am - 8.30pm
- Very frequently Thursday 10am - 8.30pm
- Every 30 Minutes Friday 9am - 6.30pm
- Every 30 Minutes Saturday 9am - 6.30pm
- Every 30 Minutes Sunday 9am- 12.30am
- Sunday shuttles will run until 12.30am
- Monday return shuttles 6.30am - 4pm
Coach
National Express is running a special coach service for the event from more than 60 locations across the UK. Coach tickets start from £38 return, and you can purchase yours here.
Car
If you want to drive to the event, you’ll have to purchase a car parking pass. It’s too late to book in advance, but you’ll be able to purchase on at the gate for £65.
To find the main car park, Boomtown advises: ‘As you get close (within three miles) of the festival, switch off your sat nav and follow the Public Parking Symbol on the directional signage (a white ‘P’ on a blue background). These will direct you into the car parks by the best routes for the traffic conditions.’
Are there any banned items?
These items are banned from the entire festival site.
- Illegal drugs (possession, use, or sale)
- Nitrous oxide
- All other products banned under the New Psychoactive Substances Act 2016
- Paint spray cans
- Marker pens
- Knives (including locking knives)
- Sound systems (likely referring to large, unofficial ones)
- Glass bottles (excluding make-up and perfume, but note no re-entry with any glass)
- Fireworks
- Explosives
- BBQs
- Smoke and gas canisters (other than small, disposable camping gas canisters within reasonable limits)
- Air horns
- Flares
- Weapons or potential weapons
- Laser devices
- Unofficial drones and UAVs
- Sky lanterns
- Paraffin lamps
- Candles
- Generators
- Chemical toilets (except where fixed within live-in vehicles)
- Unofficial hi-visibility clothing/tabards
- Animals (other than declared and approved assistance dogs)
- Work tools, ladders, 2-way radios etc. (can be deemed a security breach at discretion)
- Signs or materials displaying discriminatory, derogatory or offensive messages, slogans or images
Banned from the main arena
- Alcohol in excess of the permitted amounts on first entry. The limits are defined based on ticket type (weekend or Sunday Resident).
- Plastic or glass bottles of spirits.
- Any opened bottles of liquid that can be consumed (including water and soft drinks) on entry. Only sealed plastic bottles are allowed.
- Alcohol on re-entry to the festival. Once you've entered for the first time with your allowed alcohol, you cannot bring more in if you leave and come back.
- E-cigarette liquid if it is unsealed or cannot be easily identified. It must be sealed and clearly identifiable.
Weather forecast
The weather is due to brighten up this week, just in time for Boomtown.
Thursday August 7 – Thursday will have sunny intervals with highs of 24C.
Friday August 8 – sunny intervals with max temperature of 25C.
Saturday August 9 – sunny intervals with max temperature of 25C.
Sunday August 10 – Sunday will be the hottest day of the week, with the temperature in South Downs predicted to reach 26C.
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