Whatever your age, taste or background there are a whole
host of festivals to get your musical juices flowing, writes Liz Nicholls

estival season is upon us – which is great news for us here at Round & About (we’re big fans of a bash). Perhaps you are one of the supremely dedicated / lucky few to have bagged yourself a Glastonbury ticket..? Yes the Mother Of All Festivals is back at the end of June but if, like me, you’ll be enjoying it from the comfort of your sofa there are loads more to get fully immersed in…

“I’ve been going to festivals with my wife and festival buddy Josie since the early ’90s and made some halcyon trips to Glastonbury and Reading,” Rob de Bank, Bestival curator tells me. “I’ve slept in a collapsed tent partially underwater, canoed down a Glastonbury thoroughfare, got emotional watching Stevie Wonder and Elton John at Bestival and tried Fuji Rocks in Japan and Coachella in the American desert for a change… but the festival I’ll always come back to is our very own Camp Bestival. We created the show for our kids and their kids and future generations so it’s very close to our heart but it’s also so much fun and the ultimate way to have some fantastic family time away from screens and technology. I can’t wait to see Chic, Annie Mac and The Human League here this year.” This summer’s dance-deluxe Camp Bestival at Dorset’s Lulworth Castle, 25th to 28th July, has a heroes and superheroes theme and also offers bangers in the form of Jess Glynne, Sister Sledge, Goldie and others including Omid Djalili and Mr Motivator. Visit www.campbestival.net

Pyrotechnic wonderland Arcadia will sadly not be dropping beats under the giant spider in London this spring, but the team will be at Glasto and there are more events in the pipeline – keep an eye on www.arcadiaspectacular.com

Looking for fun? Look no further than We Are FSTVL in Upminster, 24th to 26th May, featuring a great dance line-up including Andy C, Adana Twins, Purple Disco Machine and Armand Van Helden as well as DJ sets from Basement Jaxx, Mike Skinner, Groove Armada and Chase & Status plus tons & tons more; www.wearefstvl.com

Independent music, food and drink festival This Is Gala returns to Peckham Rye on Sunday, 26th May. www.thisisgala.co.uk. And Victoria Park in E3 will host The Chemical Brothers, Hot Chip, Christine and the Queens, Bring Me The Horizon, Run The Jewels, Idles, Bon Hiver, First Aid Kit and many more for All Points Point East, 24th to 26th May, with In The NBHD weekday funfest 27th to 30th May; www.www.allpointseastfestival.com

Jorja Smith, Skepta, Diplo, Jungle and Tiga are among the stars at Field Day in Meridian Water, Enfield, on 7th & 8th June; www.fielddayfestivals.com

The Kooks, Don Bronco, The Hunna, Kate Nash, Apre and The Amazons are on the bill for Community Festival in Finsbury Park on 30th June; visit www.communityfestival.london

Curated by the mighty Nile Rogers, Meltdown Festival is a series of gigs at the Southbank Centre 1st to 13th August. For this and more cultural highlights visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk

British Summertime brings global superstars to Hyde Park for your aural pleasure. On Friday, 5th July it’s Celine Dion, Saturday is a celebration of Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand is Sunday 7th, Florence + The Machine and The National play Saturday 13th, and Robbie Williams, Texas, Feeder and Black Eyed Peas are on Sunday 14th. There’s also the BST open house with free fun, 8th to 11th July; www.bst-hydepark.com

Moreish, messy marvel Eastern Electrics lands in Morden Park on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August. Eight stages are ready for your raving –  full line-up TBC at the time of going to press but keep an eye on www.easternelectrics.com 

Quirky beauty Boomtown returns to Matterley Estate in the South Downs from Wednesday 7th to Monday, 12th August, featuring a stonking line-up including Lauryn Hill, Prophets of Rage, The Streets, Chronixx, Chase & Status, Groove Armada, Slaves and Salt-N-Pepa to name just a few. AREA 404 is the new home for techno and is headlined by Carl Cox, Amelie Lens and Four Tet, among others; www.boomtownfair.co.uk

Beat-lovers, head to Lovebox in Gunnersbury Park for another almighty party created by Groove Armada on 12th & 13th July. You’ll find a colourful mix of dance, rock, vintage markets, bespoke bars and more, this year’s line-up includes Cypress HIll, Chance the Rapper, Solange, Four Tet, Loyle Carner and many more. Visit www.loveboxfestival.com

Once again, Hampton Court Palace will be the stunning backdrop for musical stars including Jools Holland, The Jacksons, Nile Rogers & Chic, Kylie and Michael Bublé during June;  www.hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com

Bushstock is an all-dayer in Shepherds Bush on Saturday, 15th June. Apre, Novor Amor, Gang of Youths and more will perform; www.bushstock.co.uk. Half a century on from the Summer Of Love, the Isle Of Wight Festival is still pulsing, with this year’s funfest from 13th to 16th June. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, George Ezra, Fatboy Slim and more www.isleofwightfestival.com

Reading Festival rocks the August bank holiday weekend (23rd to 25th August) once again. This year’s stars The 1975, Foo Fighters, Blossoms, plus Fredo, Billie Eilish, Stefflon Don and Camelphat. www.readingfestival.com

Love your drum & bass? Get your dancing shoes on for another belting South West Four on Clapham Common, 24th & 25th August. Andy C, Wiley, Ms Banks, Mabel, Chase & Status and more will get you moving; www.southwestfour.com

Groove Armada will headline Greenwich Music Time on Friday 5th July, for a stunning live show set against the backdrop of the city at the Old Royal Naval College. This is one of a series of concerts, 1st to 7th July, also including Paul Weller and Cliff Richard. Visit www.greenwichmusictime.co.uk

Looking to head further out of the capital? Gorgeously stimulating Latitude will welcome you to Henham Park near Southwold 18th to 21st July. Music this year includes Primal Scream, EverythingEverything, Underworld, George Ezra, Slaves and Lana Del Rey and there’s more theatre, comedy and family fun than you can shake a stick at; www.latitudefestival.com

Celebrating 50 years since the moon landings, Bluedot in Cheshire is the UK’s most intergalactic festival that fuses music, science, arts and culture, 18th to 21st July. Music includes Kraftwerk, New Order, Hot Chip, Jon Hopkins, Kate Tempest and 808 State; visit www.discoverthebluedot.com

Giddy up for some Jockey Club Live musical highlights at UK racecourses this summer, including Madness (24th July), Pete Tong & The Heritage Orchestra (31st July) and Jess Glynne (8th August);  www.thejockeyclublive.co.uk

Down in Brighton, The Great Escape, 9th to 11th May, is the place to go for fresh new music; www.greatescapefestival.com. Wild wonderland Wilderness Festival returns to dazzle festival-going high society in Oxfordshire’s Cornbury Park, 1st to 4th August, with banquets, celeb-spotting, lakeside hot tubs, yoga and intellectual and cultural brain food. Music includes Robyn, Groove Armada and Freya Ridings;  www.wildernessfestival.com

Supporting children’s charities, Chris Evans’ Car-Fest heads to Hampshire’s Laverstoke Park, RG25 3DR, the same weekend; www.carfest.org. Dogstival in the New Forest on 18th and 19th May, has fields, woodlands and its own beach for you and your canine pals to enjoy; www.dogstival.co.uk, not to be confused, pet-lovers, with Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick’s DogFest; www.dog-fest.co.uk. Finally, Henley Festival, 10th-14th July, will dazzle with Boy George, Bjorn Again and Jo Wiley’s ’90s anthems as well as comedy from Ed Byrne, Andy Hamilton, Julian Clary and more;  www.henley-festival.co.uk