Posted on June 29th, 2017
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ll have definitely witnessed Glastonbury take over your TV screens and Twitter timelines this past weekend. The festival, as always, looked amazing. A hedonistic combination of music, friends, food, mud and sun – what more could you ask for? The thing is, tickets for festivals like these can cost you an arm and a leg – and for students and young professionals on a budget, this is less than ideal. At upwards of £250, the festival ticket costs the best part of a month’s rent, and to save myself from living in a cardboard box, I thought it more sensible to hunt out some fun festivals closer to home. So here you go – after an extensive bit of research, I’ve finally managed to round up some of the hottest festivals happening up North this summer, so you can experience all the fun of the fair without travelling halfway across the country for a warm beer in a tent. Here are my top picks!
1 st-2nd July.
This long-running festival is a Newcastle classic. Well established and with a loyal fan base, the festival runs over a period of two days each year. This year, the musical arm of the festival, ‘NARC Fest’, is being held on Saturday 1st July. At NARC Fest you can expect to hear live music from a multitude of venues around the valley, including Tyne Bar, The Cluny, The Cluny 2, The Free Trade Inn, Little Buildings, The Cumberland Arms and The Tanners. The 7 stages will host musical acts talented enough to transport your mind to Worthy Farm, and best of all – it’s completely free. The Sunday sees the festival transformed into a family-friendly day, filled with music, arts, crafts, boat trips and a festival parade. Click here for all the info
31st August – 3rd September
Thursday night kicks off a magical festival set on the Northumberland Coast, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Over-looking Holy Island, the festival’s capacity is only 2500, meaning you’ll be treated by a truly immersive experience. The stages are set to host some of the hottest bands in the world, with appearances from The Fratellis, The Pale White, and the much-loved Hip Hop Hooray – an eclectic mix if ever there were one. Tickets start at £55 for one night including camping, and at the moment there’s a special *summer special* with a few extra quid off, so get in there fast. Click here for all the info
The Lindisfarne Festival
12th August
The new kid on the block, The Summer Punch Ball is an all-day fest set to the soundtrack of the North East’s hottest emerging talent. BBC Introducing faves Coquin Migale will be playing along with a whole host of Newcastle based artists. As well as two stages of local music, the festival is also all set for street-food in the courtyard of its Riverside venue, with an urban party in the garden and DJ’s until 3am. Not bad for a newcomer to the NE festival scene, eh? Grab your tickets now and get ‘em for only £3. Bargain. Click here for all the info
9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th July.
This year, the North East is being treated to FOUR FREE FESTIVALS at Bents Park during the month of July. Yep, you read that correctly. Four completely free festivals. And the line-up doesn’t just consist of old bands your dad loves, either. The first of the four fests kicks off on Sunday 9th July, with KT Tunstall set to headline. The next week, it’s boyband legends Busted (which is unbelievable, as I once paid £30 to see them at Metro Radio Arena) then X Factor star Louisa Johnston on the 23rd. Finishing off the month is the amazing Sister Sledge on Saturday 30th July. Gates open for all the festivals at 12.30pm, and it’s first come, first served – so be sure to be there on time. Click here for all the info
27th July
Back for another year, this July’s edition of Live from Times Square sees the likes of The Libertines, Jake Bugg, Manic Street Preachers and James perform right in the city centre. The two week long open-air music festival always draws big crowds, so if you want to go and see your faves – purchase your tickets fast. Click here for all the info
Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel quite so bad at missing Glasto now. I’m exhausted just looking at all the fun on offer this summer, and it’ll be so nice to be able to scout out some new North East music – we’re a talented bunch up here.
Which of the festivals will you be attending this summer? Let us know. You can leave a comment on Facebook or drop us a tweet, @EasilivingUK. Speak soon!
Sara x
