- Words Notion Staff
As we are all missing festivals this year, we look to the future for a round up of hope that is to come for summer 2021.
You haven’t washed for what feels like months, your hair is thick with dry shampoo, there’s beer down half of your shirt and you’re knee-deep in mud. If this sounds like your idea of heaven, then get yourself to one of these brilliant British festivals next year. The British festival-goer is a hardy type, not put off by something as trivial as inclement weather, nor indeed gale-force winds and torrential rain. They go to festivals full of hope; for when the sun shines and you bounce in unison with thousands of other music fans to the beat of your favourite band, there might be no greater place on Earth.
Glastonbury – The Big One
Glastonbury always tops the festival charts in terms of being the biggest, and they certainly pull in some star names. However, perhaps the most interesting artists to look out for could be on the smaller stages in 2021. Glastonbury has a history of embracing country artists, where many other festivals don’t. In 2013 they booked the late great Kenny Rogers to play the pyramid stage and he did not disappoint.
Rogers earned a place in the hearts of many over the years, but perhaps none more so than poker players, who adored his version of ‘The Gambler’ for its catchy reminder, “you’ve got to know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em”, an adage that could not be more relevant, as this year’s Glastonbury organisers made the difficult decision to ‘hold ’em’ and keep their stellar lineup saved and ready for next year.
Look out for The Staves in next year’s lineup, a brilliant all-female indie-folk band who never fail to impress with their heady mixture of melancholic and anarchic tunes.
If big is your priority, then there's nowhere that fits the bill like Glastonbury.
Doune the Rabbit Hole – More Than Just the Music
If you love the extracurricular parts of Glastonbury, but it is just a little too big for you, then Doune the Rabbit Hole might be just the festival you’ve been looking for. Hidden in the wilds of Scotland, just a little way from Loch Lomond, you’ll find this eclectic festival.
They’ve announced that they’ll be moving many of this year’s bands across to next year, including Belle and Sebastian, Snapped Ankles and Kate Tempest to name just a few. What’s equally as exciting though, is the plethora of different activities that run alongside the music here. There is a whole site dedicated to yoga and wellness, aptly named Sasan-Gasana, or Rabbit pose. This area offers totally free yoga lessons, massages and various other wellness treatments to any festival-goer that is that way inclined.
As well as this there’s a real emphasis on education at Doune the Rabbit Hole. Their ‘Douniversity’ talks span a wide range of intriguing subjects, from the climate to feminism, through social activism and all the way back to the STEM topics. If you’re after a festival that’s more likely to leave you feeling inspired and refreshed, than hungover and damp, then Doune the Rabbit Hole could be the one for you.
It's landscapes like these that make Doune the Rabbit Hole seem almost otherworldly.
Gottwood Festival – A Welsh Wonder
For those of us that enjoy all the hedonistic modernity of electronic music, but also love picturesque countryside rambles just as much, the options to combine both can be fairly thin on the ground. One place where you can absolutely indulge in both of these loves though is on the Carreglwyd Estate in Anglesey, Wales. Once a year the estate allows Gottwood Festival to infiltrate the peace of the Welsh countryside and bring some of the biggest and best names in electronic music to the UK.
Arriving at the festival, you’re immediately struck by the beauty of the location, where the wild Welsh coastline meets the depths of the woodland. Next, you’ll be fully inducted into this nine-stage electronic mecca, with perhaps the best barn dance you’ll ever experience. Night one at this festival takes place in an enormous barn, where one lucky artist gets to kick off the whole festival and watch as thousands of people rave their way long into the night.
The weekend continues with eight further stages opening, allowing you to pick a genre from techno to garage and jungle to house. This year’s lineup has been shuffled over to next year, so keep a hold of those tickets and prepare for a life-changing weekend.