Can you hear that? It’s finally in the air – instruments reverberating across wide open fields, the chimes of communities singing and laughing together, the sound of footsteps as friends stumble back to their tents or homes, ready to do it all over again the next day, or the following weekend. That’s right, the 2025 summer festival season is finally here, and with the return of Splendour Festival right here in Nottingham, it’s shaping up to be a big one!
To give you the lowdown, here’s our ultimate guide to the best local festivals taking place in the city of Nottingham and the surrounding areas over the next few months…
Diode Electronic Music Festival
When: Sat 7 June
Where: Arnold
How much: £35 (day ticket)
Following on from the success of the first Diode festival last year, the event is back in 2025, returning to Bonington Theatre in Arnold for another pulsating all-dayer. One not to be missed for fans of contemporary electronic and ambient music, this year’s line-up includes UK acts Code Indigo, Ian Boddy and Infinity Curve, alongside European beatmakers Ron Boots and Skoulaman. The best part? Your ticket includes live recordings from the day, so you can take the rave home with you at the end!
Download Festival
When: Fri 13 - Sun 15 June
Where: Donington Park
How much: £67-135 (day), £172-345 (weekend)
A history that can be traced back to the 1980s, Download Festival emerged from the ashes of Monsters of Rock festival back in 2003 and has since become the mecca for rock and metal fans in the UK each summer. According to reports from ticketing sites, almost 50% of attendees for this year’s Download will be making their inaugural trip to the festival, which could be to do with pop-punk legends Green Day playing the festival for the first time, alongside hugely popular, heavily debated, genre-bending metal outfit, Sleep Token. Our advice if it’s your first time attending – bring good walking shoes for all the moshing, two-stepping and potential mud traversing!
Mansfield Carnival
When: Sat 21 June
Where: Mansfield town centre
How much: Free
Returning for its third year, the Mansfield Carnival is a celebration of sustainability and global unity, through live music, dance, great food and community spirit. This year’s music line-up features an eclectic mix of reggae, Afrobeats, contemporary folk and gospel throughout the day, with plenty of tasty Caribbean food on offer to help fuel the party atmosphere. There is also the big street party on Leeming Street highlighting eco-friendly vendors, with the carnival parade taking place at midday, showcasing vibrant costumes, rhythmic drummers and energetic dancers.
Gate To Southwell
When: Thurs 3 - Sun 6 July
Where: Kirklington, Nottinghamshire
How much: £23-60 (day), £51-187 (weekend)
Now in its 18th edition, international roots and acoustic festival Gate To Southwell returns once again to its beautiful lakeside surroundings near Kirklington for a weekend of diverse music and family-friendly fun. This year the small, but perfectly-formed, festival once again punches above its weight, with legendary guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson headlining the Friday night, and Seckou Keita, Joe Boden, Skinny Lister, Alabama 3, Katherine Priddy and many more performing across the weekend. Outside of the fantastic music line-up, there’s also dancing, poetry, comedy, workshops and activities for the little ones to keep everyone entertained. So, whether you’re looking for a relaxed weekend away with the family or a top-tier folk festival close to Nottingham – or indeed both — Gate To Southwell has you covered.
Could Be Real Tribute Festival
When: Fri 4 July
Where: Newstead Abbey
How much: £28-31 (day)
Back again for 2025, Could Be Real Tribute festival returns to Nottingham, featuring some of the UK’s best tribute bands performing across two stages. This year you can expect to hear covers of hits from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran, Spice Girls, Queen and Amy Winehouse, soaking in the party atmosphere amidst the scenic grounds of Newstead Abbey. And if you didn’t get tickets to see the Oasis reunion this summer, then fear not – Could Be Real have booked “The Oasis Experience” so you can still feel Supersonic under a Champagne Supernova.
Wonderland Festival
When: Sat 5 July
Where: Newstead Abbey
How much: £49-84 (day)
However, if you’re more partial to a little bit of House and D.I.S.C.O, then you may want to head over to Newstead Abbey a day later. Set in a magical woodland area, the festival (fka Woodland Disco) promises a “day filled with infectious beats, iconic performances and unforgettable vibes”. This year’s edition boasts an impressive line-up of legends too, including Heather Small, Roger Sanchez, Craig Charles and The Shapeshifters, as well as a special guest DJ set from local legends Crazy P. Sounds like a wonderland indeed!
Boho Festival
When: Fri 25 - Sun 27 July
Where: Millview Glamping & Events
How much: £8-41 (day), £60-137 (weekend)
Sunsets, nostalgia and a little sprinkling of Bohemian magic, Boho Festival is an intimate family-friendly festival taking place within the scenic woodland of the Millview camping and events site. With Ibiza legends Lovely Laura & Ben Santiago, fellow headliners Graeme Park and Dub Pistols, a big festival finale complete with spectacular pyro, and a disco yurt to dance the night away throughout the three days, Boho festival is the ultimate forest party. Add on top of all this some great tribute acts, wellness classes and lots of activities for kids including crafts, theatre and bouncy castles, there’s not a dull moment to be had for the whole family.
Notts Pride
When: Sat 26 July
Where: Nottingham city centre
How much: Free
Once again bringing the colour and vibrancy to Hockley, Sneinton and the whole of central Nottingham, Notts Pride is always a special celebration for our city. Hosted by one of the East Midlands’ leading LGBTQ+ charities, it is the region’s largest free Pride event, bringing everyone together to remember our history, make our voices heard and celebrate Nottinghamshire’s fabulous diversity. Alongside the march and markets, there’s also a fantastic line-up of music for this year’s event, with local favourites GIRLBAND!, ROB.GREEN and Tom Aspaul set to perform in Sneinton alongside spoken word poets and drag artists.
When: Thurs 31 July - Sun 3 August
Where: Pikehall, Derbyshire
How much: £169 (weekend)
While in other parts of the UK you will find the likes of Truck Festival, Tramlines and Kendall Calling all with similar line-ups, the closest family-friendly, indie extravaganza to Nottingham is just up the road at Pikehall in Derbyshire. Set in the scenic Peak District and with a stacked line-up of headline acts that includes The Prodigy, Madness, The Wombats and Franz Ferdinand, Y Not continues to be one of the UK’s premier medium-sized festivals. However, the best reason to attend is the fantastic line-up of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire artists the festival puts on each year, with this year’s edition seeing local favourites including Riley Marsh, Kelsey & The Embers, Set In Motion, Drew Thomas, JJ Lovegrove, Marseille, Marvin’s Revenge and many more performing across the weekend.
Waterfront Festival
When: Sat 2 August
Where: The Canal House
How much: £13 OTD
When the sun comes out in Nottingham, there’s only one place to go – The Canal House. Sat in the heart of the city centre along the picturesque waterways, there are few pubs that can match its charm. Now add in raising money for a good cause, fancy dress, performance artists and a full day of music that includes all your favourites from Nottingham and the local areas, and you have the perfect July day out with the Waterfront Festival. Now in its 15th year - and celebrating an amazing twenty years of organisers and promoters I’m Not From London - all the proceeds for 2025 will go to their chosen charities, with the good will only adding to the euphoria of twelve hours of music and fun in the sunshine.
Bloodstock Open Air Festival
When: Thurs 7 - Sun 10 August
Where: Catton Park, Derbyshire
How much: £34-96 (day), £206-231 (weekend)
Horns up! For anyone who finds Download Festival too mellow or simply needs to fill their summer days with an additional fix of Metal, then look no further than Bloodstock. With over 100 acts across four stages, including a big focus on grassroots artists across UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe, it’s the place to be to catch the next wave in metal first. However, there are plenty of current giants and legends on the line-up too, with this year’s edition seeing Trivium, Machine Head and Gojira headline, alongside the likes of Creeper, Lacuna Coil, Mastodon and many more. In addition to the heavy music though, there’s also plenty of other activities for metal fans to sink their teeth into, including vintage markets, a silent disco, and even some… bin jousting! There’s an onsite museum of metal where the bust of Motorhead’s Lemmy, usually found in Rock City, will be featured as one of the exhibits once again.
Gloworm Festival
When: Fri 8 - 10 August
Where: Thoresby Park
How much: £49-60 (day), £143-165 (weekend)
Let me ask you this: have you ever wanted to attend a Playmobil Rave? Well, good news! Gloworm is billed as “the ultimate family-friendly festival”, aimed at those with children aged 0-13. Meaning there’s no room for excuses like “Sorry, I need to stay home and watch the kids”, as you can bring them along with you! Aside from the dedicated Playmobil area for the little ones, there’s also a whole host of tribute acts to enjoy across the weekend, as well as circus acts and appearances from children’s TV favourites such as Elmer, Paw Patrol and Bodger & Badger. For the older kids (adults), there’s even Mr. Blobby and ChuckleVision on the bill!
Foolhardy Folk Festival
When: Sun 24 August
Where: The Arboretum
How much: £46 (day)
Adopted as one of our own, folk musician Beans On Toast (real name Jay McAllister or simply “Beans” to his friends) is once again hosting his beloved bank holiday get together. Now in its fifth year, the Foolhardy Folk Festival is a family-friendly one-dayer filled with great music, craft beer and tasty street food. Taking place in the beautiful city centre Arboretum, for this year’s curated line-up Beans has handpicked Gracie Petrie, The Young’uns, Ruth Lyon, Nick Parker and many more to perform. As ever, Beans will also be opening and closing the event himself, playing two special sets.
110 Above Festival
When: Thurs 28 - 30 August
Where: Gopsall Hall Farm, Leicestershire
How much: £27-50 (day), £43-198 (weekend)
Tucked away on the beautiful Gopsall Hall Farm about forty minutes from Nottingham city centre, the magical 110 Above returns after a few years’ break. A celebration of grassroots talent, it is a one-of-a-kind event that allows you to catch future superstars in cosy, intimate surroundings. This year, there’s a strong Nottingham and local representation on the line-up too, with Girlband!, Deco, Jerub and Leah Wilcox all announced, alongside other UK and Ireland rising stars including Tom A. Smith, Prides, Somebody’s Child and Pentire.
Off The Tracks Festival
When: Fri 29 - 31 August
Where: Castle Donington, Leicestershire
How much: £60-120 (weekend)
A gem of a festival, Off The Tracks has been taking place at Donington Park Farm since the first festival all the way back in 1988. Remaining completely independent and sponsor-free, the family-friendly festival has defied the odds and continued to go from strength to strength. With a line-up that boasts an eclectic mix of sounds and styles across seven plus stages, there’s also a silent disco into the early hours and an area dedicated for crafts, arts, circus skills, games and other kids’ activities. The perfect end-of-summer countryside getaway for the whole family!
FAC51 Haçienda
When: Sat 6 September
Where: Wollaton Hall
How much: £53-56 (day)
After a successful inaugural event in 2024, the spirit of legendary dance music institution The Haçienda will once again return to Wollaton Hall this summer. This year’s line-up is stacked in class and nostalgia, with EDM icons Armand Van Helden, Groove Armada, Greg Wilson and Inner City all set to bring the rave to Nottingham.
Sonic Boom Festival
When: Sat 13 September
Where: Burton-Upon-Trent
How much: £26
Taking place in Burton, less than an hour from Nottingham, Sonic Boom has a unique concept for their festival – watch the headliner for free on the main stage during the day, then party into the night with 30+ Acts across eight stages! This year’s main act is brilliant art-rock outfit Everything Everything, who have quickly become one of the best live acts on the circuit. Then into the night, there are performances from hometown heroes The Leisure Society and Paddy Considine’s Riding The Low, alongside other national rising stars including Eighty Eight Miles, Seb Lowe and The Bug Club. Considering the price of the tickets, this looks like a fun day out to Burton!
Ticket prices listed are correct at time of writing and include adult and child tickets. Visit the festival website for exact details.
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