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21 September 2023
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Free UK Festivals and Carnivals
Festival season is back for 2023! Whether you want to listen to pop, house, rock or jazz music, or carnivals or parades are more your scene, there are free UK festivals and carnivals for all tastes – and most are suitable for families. We've rounded them up by area of the UK...
Alternatively, it's also possible to get into some big paid-for festivals for free, including Reading and Leeds Festival, in return for working there – see the stewarding guide below.
Where: Central London (view map)
Dates: Saturday 1 July
Description: Celebrating London's LGBTQ+ diversity with a huge parade that runs through central London.
Dates: Sunday 2 July
Description: A street festival with music, performances, art, stalls, creative workshops and food stalls.
Where: Wandle Park (view map)
Dates: Sunday 16 July
Description: A day of live music from Asian cultures, plus world food and family entertainment.
Where: Notting Hill, London (view map)
Dates: Saturday 26 August - Monday 28 August
Description: A huge community-led street festival with floats, costumed performers, music and food stalls – celebrating Caribbean culture and traditions, and a diverse and vibrant London.
Where: Central London (view map)
Dates: Throughout September
Description: A whole month of celebration and entertainment. The 2023 line-up hasn't been announced yet, but in previous years it's included the Mayor's Thames Festival, the Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival and the Great River Race. Although the festival itself is free to attend, some of the activities charge a fee.
Where: The Tide, Greenwich (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: A music, arts and wellness festival to celebrate the opening of London's first linear park. A weekend of music, riverside yoga and meditation.
Festivals that've already happened this year
These festivals have now been and gone, but we've left them here for reference as festivals often return year after year.
Where: Southall Park (view map)
Dates: Sunday 30 April
Description: The festival includes urban, classical and experimental Asian music.
Where: Greenwich Peninsula (view map)
Dates: Sunday 14 May
Description: A free one-day music and arts festival, featuring pop-ups, entertainment and market places – although there is a charge for some classes and workshops. There'll be street food vendors, debates and workshops for all ages..
Where: Brockwell Park, Herne Hill (view map)
Dates: Saturday 10 June - Sunday 11 June
Description: Wide variety of music and entertainment, arts and crafts, trade stalls, animals, steel orchestras and samba bands.
Where: Trafalgar Square (view map)
Dates: Saturday 17 June - Sunday 18 June
Description: Live performances of a variety of West End hit musicals and theatre shows.
Where: Belfast (view map)
Dates: Friday 21 July - Sunday 30 July
Description: Celebrating Belfast's LGBTQ+ diversity with a week-long celebration including a huge parade, debates, music, comedy and film.
Where: Portstewart (view map)
Dates: Sunday 23 July - Saturday 29 July
Description: A family-friendly festival with free music from local bands and orchestras, a puppet theatre show, exhibitions, and a spectacular firework display to end the festivities. The festival is mostly free but some events may charge.
Where: Dumfries (view map)
Dates: Saturday 1 July - Sunday 2 July
Description: Aimed at young people aged 12-25 and featuring celebrities as well as local bands. Register for a chance to get free tickets via the link above. Acts in previous years have included Ella Eyre, Pixie Lott and Jonas Blue.
Where: Edinburgh (view map)
Dates: Friday 14 July - Sunday 23 July
Description: Established in 1978, the Edinburgh Jazz Festival is a mixture of free and ticketed events spread over a week in July.
Where: Glasgow Green (view map)
Dates: Saturday 15 July
Description: A celebration of Scotland's LGBTQ+ diversity. It includes a huge parade going through the city centre, with thousands of people taking part. Entry to the musical festival charges a fee.
Where: Edinburgh (view map)
Dates: Friday 4 August - Monday 28 August
Description: A huge arts festival with thousands of performances packed into hundreds of venues across the city. Many free events and shows to suit all ages.
Where: Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: A music and arts festival celebrating sustainability. It is part of Unboxed 2023 which is a celebration of creativity taking place across the UK, designed to reach millions and bring people together.
Where: South Shields (view map)
Dates: June/July/August
Description: Live music, brass bands, parades, parties and open-air concerts throughout June, July and August. Sunday concerts taking place on 9, 16, 23, and 30 July. Most events are free but some charge a small fee.
Where: Rothbury, Northumberland (view map)
Dates: Friday 14 July - Sunday 16 July
Description: The festival offers traditional outdoor music, Highland dancing, craft stalls, competitions and workshops. Some events are ticketed and charge a fee, but in previous years, the 'final fling' dance and sing-a-long on the Sunday has been free.
Where: Stockton (view map)
Dates: Thursday 3 August - Sunday 6 August
Description: Lots of free family events, including street theatre, a mobile football stadium, circus acts, dance shows, music and a community carnival.
Where: Talgarth, near Brecon (view map)
Dates: TBC (usually August Bank Holiday weekend)
Description: Includes live music, stalls, a dog show, bouncy castle and kids' activities.
Where: Caerphilly Castle (view map)
Dates: Sunday 3 September - Monday 4 September
Description: A festival including street food stalls, live lounge bar area, food halls and live cookery demonstrations.
Where: King's Lynn (view map)
Dates: From Saturday 24 June - Saturday 8 July
Description: Music and entertainment festival. Previous acts have included The Vamps, Scouting For Girls, Pixie Lott and The Darkness.
Where: Norwich city centre (view map)
Dates: Saturday 29 July
Description: Norwich's Gay Pride festival with a parade, live bands, stalls and arts and crafts
Where: Aldeburgh, Suffolk (view map)
Dates: Saturday 19 August - Monday 21 August
Description: A seaside street festival with floats, swimming races, food stalls and fireworks.
Where: Great Yarmouth (view map)
Dates: Friday 15 September - Sunday 17 September
Description: A circus and street arts festival the whole family will enjoy.
Festivals that've already happened this year
These festivals have now been and gone, but we've left them here for reference as festivals often return year after year.
Where: Stowmarket (view map)
Dates: Saturday 27 May - Sunday 28 May
Description: Two-day music festival showcasing some of the best talent from East Anglia and further afield.
Where: Cambridge (view map)
Dates: Saturday 3 June
Description: A one day music and arts festival that is run by the community and for the community of Cambridge. Expect to see plenty of performances, as well as craft and food stalls.
Where: Bristol (view map)
Dates: Various weekends over summer
Description: Offering a huge bill of live music from some of Bristol’s best DJs. Alongside the live music, you can enjoy craft beers, cocktails and street food.
Where: Tewkesbury (view map)
Dates: Saturday 8 July - Sunday 9 July
Description: Free Medieval festival featuring crafts, music, entertainers a battle re-enactment, historical displays, markets and a parade on Sunday through the town.
Where: Bristol (view map)
Dates: Friday 14 July - Sunday 16 July
Description: A showcase of international & local artists, plus street theatre talent and a display of ships, boats and fireworks.
Where: Christchurch (view map)
Dates: Saturday 5 August
Description: Christchurch Quay will host an afternoon and evening of smooth jazz and big band music.
Where: Bristol (view map)
Dates: Thursday 10 August - Sunday 13 August
Description: A huge hot-air balloon event with over 130 hot-air balloons, fairground rides, trade stands and entertainment.
Where: Portishead, Bristol (view map)
Dates: Saturday 12 August
Description: A celebration of local and fresh produce, with street entertainment.
Where: Wellington, Somerset (view map)
Dates: Saturday 2 September
Description: A celebration of local and fresh produce, with a cookery school, demo stage and more.
Where: Portland (view map)
Dates: Thursday 7 September - Sunday 10 September
Description: A showcase of contemporary art, including workshops, talks, cinema and more. Some events will charge a fee.
Where: Bridgwater, Somerset (view map)
Dates: Saturday 4 November
Description: An evening procession of illuminated floats through the streets of Somerset town.
Where: Gloucester (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: Over the Jubilee weekend, this family-friendly event will see Gloucester Docks filled with huge ships. Discover maritime history, watch skirmishes take place, see jet-pack displays and tall ships from across the world.
Festivals that've already happened this year
These festivals have now been and gone, but we've left them here for reference as festivals often return year after year.
Where: Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset (view map)
Dates: Saturday 27 May
Description: A celebration of local and fresh produce, as well as a face painter, balloon modeller, cookery school, demos, competitions, music, buskers and more.
Where: Devizes (view map)
Dates: Saturday 27 May - Sunday 28 May
Description: Two days of events and celebration, including a street festival, circus acts, street performers, musicians, dancers and craft stalls.
Where: Wessex (view map)
Dates: Saturday 3 June - Sunday 4 June
Description: Free folk festival featuring live music, a ceilidh, workshops and Morris dancing on the quayside and in a host of local pubs
Where: Torbay (view map)
Dates: Saturday 3 June - Sunday 4 June
Description: The annual English Riviera Air Show will return to Devon with breathtaking air displays over the bay’s stunning natural amphitheatre. Expect world-class food, family-friendly activities and a two-day programme of stunts, displays and flypasts.
Where: Bristol (view map)
Dates: Not running in 2023.
Description: A huge street art festival with music and live painting across the weekend.
Where: Weston-super-Mare (view map)
Dates: Not running this year.
Description: This family festival brings spectacular air displays and flights to Weston’s bay as well as some good old-fashioned seaside fun and activities.
Festivals that've already happened this year
Where: Birmingham (view map)
Dates: Friday 14 July - Sunday 23 July
Description: Jazz & blues artists from across the world alongside the best from the UK.
Where: Worcester (view map)
Dates: Friday 21 July - Sunday 23 July
Description: Set in and around the pubs and streets of Upton upon Severn, Worcester, this music festival features everything from blues rock to bluegrass, country blues to New Orleans, acoustic to soul and gospel. This is a free festival, but there is a charge to buy camping tickets.
Where: Worcester (view map)
Dates: Friday 15 September - Sunday 17 September
Description: Live, local and original music staged in pubs, clubs, cafes, and historic buildings around or near the city centre.
Where: Nottingham (view map)
Dates: Saturday 29 July
Description: Stage acts, drag queen competition and community parade, starting at Lace Market Square, to celebrate LGBTQ+ diversity.
Where: Leicester (view map)
Dates: Saturday 5 August
Description: Parade celebrating Leicester's Caribbean heritage, including music, dance, floats and costumes.
Where: Nottingham (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: Bustling street fair with vibrant mix of live music and performances from national and international artists, river-based activities, kids' zone and fun fair.
Festivals that've already happened this year
These festivals have now been and gone, but we've left them here for reference as festivals often return year after year.
Where: Skegness and Mablethorpe (view map)
Dates: Friday 16 June - Sunday 18 June
Description: A festival with lots of free events, including participatory art, music from unsigned and local bands, stunts, street theatre and installations.
Where: Pontefract, West Yorks (view map)
Dates: Sunday 9 July
Description: Family celebration of the town's links with the growing and production of liquorice confectionery.
Where: Wakefield (view map)
Dates: Saturday 29 July - Sunday 30 July
Description: Features a host of local and national bands. There's also a beer tent, food stalls, and craft stalls.
Where: Hull (view map)
Dates: Wednesday 30 August - Sunday 3 September
Description: An eclectic, family-friendly, and largely free, three-day extravaganza of music, dance, theatre, poetry, visual arts and comedy that celebrates Hull's independent spirit and contribution to the cause of freedom.
Where: Bradford (view map)
Dates: Saturday 9 September - Sunday 17 September
Description: Annual event celebrating the heritage of Saltaire Victorian model village through the arts.
Where: Cathedral Gardens in Manchester (view map)
Dates: Friday 23 June - Sunday 25 June
Description: This festival celebrates the practices and folklores of other cultures from across Europe. Expect music, arts and crafts workshops.
Where: Keswick, Cumbria (view map)
Dates: Saturday 15 July - Friday 21 July, Saturday 22 July - Friday 28 July, Saturday 29 July - Friday 4 August
Description: Bible teaching, music and fellowship, with separate kids' and youth programmes.
Where: Wythenshawe Park, Manchester (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: A festival for the whole family, featuring fairgrounds, extreme sports, family fun zone, a main stage with live music acts performing throughout the three days, as well as a Christian message of hope.
Festivals that've already happened this year
These festivals have now been and gone, but we've left them here for reference as festivals often return year after year.
Where: Sefton Park, Liverpool (view map)
Dates: Saturday 17 June - Sunday 18 June
Description: Africa Oye showcases an eclectic mix of African and Caribbean music and culture in the UK, including afrobeats, dancehall, reggae and hip hop.
Where: Poole (view map)
Dates: Saturday 24 June
Description: Free folk festival featuring live music, a ceilidh and Morris dancing around the quay and in a host of local pubs
Where: Herne Bay, Kent (view map)
Dates: Saturday 29 July - Saturday 26 August
Description: Live music, street theatre, performances, workshops, demonstrations and more.
Where: Ryde, Isle of Wight (view map)
Dates: Saturday 26 August - Saturday 2 September
Description: Dating back to 1887, Ryde Carvinal is a joyous parade of colour and light marking the end of summer. There's a children's carnival on Saturday 26 August.
Where: Reading (view map)
Dates: Saturday 2 September
Description: Music and dance festival to promote equality and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Where: Faversham, Kent (view map)
Dates: Saturday 2 September - Sunday 3 September
Description: Traditional, fun festival set in the picturesque medieval town's square and surrounding streets, celebrating the days of hop picking in Kent. It offers live music across five stages, dance, circus acts, magic shows and more.
Where: Eastbourne, East Sussex (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: Folk music, morris dancing, traditional giants, carnival and live bands
Where: Hastings, East Sussex (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: Carnival, music, performances, guided walks, a pram race and more.
Where: Gravesend, Kent (view map)
Dates: TBC
Description: Riverside festival including music, with entertainment, a market and games, as well as sporting challenges and giant inflatables. 2019's headline act was Peter Andre.
Have we missed any? If you know of any great free festivals in your area that we've not included, we'd love to hear about them. Let us know in our Forum or via Twitter @MSE_Deals.
As well as the free UK festivals listed above, there are a few ways to get into sold-out festivals for nothing.
Some big charities like the Samaritans and Oxfam look for volunteers to help at big festivals. Don't volunteer if you're in it just for the free ticket – approach a charity you really believe in and do the work properly.
It's not easy to make a festival run smoothly, and extra help is always required with anything from car park assistance and tent pitching to litter-picking. Organisers usually use firms which provide staff specifically for festivals.
Another option is to check with festival organisers directly to see if they're looking for volunteers. They usually have a dedicated area on their website for this.
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