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Hang up your straw hat, lock away your wellies and probably best to give that tent a good airing-out.
The festival season is drawing to a close for another year. With Bestival due to kick-off next week, many people mark the event as the end of the festival calendar, the end of summer and the last acceptable point to get away with wearing bodypaint.
But don’t despair. Autumn has many festival treats still instore, from Iceland to Bingley, here is Purple Revolver’s best of the rest:
Bingley, Myrtle Park 3-5 September
Celebrating its 4th anniversary, Bingley Music Live Festival claims to be one of the friendliest and most intimate indie/pop festivals in the Uk.
Held in the Yorkshire city of Bradford, the festival is staged in one of the local authority’s municipal parks. Myrtle Park is one of Bradford Council’s most picturesque parks located in the heart of the rural town of Bingley (that’s right, home of the Building Society with the famous bowler hat).
Last year the festival attracted capacity crowds of 15,000 who flocked in to see the likes of Editors, Calvin Harris, and Doves.
Unfortunately there is no camping on the festival site. However there are a number of campsites in close proximity to Bingley where you can pitch your tent at very reasonable prices.
The weekend is also preceded with a free show on Friday night featuring punk legends Buzzcocks.
This year’s Festival highlights
The Enemy, Seasick Steve, James, Example, Reef, The Levellers.
Weekend Tickets £30 www.bingleymusiclive.com
Harvest at Jimmy’s 11-12 September
The family friendly two-day celebration of the best of British food is hosted by the star of BBC 2’s ‘Jimmy’s Farm’ Jimmy Doherty.
Located in tractor country on a farm near Ipswich, the festival brings the best of British food together accompanied by a side order of music delight, Harvest at Jimmy’s promises a scrumptious weekend of lip smacking food and soul tingling music.
Bringing their culinary expertise to the festival will be The Hairy Bikers, Angela Hartnett, Atul Kochhar, Mark Hix, Valentine Warner, Wahaca, Tom Parker-Bowles, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls River Cottage Canteen, and many more.
This year organizers have asked the drivers amongst you for a modest £5 ‘green’ charge per car for the weekend. Enabling them to restore the beautiful wheat field back to its former glory and minimizing the carbon footprint.
This year’s Festival highlights
Scouting For Girls, Newton Faulkner, The Futureheads, The Hoosiers.
Tickets sold out www.harvestatjimmys.com
London Freeze festival, Battersea 29-31 October
Nestled in the shadow of Battersea Power Station, London Freeze Festival welcomes the world’s very best skiers and snowboarders to compete on the specially erected 32m high, long real snow ramp.
The perfect way for snow fans to whet their appetite before the ski season starts, the festival is also accompanied by an eclectic mix of musical artists who provide the perfect backing track for spectacle.
Since it began in 2008 Freeze has grown considerably with huge international acts like Cypress Hill, Orbital, Friendly Fires and Chase & Status performing phenomenal shows in the festival marquee.
The three-day festival is a totally unique festival experience.
This year’s Festival highlights:
Mark Ronson, Pendulum DJ set, New Young Pony Club, Jaguar Skills.
3-day ticket £86+booking fee www.thefreezefestival.com
Airwaves Iceland, Reykjavik 13-17 October
Since the first edition was held in 1999, Iceland Airwaves has become one of the premier annual showcases for new music – Icelandic and otherwise – in the world.
Described by Rolling Stone magazine called it “The hippest long weekend on the annual music-festival calendar.” It‘s understandiable why thousands flock to the Icelandic capital every year.
But there’s more to Airwaves than music. ReykjavÃk is quite possibly the perfect festival city – small enough to be welcoming, sophisticated enough to offer cultural, historical and nightlife diversions to rival cities ten times its size.
And who could think of a better way to cure your festival hangover than by throwing yourself into the steamy blue waters of the Blue Lagoon.
This year’s Festival highlights
Bombay Bicycle Club, Rolo Tomassi, James Blake, Hercules and Love Affair.
Tickets 80 euros www.icelandairwaves.is