Offie Mag

The British summer may not have arrived yet at the time of writing, but the music festival season has.

Here is Offie Mag's annual pick of the festivals we like the look of this year, including familiar fests like We Out Here and Velvet Festival, as well as plenty of new ones. Intimate 700-people raves. Jazz in Italy. Ambient in Birmingham. The works.

All Points East

For two weekends in August all roads lead to East London and for good reason! With each day giving you a complete switch in sound from Lancey Foux to Berlioz and Arlo Parks to Floating Points, there really is something for everyone. Some big, big headliners, a stage that scarily resembles a spider and it all takes place in 2008’s best local park! Does it really get any better than this?

By Louis Rowland

Field Day

Since 2021 what used to be its own standalone festival has been under the All Points East Umbrella, but it still keeps true to its roots. With Offie Mag favourites John Glacier and vegyn guiding you along your way to pinkpantheress, I can happily say that this boy is not a Liar and Field Day is never a day that should be missed.

By Louis Rowland

Young World IV

If you find yourself in New York City this summer you might want to check this out. This is MIKE’s fourth rendition of his festival right in his hometown so it's fitting that the lineup consists of friends and frequent collaborators such as Earl Sweatshirt and Sideshow. With several local businesses hand-picked by the man himself to be festival vendors, MIKE is inviting you all into his world for the day.

By Louis Rowland

We Out Here Festival

We have already written extensively about this festival, online, in print and for silly Instagram video scripts. Once again it very much feels like the zeitgeist of independent music, with Andre 3000 providing the cherry on the top of the icing on what is already a very well-decorated cake.

By Greg Stanley

North Sea Jazz Festival

I’ve only been to Rotterdam once and all I did was take some photos of a footballer for a luxury football magazine I no longer work for, and eat at Favorite’s, a chicken shop we have in the UK. So going back for a festival of jazz sounds about right, to me. Kahil El’Zabar, Venna, Sampha. And that’s just the Sunday.

By Greg Stanley

Gaeta Jazz Festival

‘A jazz festival in Italy’ might be enough on its own to sell this one, but throw in a track record of booking the likes of Coco Maria, Alfa Mist and Tenderlonious, and you’ve got yourself a lovely little weekend away. This year Leeds (legend) Emma Jean Thackray is on the bill, alongside Theo Croker, Wayne Snow and a host of Italian talent on the coast.

By Greg Stanley

Velvet Festival

As featured in ISSUE ELEVEN of Off Licence Magazine, Velvet on the island of Krk, Croatia, is a little festival that makes the world feel very big. A doable commute from cities such as Zagreb, Belgrade, Ljubljana, Venice and Geneva, a representation of these music communities can be found here. And this year, Pino D’Angio.

By Greg Stanley

Jazz Cafe Festival

If we could hack into this festival’s mainframe and steal their identity, just to rename it, ‘OFFIE MAG FEST 24’, let’s be honest, you’d be none the wiser. This line-up is a who’s who of previous Offie Mag guests, past cover stars, future cover stars and even a Music of the Year winner. Class all round.

By Matt Leppier

RALLY Festival

It sounds simple, but RALLY Festival is for music fans. It’s not a jazz festival, it’s not a rock festival, it’s not a hip-hop festival. It’s all of the above and more. Southwark Park in August is a place where there truly is something for everyone. Nourished by Time is playing, Armand Hammer are playing, WITCH, Tash LC, Alabaster DePlume. Yes.

By Matt Leppier

Field Maneuvers

Relatively new to our radar, Field Maneuvers calls itself a ‘NO FRILLS RAVE.’ With a capacity of 700, you’re sure to bump into like-minded people over and over again - useful for when you inevitably still manage to lose your mates at what is the smallest festival on our list. Takeovers from the likes of Club Yeke, Dialled In and Rye Wax to tuck into and, you don’t have to have a really good show on a community radio station to perform here, but it helps.

By Matt Leppier

Supersonic Festival

Birmingham was the birthplace of heavy metal and monotonous geezer rap. Despite that, it deserves far more respect from the rest of the country for its cutting-edge art and culture. Supersonic is a testament to that. This festival has been going since 2003 and is a celebration of the avant-garde, the experimental, and the downright daring.