With the festival season looming Craig Hough runs down the festivals that are set for 2019 in the North West, the UK and bey

Sound City

Baltic Triangle, Liverpool

3 - 5 May

Liverpool is renowned for its musical heritage and kicks off the festival season in May. Sound City captures the vibrancy of the city with an impressive 3 day festival that sees established names perform alongside a constant stream of local, national and international emerging talent.

After hosting the electrifying event for 11 years, and in 3 different continents, this year’s festival will, again, be returning to its roots, packing in the eclectic concoction of music into a range of venues in Liverpool’s creative hub, The Baltic Triangle.

Sound City 2019 will feature its most diverse line-up yet, including Mabel, Loyle Carner, Louis Berry, The Magic Gang with many more to be announced.

The Great Escape

Brighton

8 - 11 May

The Great Escape is the festival for new music, and will be playing host to over 450 up and coming artists and a music-led conference across 35 

walkable venues in Brighton.

This year’s Great Escape conference’s key themes are Music Education, Digital Dollars and Music Marketing and will bring together top industry professionals, inspirational figures and the best creative minds. The Great Escape conference provides a platform for delegates to learn about the latest trends, developments and opportunities in the music industry.

Lewis Capaldi has been announced for a Spotlight show and Australia is 2019’s lead country partner pulling in a host of new acts from the other side of the world. Other artists announced so far include Anna Calvi, Conan Gray, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Little Simz, The Amazons, Lady Bird and Black Peaks.

Neighbourhood Weekender

Victoria Park, Warrington

25 - 26 May

After it’s spectacular 2018 debut, Neighbourhood Weekender returns with another stellar line-up, including British legends Richard Ashcroft and Primal Scream, plus plenty more festivities across the weekend.  Neighbourhood Weekender kicks off your summer 2019 with a bank holiday weekend full of music, arts, food and fun.

Other artists performing include Best British Male BRIT winner George Ezra, The Vaccines, The Charlatans, You Me At Six, Nothing But Thieves, Slaves, The Amazons, Gerry Cinnamon Embrace, and Maximo Park.

Festival Awards nominated Neighbourhood Weekender brings together an incredible weekend of live music across three stages, from the biggest acts to the best breaking new bands, alongside a hub of local food and drinks, and a unique community feel. 

Geronimo Festival

Arley Hall, Northwich

25 - 28 May

The Geronimo festival is unlike any other family event in Britain and offers something for both seasoned and newbie festival-goers. What sets Geronimo apart from other festivals is the sheer number of unique attractions to enjoy. The ticket price includes entry as well as all activities and attractions within the venue (with the exception of the Fun Fair). 

Dubbed as ‘Glastonbury for kids’, there’s shows, acts, play areas –Geronimo bring everything you ever look for in a fun family day out in one massive venue!  Get out in the fresh air, spend quality time with your family, let your imagination run wild and make some unforgettable magical memories for your children.

If you want to make it a weekend adventure camping and glamping options are available for the whole family to enjoy.

Hideout Festival

Zrce Beach, Novalja, Croatia

1 - 5 July

If the threat of the UK weather may dampen your festival excitement, heading abroad is your only option. Bringing the biggest names in electronic music together across five packed festival days, the award-nominated Hideout Festival has proven to be an unrivalled festival-favourite European music lovers.

Nestled across Croatia’s stunning Zrce Beach, five open-air venues host the weeklong party, with heavy-hitting sets in the day rolling through to the early hours of the morning. All of this, plus boat parties, pool parties and a beach party means there is something for everyone.

This year’s festival will be headlined by Bicep, Rudimental, MK, CamelPhat and many more.

Boardmasters

Newquay, Cornwall

7 - 11 August

If you like your festivals with a little more action, Cornwall’s own surf and music festival returns this August.  Along with the diverse and wide range of music genre’s being played at the festival, the event focuses on a lot more than just music.

The location of the festival (Fistral Beach and Watergate Bay) makes a charming setting for its epic surf competition where some of the biggest names in the surfing world battle it out. The festival takes pride in its Zennor Haven Wellbeing Area – a place to accommodate all the unwinding and relaxing festival goers could ever need.

The area runs yoga classes, mental health workshops, meditation and healthy food offerings.

Headline acts including Wu-Tang Clan, Florence + The Machine and Foals join the likes of he Wombats, Mabel, Jorja Smith for a truly unforgettable event.

Soul Circus

Elmore, The Cotswolds

16 - 19 August

If you’re looking for a more relaxed festival vibe, then look no further than Soul Circus. Held in the Cotswolds, it is the UK’s most exciting wellness festival, celebrating movement, music and food. Roman and Ella are the free spirited, fun and driven duo behind the pioneering festival. They say their mission is create a festival to ‘put yourself back together’ and recalibrate. Bringing together the most sought after yoga instructors and wellness practitioners and combining them with an incredible musical line up for a weekend that is both revitalising and energising in equal measure. Spend your days doing yoga, indulging in the spa and sipping on juice. Spend your evenings sipping cocktails, dancing and eating locally sourced food. This festival has everything a healthy hedonistic SoulSetter is searching for.

Manchester Pride

Manchester City Centre

23 - 26 August

Manchester Pride is the annual LGBT+ pride festival and parade held each summer in the city centre. It is one of the longest running in the country and attracts thousands of visitors to the city’s Gay Village each year.

This year sees the Manchester Pride Live main stage move to Mayfield, close to Piccadilly Station, just a short walk from The Gay Village Party. Formerly a railway station and then a Royal Mail parcel depot, this vast sleeping beauty of a building will play host to multiple stage and performance areas in a mixture of indoor and outdoor spaces.

With a world-class line-up of pop and dance artists (with acts such as Ariana Grande, Years & Years, Bananarama and Liberty X), Manchester Pride Live is expected to be not only a ground-breaking new event for the venue but also the city itself. 

Deva Fest 

Chester Lakes, Dodleston, Chester

6 - 8 September

Deva Fest is Cheshire’s family music, food & lifestyle festival taking place at Chester Lakes.With parades, colour, music, entertainment, food & even Roman Gladiator fights this will be a real feast for the senses.

Friday is local legends night featuring high energy rhythm & blues from Zoot Serious. Saturday is Carnival Day - think Rio & Mardi Gras - featuring multi-platinum selling The Feeling as well as The Dunwells fresh from a sell-out UK tour. Sunday heads back to the Old School as Symphonic Ibiza fuse a live orchestra with high tempo beats celebrating the last thirty years of dance anthems whilst K-Klass will perform live. 

More acts announced soon.

Taste Cheshire bring fabulous food & drink to Deva Fest. From sumptuous street food & bars to the finest home-made treats.

Camping & free parking is available. Shuttle bus from Chester Railway Station included in ticket price.