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Did you know that there are great musicians from Wales? outraged Tom Jones, obviously. Alongside the interpreter of “Sex Bomb”, there is Catfish and the Bottlemen, Neck Deep, Marina and the Diamonds, Bullet For My Valentine, Stereophonics and Manger. They don’t call it Song Country for nothing!
Speaking of great music, with such stunning scenery including castles, beaches, ruins and vast green fields, Wales is a fantastic place for a music festival. Even when the party is over, you can have fun. You can take in the scenic landscapes of Anglesey, surf, kayak or hike Mount Snowdon and fill your lungs with fresh air as you take in the unreal views all around you.
Sounds good, doesn’t it? Just thinking about it makes you excited. So we’re going to go straight into this one. Check out these brilliant music festivals in Wales.
green man festival
When: Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 August
Where: Brecon Beacons, Wales
Programming: Kraftwerk, Michael Kiwanuka, Beach House, Metronomy, Bicep
This family festival takes place during the summer holidays and offers much more than music to discover. green man has several tents with different themes, entertaining attendees throughout. For example, Einstein’s Garden tent is themed around math and science, while Nature Nurture offers yoga, restorative massages, meditation, wellness workshops, and more.
While green man is family friendly, that doesn’t mean adults can’t attend and unlock their inner child, connect with themselves, and most importantly, listen to fantastic live music. Kraftwork, Biceps, and Metronomy? Don’t mind if we do!
Find tickets for the Green Man Festival 2022 – here
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SwnFestival
When: To be determined
Where: Multiple locations on and around Womanby Street, Cardiff
Programming: to be determined
If listening to new music and supporting smaller bands is what you need, SwnFestival could be the perfect choice. This festival does not focus on a particular genre. The team behind only deliver artists they are passionate about, focusing on emerging artists, local artists and new music.
Perfect for discovering your new favorite artists, the festival hosted Nurseries, Vaccines, Marina and Diamonds, Clean Cut Kid, The Amazons, Peace and many others to its past editions. Taking place on several sites, sn is also the perfect excuse to discover your new favorite place to listen to live music.
Upside Down Festival
When: Public holiday Sunday May 1
Where: Bute Park, Cardiff
Programming: Kurupt FM, Idris Elba, Tion Wayne, Andy C
Upside down is a dance music festival that features drum and bass, hip hop, grime, garage, house and more. Bute Park. What a way to spend a holiday Sunday! Even better, Upside down has rides for thrill seekers and an ever-go-go crazy crowd.
The full lineup has been revealed with a few crack artists including Andy C, Tion Wayne and more. Tickets for the third release are available now for as little as £40. A monthly payment plan is also available to keep your bank account happy.
Find tickets for Inside Out Festival 2022 – here
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Westival
When: Thursday 21 – Monday 25 July
Where: Shipping Hill Farm, Pembrokeshire
Programming: Eris Drew, Dan Shake, Shanti Celeste and many more
1,500 people gather every year in Pembrokeshire for Westival, an independent underground music and arts festival. The genres you will discover on Westival are varied with heavier acts, electronic, funk, hip hop, house, dance and much more.
With such limited capacity, Westival maintains an intimate vibe that simply cannot be replicated at major festivals, allowing for a deeper connection with the music and a chance to connect with the artists on stage. Try something different this year. Check out a smaller festival to see what all the hype is about!
gottwood party
When: Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 June
Where: Carreglwyd, Anglesey
Programming: to be determined
Described as “one of the most important boutique festivals the UK has to offer” by The Independent, gottwood party has a stellar reputation as an intimate underground electronic music festival. Located deep in the forest, Gottwood has a free-spirited vibe that offers attendees a place to escape life and connect with their favorite music.
The festival saw performances from some pretty big names, including Mr. Scruff, Hunee, Ben UFO, Daniel Avery, Maribou State, and more. Who knows what fantastic artists they will have this year?
Find tickets for Gottwood Festival 2022 – here
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FOCUS Wales
When: Thursday 5 – Saturday 7 May
Where: Multiple locations, Wrexham
Lineup: Echo & The Bunnymen, Gwenno, Self Esteem, Public Service Broadcasting, Goat Girl
Having won Best Festival for Emerging Talent at the UK Festival Awards in 2019, we couldn’t leave FOCUS out of this list. FOCUS brings together 250 artists, local and international, with music that spans just about every genre you can think of, including punk, hip hop, reggae, folk, indie, pop, metal, prog, RnB, soul and more.
As well as a wide range of new live artists, there are film screenings, workshops and a new music conference to check out. With approximately 15,000 participants spread over 20 sites, FOCUS maintains that intimate feeling without it feeling empty.
Steelhouse
When: Friday July 29 to Sunday July 31
Where: Hafod Y Dafal Farm, Ebbw Vale
Composition: Ace Frehley, Orange Goblin, Diamond Head
Steelhouse is Wales’ biggest classic rock festival taking place in a breathtaking mountaintop location. Aiming to be the top rock festival in the UK, it’s no wonder the festival has gained such a loyal following over the years.
Previous editions have seen classic rock heroes such as Darkness, Thin Lizzy, Myles Kennedy and much more. Among those confirmed for this year includes Ace Frehley, Heat, Inglorious, and green lung. And the good times don’t stop there. After the artists have finished their performances, the beer tent will remain open for pints and rock DJ sets. Sounds like a top weekend away!
Escape Party
(This embedded post has since been removed)
When: Saturday August 20
Where: Singleton Park, Swansea
Range: Sub Focus, Bru-C, Dimension
Escape Party will land in Swansea Singleton Park with programming to get you jumping, skanking and raving all over the place. Raced by the team behind Upside Down Festival and Clash of colors, Live Highlight is Wales’ largest festival company. It’s safe to say that these guys know what they’re doing.
The lineup is already looking killer with Harriet Jaxxon, Audiofreq, Eksman and more. And with a huge lineup of homes to come, it’s only going to get better. Expect drum and bass, house, trance, bass music and more at this crazy summer festival.
Find tickets for Escape Festival 2022 – here
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Wales is full of great music festivals. Whether you’re looking for your next favorite act, whether you want to party in a forest or reconnect using yoga, creativity and learning, there’s something in Wales that will float your boat. . And with such charming and friendly locals, there’s nothing stopping us from checking it out this festival season. We will meet you there!
Discover our Events Guide for even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head over to our Things to do or get inspired by the event selections on our inspire me page.
