Music
Reading Festival
A rite of passage for many music fans
At a glance
- Size
- Large (40k+)
- Entry
- Ticketed
Music
- Rock & indie
- Pop
- Dance & electronic
- Hip hop & grime
Pictures
About
Reading is the older half of the Reading and Leeds weekend. It grew out of the National Jazz and Blues Festival, first held in Richmond in 1961, and settled at Little John's Farm on Richfield Avenue, by the Thames, in 1971.
Through the 1970s and 80s it was a rock and metal weekend; the 90s brought indie and grunge, including Nirvana's 1992 headline set. Today the bill runs from rock and indie to rap, pop and dance, played to a young crowd, many of them there to mark the end of their exams. Both sites share one line-up, with acts swapping between Reading and Leeds across the August bank holiday weekend.
News and reviews
Leeds and Reading announce latest acts for 20182 June 2018
White Room: Seven Questions and brand new video16 May 2017
The Wholls – Seven questions for one of the Jack Rocks 726 April 2017
Jack Rocks 7 – Seven questions with Sundowners24 April 2017
Jack Rocks 7 – seven questions with Bang Bang Romeo24 April 2017
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: Pale Waves – Jealousy (Reading Festival 2022)20 December 2023
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: Don Broco – Bruce Willis (Reading Festival 2023)19 December 2023
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: Knucks – Los Pollos Hermanos (Reading Festival 2023)19 December 2023
Good to know
Camping and stays
- Standard camping
- Campervans and caravans
- Glamping
- Accessible camping
Editions
Organisers
Run this festival? Claim the listing to keep it up to date and add each year’s dates. Know the next dates? Send them to us.
Festival details can change from year to year. Check the festival's own site before you book.