Ahhh, August. Summer’s summer. The month where everything is drenched in heat, where people take their tops off in parks, where it’s not weird to forget what day it is. Love Island is over, there’s no World Cup, and the office is unbearable, so it might be worth booking some holiday and heading down, up, or over to some of the finest festivals of the summer.

Yes, you’ve had May, you’ve had June – hell, there’s practically a festival for every day of July. But August though. August. August is the month of the festival, the month of Reading and Leeds. There’s even a chance to get skanking in Croatia for God’s sake.

Have a look below for our selection of the finest this month has to offer, from moshing in Yorkshire to raving in Scandinavia.

When: 1 – 4 August
Where: Portugal
Why: IT’S IN PORTUGAL! I mean, what more could you want? Guaranteed sun, a beaut beach, and some of the hottest acts performing.
Highlights: Ms Dynamite, Burna Boy, Not3s, Stefflon Don.
Our must-see set: BBC Sound of 2019 winner Octavian.

When: 2 – 4 August
Where: Gopsall, Leicestershire
Why: Indie fans rejoice: finally a festival where you can get your rocks on without having to worry about being pushed over, drenched in beer or losing your friends. Touted as one of the indie scene’s best kept secrets, Leicestershire’s 110 Above Festival is itself a gem, joining the ever-growing wave of impressive independent festivals booking a great mixture of quality names and exciting up-and-comers.
Highlights: Mystery Jets, Swim Deep, Jaws, King No-One.
Our must-see set: Pale Waves. I mean come on.

Get your tickets here.

When: 7 – 11 August
Where: Cornwall
Why: A festival on a beach? In England? With Wuuuu Taaaang playing? You must be joking. Luckily for you, this is no joke, for Boardmasters have you covered. Fans of hip-hop and surfing alike will love this Cornish 5-day bonanza.
Highlights: Wu-Tang Clan, DJ EZ, Mabel, Giggs
Our must-see set: Ocean Wisdom. You’ll be amazed at how fast this kid can rap – he even holds a Guinness World Record for it. Oh, and he’s from Brighton so he’s used to the seaside.

Get your tickets here.

When: 8 – 10 August
Where: Gothenburg, Sweden
Why: We hear a lot about how the Scandinavians do everything right, and their festival scene is no exception. Funkiest web design ever aside, this Swedish festival boasts an incredible lineup, with Gothenburg’s natural beauty also providing a unique backdrop for one of the festivals of the summer.
Highlights: Too many to choose from. Cardi B, James Blake, Hunee, Cupcakke, Stormzy, Earl Sweatshirt, Blood Orange, Rex Orange County to name but a few.
Our must-see set: Octavian. The London MC has been killing it this year, and is sure to dominate the stage in his first festival run since blowing up.

Get your tickets here.

When: 13 – 17 August
Where: Budapest, Hungary
Why: If you’ve never been to Budapest, you’re missing out. Get yourself an Airbnb, go see some Habsburg treasures and some cross-cultural architecture, and then head on down to Sziget, ‘Europe’s answer to Glastonbury’ and one of this summer’s most anticipated festivals.
Highlights: Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine, Post Malone, The National, Mura Masa, Grace Carter, James Blake.
Our must-see set: The 1975. Matty Healy strutting his stuff on the continent? Yes, please. (Also because Rollacoaster Magazine Editor Elly would kill me if I said anyone else. And their latest album is really really good.)

Get your tickets here.

When: 23 – 25 August
Where: Reading and Leeds
Why: Ah, trusty Reading and Leeds. Once a hard-rock festival, now a place where fans of practically any type of music can descend for a weekend of boogying, drinking tinnies, and regretting not packing wellies. This year’s line-up is one of the festival’s best yet, and it is sure to be a sell-out so get your tickets while you still can. You won’t regret it – nobody ever has.
Highlights: The 1975, Charli XCX, AJ Tracey, Billie Eilish, Denis Sulta, Anderson .Paak, Slowthai, King Princess.
Our must-see set: Dave. The lad from Streatham released his best album to date earlier this year, and it will be an incredible, goosebumps moment to see it performed in front of thousands.

Get your tickets here.

When: 24th – 25th August
Where: Clapham Common, London
Why: Close to home and sporting an eclectic lineup featuring heavyweights in the grime, electronic, and dance world, SW4 is a summer staple and on a bank holiday so you’ve got all of Monday to recover. You’re welcome.
Highlights: Tinie Tempah, Wiley, Ms Banks.
Our must-see set: Craig David. No explanation needed.

Get your tickets here.

When: 30th August – 1st September
Where: Ireland
Why: With an masterfully eclectic line-up, a convenient yet distant-enough location, and some banging food options – there’s very little reason not to head over to Ireland for Electric Picnic to draw August festival season to a close and see in September.
Highlights: The Strokes, Christine And the Queens, Jarvis Cocker, The 1975, Alma, Yves Tumor.
Our must-see set: The Streets. Fresh off an amazingly reviewed tour, Mike Skinner and the boys will be bringing their original pirate material to Ireland for an unmissable set.

Tickets are sold-out, so scram to the Facebook group and get bidding!