Notting Hill Carnival is London’s main draw but with the likes of Wireless, Udderbelly and Lovebox also to look forward to this summer, London is fast gaining a reputation as a festival venue that can give the likes of Glastonbury or SONAR a run for their money!
Tickets and accommodation are fast running out for this year’s festivals. With that in mind here’s our pick of London’s busy festival circuit along with a list of some of those all so important places to stay afterwards.
Udderbelly
When: 13 May – 18 July
Where: Southbank Centre & Jubilee Gardens
Udderbelly is the newest festival in the London summer calendar and went down a storm last year when it made its debut in the green, green pastures of the Jubilee Gardens next to the London Eye.
Featuring an eclectic mix of comedy, music, theater, magic, circus and dance, Udderbelly offers something for everyone at prices that won’t break the bank.
This year’s festival is already well under way, however there’s still plenty for you to sink your teeth into including award winning comedy from the three times Emmy-nominated Rob Schneider on 4-5 July and an exclusive preview of British dance troupe sensation Flawless ahead of their performance at the Edinburgh Festival on 4 July.
Aside from the entertainment going on inside Udderbelly, the Magners Pasture area in Jubilee Gardens (open daily from 12 pm) is a great place to stop off on the South Bank for a quick pint, a slice of pizza or even a game of free table football!
Tickets are still available. You can check out a full list of the acts performing at this year’s festival on the Udderbelly website.
Where to stay: Udderbelly takes place on London’s South Bank just a short walk along the Thames from Waterloo Station. This makes the Walrus Waterloo, our top rated London hostel, a very good option. London Eye Hostel or the slightly more expensive London Waterloo Day Hotel are decent alternatives that are also nearby. However, in all honesty, Waterloo is well connected to London’s transport network meaning that you could realistically stay in any of our London hostels.
Wireless
When: 2-4 July
Where: Hyde Park
Wireless has always attracted the big names since it started a few years ago, including Daft Punk in 2007:
However, a quick glance at the line-up for this year’s Wireless festival is like reading a who’s who of music with Pink, LCD Soundsytem, Snoop Dog, Jay Z, Lily Allen just a few of the names on the set-list.
Sadly, tickets for the event in Hyde Park sold out long ago so if you don’t already have a ticket you should look at alternatives unless you want to buy a ticket off a tout which is both expensive and illegal.
However, for those of you who do have a ticket for the festival, the following information may be of use:
How to get to Wireless
As always, this year’s Wireless Festival is being held in London’s Hyde Park. This makes getting to and from the festival pretty simple. If you’re coming by tube the nearest station is Hyde Park Corner on the Piccadilly Line. From Hyde Park Corner it is a ten minute walk through Hyde Park to the Wireless Festival.
Other tube options include Green Park (Piccadilly Line), Marble Arch and Bond Street (both Central Line).
If you’re coming by bus, several buses stop more or less by Hyde Park including the 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 19, 22, 36, 52, 73, 74, 82, 148, 390, 414 and 436.
Whatever mode of public transport you take, make sure that you leave yourself a good hour to get there- the last thing you want to do is get there late and miss the start! Doors open at 2.30 pm on Friday and 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
What to Bring
As with all British outdoor festivals, the key piece of kit to remember to bring is a brolly and/or a mack. It might not look cool but you’ll look more of a clown when you’re the only one getting soaked if the heavens do decide to open!
Otherwise it’s probably a good idea to bring a bit of food and a bottle or two of water. Sadly booze of any kind is not permitted and food hampers, tables and chairs, barbeques and cans are also no-no’s.
Thankfully, there are plenty of food and drink stalls on-site where you can stock up during the festival although these will cost you!
Check out the Wireless website for more details on what you can and can’t bring to the festival.
Where to stay:
Unlike Glastonbury you can’t pitch a tent and carry on the party at Wireless. Once the music’s over it’s a case of clearing out and going home. In many ways it’s not such a bad thing- you get to sleep in a nice bed, have a shower and have a bit of food before doing it all again the following day.
With that in mind, you’re going to want somewhere cheap, cheerful and preferably nearby to crash after the festival.
Just a 10 minute walk from Hyde Park, the Astor Hyde Park fits the bill perfectly. For just €17.94 you’ll get a comfortable and clean bunk, a free breakfast and a games room with a big screen where you can catch all the action from the early kick off at the World Cup before going back to the festival for day two or three!
Within walking distance of Hyde Park, the MEININGER Hotel London Hyde Park is another low-cost option well worth considering.
Love Box
When: 16-18 July
Where: Victoria Park
Lovebox may not be able to rival Wireless in terms of superstar names but in many ways it’s better than its fierce rival. Featuring 7 stages, supercharged sets and epic performances from stars from a number of music genres, Lovebox has a variety that stands it apart from Wireless. Best of all, there are still tickets available!
This year’s set is bigger and better than ever before which is just as well given that more than 50,000 are expected to turn up for this year’s festival.
Headlining this year are Britain’s very own hip-hop master Dizzee Rascal, Roxy Music and the legendary Grace Jones ably abetted by the likes of Hot Chip, Ellie Goulding, Mark Ronson and the Noisettes.
However, they are just the tip of the iceberg; the line-up for the Gaymers Stage and Gaymer’s Orchard field which includes the likes of the Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club and Empire of the Sun stands out, while the electro acts on the Sunday also looks inviting.
Add to that places to sit, delicious food and beers aplenty in a beautiful setting and you’ve got yourself a music festival!
Top Tips: Head to the tree house overlooking the Gaymer’s Stage for a unique viewing position of the Festival. Featuring raised seating areas and two bars overlooking a magical space, this is a great place to take a quick breather from the main stage and also provides great photo opportunities.
If you’re traveling in a group, make sure you have pre-arranged meeting points for if you get lost as mobile phone signal is very, very hard to get at the festival- just imagine 50,000 others trying to call their friends and family and it’s easy to see why!
Where to stay: With the festival not finishing until 10:30 or 11 pm each night, the last thing you want is a long journey back to your hostel.
Thankfully, Victoria Park is well connected by both tube and buses and the key is to book a hostel that is also near public transport links. Astor Museum Inn is a reasonable option near Holborn (just six stops on the tube), however a better option is the YHA London St. Pancras.
YHA London St. Pancras is a little further out in King’s Cross but is well connected by both bus and tube and offers a quality, four star alternative where a good night’s sleep is guaranteed.
Still not sure about Lovebox? Take a look at this promotional youtube video featuring footage of last year’s festival to get you in the mood:
Tickets for the festival cost £45. Check out the Lovebox website now for ticket details and information on how to get to the festival in Victoria Park.
Notting Hill Carnival
When: 29-30 August
Where: Notting Hill
Notting Hill is the biggest and most well known of London’s Festival’s. Held every year over the August Bank Holiday, Notting Hill has been taking over the streets of West London in the late summer sunshine ever since 1966 (the last time England won the World Cup!)
If you’ve never seen or heard of Notting Hill then you’re in for a real treat. What started out as a local festival for the local West Indian community to celebrate their Caribbean heritage, Notting Hill has morphed into one of the biggest carnivals in the world complete with floats, bands, dancers and the obligatory feather-clad costumes.
When to go
The best day to go is the Bank Holiday Monday. It gets really busy so make sure you get there early so that you can get a good vantage point to check out the floats as they make there way along the main parade.
When you think you’ve had enough of watching the dancers and troupes which are only surpassed by Rio Carnival in terms of costumes and grandeur get ready to party long into the night at one of the many Notting Hill Carnival street after parties.
Pubs, bars and stalls selling all manner of Caribbean dishes line the route, ensuring that you won’t go hungry. Try the Jerk Chicken or Goat Curry for a true taste of the Caribbean.
Top Tips: Make sure you bring plenty of cash with you as the cash machines run out of money very quickly and the last thing you want to do is spend your whole time at carnival looking for somewhere to withdraw cash.
The other key thing to remember is that Notting Hill Gate is closed for the duration of Carnival so make sure you make alternative travel arrangements.
Where to stay: There is no shortage of places to stay near Notting Hill. However, if you’re after a top quality hostel complete with games room, lounge area and free breakfast, Equity Point London is probably your best bet. Failing that, Access Apartments- City or the Royal Hyde Park Hotel are decent options within walking distance of Notting Hill.
Best of the Rest
Notting Hill, Wireless, Lovebox and Udderbelly may be the festivals that immediately catch the eye in London this summer; however there are plenty of free festivals also going on in and around town.
Big Dance London which ends with a mass participation dancing even in Trafalgar Square immediately catches the eye, while the i-Tunes Festival at The Roundhouse and the Greenwich and Docklands Festival are also well worth a look.
Tags : London, Tickets, Accomodation, Hotels, Festifal