Summer in the UK is traditionally the time when people
go on holiday. It is also the time for quiet picnics and
spending lazy days doing nothing.
Alternatively, you
could watch the Wimbledon Tennis Championship, or spend five days watching
cricket, a sport nobody seems to understand.
Does this sound too dull? Well, it is also the time for
outdoor music festivals. Let’s look at some of the most famous
ones.
The Glastonbury Festival first started in 1970, and is often seen as the
standard to judge other festivals by. It takes place on a farm in the south-west
of England over 3 days, and visitors camp in the fields around
the site.
Acts in 2005 included Coldplay, The White Stripes and Basement Jaxx, among
others. The only problem with Glastonbury is the unpredictable
weather. Heavy rain meant that last year many of the fields
flooded, spoiling the fun for those whose
tents were washed away.
While Glastonbury tries to keep an air of peace and love, the Reading
Festival is a noisier, more aggressive weekend. It is much
easier to attend as it is in the centre of the city of Reading, and although you
can camp you can also go just for the day. Up to 55,000 people are expected to
attend on the weekend of the August Bank
Holiday, and top British acts such as Franz Ferdinand and The Kaiser
Chiefs will entertain the crowds.
If you prefer house music to rock, then
Creamfields is probably the place for you. Since 1998, this festival of dance
music has taken place in Liverpool, also on the final weekend of August, but
only for one day, so there is no need to bring your tent. Instead, just enjoy a
boogie to top DJs and live acts.
Finally, Knebworth - Knebworth is a huge manor house and the
festival takes place in the gardens. It first took place in
1974, and since then acts such as The Rolling Stones, Queen, Elton John and Paul
McCartney have all featured. More recently, Robbie Williams has sold
out concerts to crowds of fans. In fact, his concert in 2003 was the
largest ever in the UK with over 375,000 fans attending and more than 3.5
million watching live on TV.
So, whatever your tastes in music there is a festival taking
place in England to suit you. Just don’t forget to pack your raincoat.