17 of the best festivals coming to the East Midlands in 2025 - beyond just Download Festival

• It’s not just Download Festival come to the East Midlands in 2025.
• From Glastonbudget to Dot to Dot Nottingham, there should be plenty on offer for all music lovers.
• Here’s our pick of 17 festivals taking place across the region and how to get tickets before it’s too late.

So, you’ve missed out on Glastonbury Festival tickets for another year, you’re unsure if you want to roll the dice on resale tickets and live in the East Midlands.

Then perhaps for those who fancy saving some petrol costs, we can help you out with an array of options taking place across the region during the UK summer festival season in 2025?

While many are already looking to head to Castle Donnington for the huge metal festival that is Download, for some the idea of watching Korn or Meshuggah might be a little too ‘heavy’ for some musical palettes.

But there’s more than Download Festival (there’s Bloodstock also for those inclined to a racket) taking place, with festivals in place for those who enjoy a touch of electronic music, a bit of jazz or a diverse line-up spanning various venues across Nottingham city.

We’ve pulled together 17 festivals taking place across the East Midlands over the next 12 months, with a sample of the line-ups currently on offer and the all important dates, locations and tickets to make your decision a little easier - hopefully.

So what’s caught our attention across the East Midlands in 2025? Read on to find out.

17 festivals taking place in the East Midlands in 2025

Bearded Theory 2025

• When: May 21 - 25 2025
• Where: Catton Park, Derbyshire
• Line-up: Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers, Paul Heaton, English Teacher
• Are tickets available: Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster

Glastonbudget 2025

• When: May 22 - 25 2025
• Where: Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold
• Line-up: The ELO Tribute Show, Antarctic Monkeys, Absolute Bowie, Fore Fighters
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through Gigantic

Dot to Dot Nottingham

• When: May 25 2025
• Where: Various venues across Nottingham
• Line-up: The Horrors, Girlband!, Kate Bollinger, Nectar Woods
• Are tickets available: Tickets available now through Altickets

Forbidden Forest 2025

• When: May 29 - June 2 2025
• Where: Belvoir Castle, Grantham
• Line-up: Skepta, Skream, Camelphat, Sub Focus
• Are tickets available: Tickets to be made available through Forbidden Forest’s website

Lincoln Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festival 2025

• When: May 11 2025
• Where: The Drill, Lincoln
• Line-up: Sugaray Rayford, Connolly Hayes, Ben Poole, Amber Tremain
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through the Lincoln Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival website

Exile Music Festival 2025

• When: June 27 - 29 2025
• Where: Sabine Hay, Darley Dale, Derbyshire
• Line-up: Katie Spencer, Zetor in the Kailyard, Robyn Wallis Johnson
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through the Exile Music Festival website

Gate To Southwell Festival 2025

• When: July 3 - 6 2025
• Where: Eakring Lane, Kirklington, Newark
• Line-up: Richard Thompson, Skinny Lister, Seckou Keita & the Homeland Band, Jon Boden & the Remnant Kings
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through the Gate To Southwell Festival website

Timber Festival 2025

• When: July 4 - 6 2025 (TBC)
• Where: Feanedock Woodlands, near Ashby de la Zouch
• Line-up: TBC
• Are tickets available: Tickets not yet on sale

The Rock and Bike Fest 2025

• When: July 10 - 12 2025
• Where: Longmoore Lane, Breaston
• Line-up: Tygers of Pang Tang, Fred Zeppelin, Motley Crude
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through The Rock and Bike Fest website

Noisily Festival 2025

• When: July 10 - 13 2025
• Where: Barkestone Wood, Leicestershire
• Line-up: Goldie, Hannes Bieger, Iration Steppas, Skeptical, Alan Fitzpatrick, Chris Liberator b2b D.A.V.E The Drummer
• Are tickets available: Tickets are available through the Noisily Festival website

Splendour 2025

• When: July 19 - 20 2025
• Where: Wollaton Park, Nottingham
• Line-up: No line-up announcement currently
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through the Splendour website

Y Not Festival 2025

• When: July 31 - August 3 2025
• Where: Pikehall, Derbyshire
• Line-up: The Prodigy, Courteeners, Madness, Primal Scream, The Last Dinner Party
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through the Y Not Festival website

Bloodstock 2025

• When: August 7 - 10 2025
• Where: Catton Park, Derbyshire
• Line-up: Trivium, Machine Head, Gojira, Emperor, Ministry, Mastodon
• Are tickets available: Tickets are available through Ticketmaster

110 Above Festival 2025

• When: August 28 - 30 2025
• Where: Gospall Hall Farm, Leicestershire
• Line-up: No line-up announce currently
• Are tickets available: Tickets are available through the 110 Above Festival website

Lost Village 2025

• When: August 21 - 24 2025
• Where: Witham St Hughs, Lincoln
• Line-up: Line-up announcement scheduled for January 28 2025
• Are tickets available: Next ticket release to take place on January 31 2025

Off The Tracks Summer Festival 2025

• When: August 29 - 31 2025
• Where: Castle Donnington, Derbyshire
• Line-up: Transglobal Underground, Mirror System, Talisk, Kissmet
• Are tickets available: Tickets now on sale through the Off The Tracks website

Shambala 2025

• When: August 21 - 24 2025
• Where: Location details only available to ticket holders - to take place in Northamptonshire
• Line-up: Line up not yet announced
• Are tickets available: Tickets available through the Shambala 2025 website

If you found this guide handy but want to check out a music festival in Europe this year, why not check out our article on the European music festivals taking place in 2025?