Our Guide to May Bank Holiday Festivals in London 2024

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With a good few anticipated festivals occurring on just one weekend in London, we thought to give you some advice in picking your battle. Here's Culture Calling's festival guide to London's May Bank Holiday Weekend.


Project 6

24th May | Brockwell Park, Brockwell, London, SE24 0NG | Tickets from £40

Probably the most stacked line-up of the lot, a huge variety of genres and scenes are represented at this weekend in Brixton.

Lo-fi house with DJ Boring and DJ Seinfeld, US rap with Freddie Gibbs and Madlib and Pusha T, UK rap with CASISDEAD, Nines, and Unknown T, garage with P-Rallel and Todd Edwards, dub with Mala, Benga and Katy B, and jungle/dnb with LTJ Bukem, Shy FX, and Serum.

It’s a cosmopolitan affair at Project 6, with something for just about any kind of underground music fan. To see this many quality artists for the price of ~£50 is a big steal. This is no doubt our top pick for May’s Bank Holiday festivals.

See their website and full line-up here


GALA

24th May | Peckham Rye Park 34 Straker's Rd, SE15 3UA | Tickets from £54

Every year, GALA host some of the top artists in house and electronica while giving huge spotlight to the new generation and the up-and-comers. Coupled with unique and immersive set designs, and a no-bs, carefree vibe of the attendants, GALA is already a fan favourite with the dance community.

This year, the hardest decision to make is which day of GALA to back.

Friday has DJ EZ, Chaos in the CBD, Interplanetary Criminal, Joy Orbison, Nightmares on Wax b2b Bradley Zero, Novelist, and SHERELLE b2b Kode9. 

This should be a no brainer, obviously back the Friday. Well, on, Saturday and Sunday, it just keeps getting better.

Check their full line-up here.


Cross The Tracks

26th May | Brockwell Park, SE24 0NG | Tickets from £74 (Last Release)

For fans of jazz, neo-soul, Latin music, hip-hop, acid jazz, and Afrobeat, Cross The Tracks will be your top choice for May Bank Holiday.

Their headliners are worth a full weekend festival: Erykah Badu, BADBADNOTGOOD, Madlib, Mansur Brown, Gilles Peterson, and Romare with a live set.

Cross The Tracks year-on-year has established itself as one of London's greatest musical offerings, bringing in huge names from across the pond as well as supporting local talent. 

It’ll be hard fitting in all the favourites in one day. DJ sets from Mr Scruff, Yazmin Lacey, Emma-Jean Thackray and Ella Knight make the ticket more tantalising.

See the full line-up here.


Wide Awake

25th May | Brockwell Park, SE24 0NG | Tickets from £64

With a line-up that caters to alternative rock and indie crowds, Wide Awake offers a break from the usual dance-oriented day festivals in London during May Bank Holiday weekend.

Headlining this year is Australian experimental-rock outfit King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, legacy shoegaze act Slowdive, and Mercury Prize-winning alternative hip-hop crew Young Fathers.

Worth a look-in is Dry Cleaning, who released one of 2022’s best albums, electronic star Ben UFO, and techno stalwart Helena Hauff, who just recently curated her own FABRICLIVE mix. Yes, dance music fans who have been dragged along by their indie friends, there is something for you too.

See their website here.


City Splash

27th of May | Brockwell Park, SE24 0NG | Tickets from £59

Celebrating the impact that African and Caribbean music has made on London and the UK at large, City Splash hosts some of the biggest artists in Afrobeats, Dancehall, reggae, dub, jungle, Amapiano, and roots music.

Some you know, like Beanie Man, Shy FX, Channel One, General Levy, Heartless Crew, some you don’t. This is a great chance for outsiders to become acquainted with the core subcultures that fuel so much of UK music, as well as an opportunity to see some big, up-and-coming talents before they blow.

An added bonus is that it doesn’t clash too heavily with the other festivals on the weekend, as it takes place on the Monday. 

See their website here


We Are FSTVL

25th-26th May | Central Park, Wood Lane, Rainham Road North, Dagenham RM8 1JX | Tickets from £60

For purists of electronic music, for the aging ravers who haven’t outgrown neon or V-necks, this is your time.

With no live performer in sight, We Are FSTVL is a strictly DJ festival, strictly drum-and-bass and tech house, over two days. This is not for the faint-hearted, the weak-willed, the dilly-dalliers.

No, this is only for the lead-bellied, for those who’ve already lost 50% of their hearing before 30, for people who think 1am isn’t even the night yet.

I’d not recommend it to anyone who can’t handle it, so this comes with a ‘discretion advised’ warning. See their website here.