The best music festivals in London in 2022

July 1-3 and July 8-10

In 2022, this destination fest is more epic than ever with seven huge headliners over three locations: two in London, one in Birmingham. As ever, the line-up leans heavily into hip hop, grime and R&B, and boasts more A-list talent than the Met Gala. Each act is programmed to only perform at one site, so make sure you take a close look at the breakdown before making that oh-so-important ticket purchase. 

Line-up includes A$AP Rocky, The Kid Laroi, Rico Nasty, Playboi Carti, Tyler, The Creator, Little Simz, Ghetts, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Lil Baby, Unknown T and more 

July 7-17

The Strand institution is bringing back its outdoor gig series after two years. The line-up for the 11-day 2022 edition looks absolutely mega. Brit Award Best Newcomer winner  Londoner Arlo Parks is performing hits from her poetic, soulful and frankly excellent debut album ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’. Catchy Canadian songstress Carly Rae Jepsen will be bringing her effervescent pop to London for the occasion. Angular Bristolians Squid will be twitching their thing. And on a (hopefully sunny) Saturday evening to remember, multi-platinum US singer-songwriter John Legend will be taking to the scenic stage.

Also, local talent: Newham grime MC Ghetts, hyped Croydon rockers Black Midi and south-east London jazz artist Yussef Dayes.

Line-up: Tems, Squid, Yussuf Dayes, Bomba Estéreo, Carly Rae Jepsen, Arlo Parks, Black Midi, Ghetts, SG Lewis, John Legend, Places+Faces

July 23 

Ally Pally’s Kaleidoscope Festival offers a chilled line-up of music, comedy and kids events with incredible views over the city.

Line-up includes Happy Mondays, Orbital, The Magic Numbers, The Cuban Brothers, and more

July 24

Did someone say Patti Smith? Higher Ground is a brand new boutique music festival coming to the grounds of Alexandra Palace this summer, and yes, Smith is headlining. Hosted by live music producers Serious on Sunday July 24, the one-day event is promising all sorts of stuff – but the female-heavy indie rock line-up is probably what’s most exciting. 

Line-up includes Patti Smith, Spelling, Nabihah Iqbal, Joviale, Connie Constance and Nadine Shah

August 19-28

Held over two weekends (with a restful gap in the middle) in Victoria Park, All Points East lives up to its name with an always-eclectic line-up of cool alternative acts. No east Londoner could possibly take objection to this year’s stellar headliners – which include Gorillaz and Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – but the 2022 bill is also filled with exciting rising stars: Remi Wolf, Greentea Peng and (Time Out cover star) Self Esteem are all playing on the first Friday. Essentially, if you like anything that has a bit of an edge to it, APE really delivers. Look out, too, for In the Neighbourhood, the festival’s programme of free community-focused events and activities also taking place in Vicky Park. It’s what the philanthropists who planned it would have wanted. 

Line-up includes IDLES, Gorillaz, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Tame Impala, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Michael Kiwanuka, James Blake, Greentea Peng, Remi Wolf, Caroline Polachek, Fred Again.. and Perfume Genius and more

August 27

The second edition of Yam Carnival is coming to Clapham Common this August, and the line-up is looking mighty tasty. Described as a celebration of Black culture, the festival was created by the team behind Afro Nation and promises three food areas for guests to fuel up during a day full of dancing. 

Line-up includes Wizkid, Black Sherif, DJ Maphorisa, Naira Marley, and more

August 27

Celebrating ten years of grooving and moving, Eastern Electrics is back in 2022 to provide London’s clubbers and ravers with a dance music blowout across four stages. 

Line-up includes Mall Grab, Horse Meat Disco, Derrick Carter, Debonair, Ewan McVicar, Green Velvet, Ellen Allien

August 28

Maiden Voyage Festival, run by the team behind Camden's Jazz Cafe, are once again returning to Lee Valley Showground with a super-sweet line-up to get your dancing feet going. The 2022 edition will see live performances from Underground Resistance and Ross From Friends, as well as DJ sets from the likes of Floorplan, Yung Singh, SHERELLE, Octo Octa and Hunee. And that's just the first line-up announcement – expect other fat, fun, and juicy things to come. 

Line-up includes Ross From Friends, Floorplan, Yung Singh, SHERELLE, Jayda G, VTSS, Shanti Celeste

September 2-4

The star-studded TV chef Tom Kerridge has followed in the footsteps of fellow foodie aficionados Jamie Oliver and Alex James in setting up his own festival. As well as scran from some of the best UK chefs in the game, the 2022 line-up at Chiswick Park's three-day edition features Craig David and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, with heaps of acts still to come. 

Line-up includes Craig David TS5, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Sugar Hill Gang, Beverley Knight, Faithless DJ

September 3-4 

This massive dance and disco party is returning to its hometown in 2022 for two days of feel good music. Highlights from last year included Honey Dijon, Louie Vega, Basement Jaxx and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Line-up includes TBA

September 10

This one-day fest from the team behind the legendary Krankbrother parties is returning for another rager. Joy Orbison, LTJ Bukem, Moodymann, Steam Down and Ruby Savage lead a well curated ‘jazz, funk, soul, afro, dub and disco-fuelled’ line-up, with London-based artists dominating the programming. 

Line-up includes Kojey Radical, The Blessed Madonna, Chaos in the CBD, Moodymann, Mungo’s Hifi, Krankbrother

September 17-18

This massive two-day festival in Beckenham Place Park is one of the bassiest London has to offer. This year's edition promises never before seen B2B DJ sets, delicious street food, and the usual top-quality production. 

Line-up includes Fabio and Grooverider and the Outlook Orchestra, High Contrast, Kings of the Rollers & INJA, Calibre, DJ Storm, Flava D 

September 18

Pioneering London nightlife collective Pxssy Palace is here with a new London festival in Burgess Park, Peckham. It bills itslef as an international celebration of Queerness within music and club culture, spotlighting the best global and homegrown Queer, Trans, Non-binary, Black, Indigenous and POC talent around. The line-up is yet to be announced, but promises everything from DJ sets and live performances to workshops, art, and talks. If reputation is anything to go by, this is going to be a good one. 

Line-up includes TBC

September 19

Coming to Gunnersbury Park for the second time, Waterworks actively has no headliners, it’s just a pick ’n’ mix of some of the best DJs and artists in the game right now – both locally and internationally. 

Line-up includes Batu, Ben UFO, Angel D’lite, Moxie, Club Fitness, Digital Mystikz, LCY, Or:la, Skee Mask, Saoirse, Toshiki Ohta, Yung Singh

November 9-13

After a successful first London edition in 2021, Pitchfork Music Festival is back in the UK for a second year with five days of curated performances. From experimental electronic to indie, hip hop, contemporary jazz and much more, a multi-genre bill of more than 50 new and established artists will take over some of London’s coolest venues – including Hackney Church, The Roundhouse, and EartH Theatre.

Line-up includes KOKOKO!, Girlpool, Desire, Animal Collective