Reading Festival 2027 – United Kingdom

Overview

Reading Festival 2027 – United Kingdom is one of the most legendary music festivals in the world and a staple in the UK music scene. Taking place annually at Richfield Avenue, Reading, this iconic event has a rich history dating back to the 1960s and has evolved into a must-attend festival for music lovers. Known for its diverse lineup, Reading Festival has hosted legendary artists such as Nirvana, Arctic Monkeys and Eminem, showcasing a mix of rock, alternative and hip-hop.

The festival site itself is located at Richfield Avenue, a spacious and well-equipped venue that has been home to Reading Festival since the 1970s. Set on the banks of the River Thames, Reading offers beautiful and scenic backdrop for this iconic music festival. Little Johns Farm and Richfield Avenue form the Reading site, close enough to Reading station for a 15 to 20 minute walk.

Camping is part of it. Weekend tickets include general admission camping, with premium camping, boutique camping and accessible camping also listed in festival information. The vastness of Richfield Avenue allows for grand staging, impressive lighting rigs and sound systems that can deliver crystal-clear audio to every corner of festival grounds. Official information is available at https://www.readingfestival.com/.

What Makes This Event Special

Historic Home Since 1970s: It wasn’t until 1972, while still officially named the National Jazz, Blues, Folk and Blues Festival, that it found the place that would become its home at Richfield Avenue, and first headliners were Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins as Genesis. In 1978 Reading Festival became its official name, nicely marked by Paul Weller’s guitar smashing incident.

Twin Festival Legacy: Reading Festival forms half of Reading and Leeds twin festival, with same lineup playing across both sites over same weekend. This unique format allows artists to play both locations, creating national event with shared identity.

Diverse Stages: Scattered throughout site are smaller stages like BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage, The Pit and Festival Republic Stage, each offering diverse range of genres and emerging talent. Beyond stages, Richfield Avenue is dotted with extensive array of food stalls offering everything from traditional festival fare to global cuisines, plus art installations and interactive experiences.

Massive Capacity Community: The sheer capacity of Richfield Avenue ensures that it can comfortably host hundreds of thousands of attendees, creating characteristic bustling communal feeling that is central to Reading Festival identity. Its expansive grounds allow for multiple stages, diverse array of food and drink options and plenty of space to roam.

Legendary Moments: The Faces featuring Rod Stewart performed at Reading Festival on Saturday August 12th 1972 headlining second of three nights of what was then called 12th National Jazz, Blues and Rock Festival. Over decades festival hosted New Order, Blur, Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy, Muse, Major Lazer, Bastille, Migos, Two Door Cinema Club, Flume, Marshmallow and many more.

Lineup / Featured Artists

Reading Festival 2027 lineup will feature six headliners across Main Stages, following pattern of recent editions where twin headliners share top billing.

2026 Headliners as Reference: Charli XCX, DAVE, Florence and The Machine and RAYE were among six headliners for Reading and Leeds 2026, with Fontaines D.C., Chase and Status also headlining. Additional acts included Beth McCarthy, Villanelle, December 10, Waterparks, Leigh-Anne, Brittany Broski, Gunna, Loyle Carner and Maisie Peters.

Historic Lineups: 1993 featured New Order, Blur, Lemonheads, The Breeders, Dinosaur Jr and Siouxsie and The Banshees. 2009 featured Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy, Maximo Park, Ian Brown and Enter Shikari. 2017 featured Bastille, Jimmy Eat World, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse and Major Lazer. 2018 featured Fall Out Boy, Kendrick Lamar, Panic At The Disco, Kings Of Leon and Post Malone. 2015 featured Mumford and Sons, Alt-J, Bastille, Royal Blood, The Libertines and Kendrick Lamar.

Genre Mix: Lineup spans rock, indie, hip-hop, dance and pop with rock heritage but modern inclusion of dance and hip-hop headliners. BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage showcases electronic talent, while The Pit focuses on punk and hardcore.

Emerging Talent: Festival Republic Stage and other small stages provide platform for emerging artists who later become headliners, maintaining tradition of discovery alongside big names.

Full lineup for 2027 will be announced via official website and social channels with early bird tickets selling quickly.

Event Experience

Main Stage Arena: Main Stage at Richfield Avenue hosts world-renowned headliners with grand staging, impressive lighting rigs and sound systems delivering crystal-clear audio to every corner. Open fields accommodate large crowds while providing mix of standing areas, VIP zones and family-friendly sections.

Stage Variety: Scattered throughout site are smaller stages like BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage for electronic, The Pit for punk, Festival Republic Stage for emerging indie, plus other tents. Each offers diverse range of genres and emerging talent.

Temporary City: The sprawling fields are transformed into temporary city complete with multiple stages, vast array of food and drink vendors, art installations and infamous campsite. Extensive bar and food outlets, merchandise stands and comprehensive welfare and safety services contribute to experience.

Food and Art: Beyond stages, site dotted with extensive array of food stalls offering everything from traditional festival fare to global cuisines. Art installations and interactive experiences add layer to festival atmosphere, with immersive production and unmistakable buzzing village feel.

Camping Culture: Weekend tickets include general admission camping with camping being part of core experience. Campsite forms community with late-night acoustic sessions and social atmosphere that is central to Reading identity.

Date & Schedule

Event Dates: 26 – 29 August 2027

Schedule Structure:
Thursday – Early Entry: Weekend plus Early Entry camping ticket holders gain access on Thursday. Early entry allows setup and access to campsite with limited entertainment, food stalls and welcome performances on smaller stages. Official face value for weekend plus early entry camping is included in first release.

Friday: Full arena programming from early afternoon until late night across all main stages. First full day of headline performances on Main Stage and BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage. Day ticket holders for Friday gain access from midday.

Saturday: Full day of continuous live performances across all stages from late morning until late night with Saturday headliners on Main Stage and supporting acts across other stages.

Sunday: Final day with Sunday headliners closing Main Stage and farewell performances across site. Festival closes Sunday night with campsite remaining open until Monday morning for staggered departure.

The festival spans three days of main arena plus early entry Thursday, offering continuous live performances, entertainment and immersive experiences for attendees. Always check official app for stage times before travel.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Location & Venue

Venue: Richfield Avenue

Address: Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire RG1 8EQ, United Kingdom

Venue Overview: Richfield Avenue, Reading, is hallowed ground for one of UK’s most legendary music festivals. For decades this expansive site beside River Thames has been backdrop for countless iconic performances and unforgettable festival moments. Sprawling fields transformed into temporary city with multiple stages, vast array of food and drink vendors, art installations and infamous campsite.

Site Layout: Little Johns Farm and Richfield Avenue form Reading site, close enough to Reading station for 15 to 20 minute walk. Vastness allows for grand staging, lighting rigs and sound systems. Proximity to essential services and established infrastructure within Reading make it practical and well-supported location.

Capacity: Sheer capacity ensures it can comfortably host hundreds of thousands of attendees, creating bustling communal feeling central to Reading identity. Weekend camping included with general admission.

Facilities: Facilities include toilets and showers, phone charging, lockers and safe storage, medical and welfare points, accessible toilets and showers, changing places unit and raised viewing areas. Extensive bar and food outlets, merchandise stands and comprehensive welfare and safety services.

Event History

Origins: Reading Festival traces back to National Jazz, Blues, Folk and Blues Festival in 1960s. It wasn’t until 1972 that it found home at Richfield Avenue with first headliners Genesis featuring Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins.

1970s Growth: Reading Festival in 70s brought stars like Supertramp, Rory Gallagher, Manfred Mann, The Jam, and in 78 Reading Festival became official name. 1988 and 1989 editions at Little Johns Farm featured Iggy Pop, Bonfire, Bonnie Tyler, New Order, Billy Bragg and Butthole Surfers.

1990s and 2000s: 1992 and 1993 editions featured New Order, Blur and other Britpop and alternative legends. Festival evolved to include diverse lineup hosting Nirvana, Arctic Monkeys and Eminem. Known for rock, alternative and hip-hop mix.

Modern Twin Format: Reading and Leeds became twin festivals sharing lineup, with same acts playing both sites over same weekend. Recent editions maintain expansive stages and open fields accommodating large crowds while providing mix of standing areas, VIP zones and family-friendly sections.

Getting to the Event

By Train: Reading Station is mainline station with direct services from London Paddington, Birmingham and across UK. Festival site close enough to Reading station for 15 to 20 minute walk via Thames riverside path. Shuttle buses may operate during peak times.

By Bus and Coach: Big Green Coach and National Express operate direct coach services from London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham and other cities to Richfield Avenue. Local buses serve Reading town centre with short walk to site.

By Car: Richfield Avenue accessed via A33 and Reading town centre. Official car parks require advance booking. Traffic management in place during arrival and departure with road closures around Richfield Avenue. Car sharing encouraged. Parking extremely limited in surrounding residential streets.

By Bicycle: Cycle routes through Reading along River Thames lead to estate, with bike racks near entrances. Thames path provides scenic route from station.

Accessibility: Accessible toilets and showers, changing places unit and raised viewing areas available at main stages. Accessible camping close to arena and dedicated accessibility team. Hard standing paths provide accessible routes across much of site.

Where to Stay Nearby

On-Site General Camping: Weekend camping included with general admission camping ticket. Weekend tickets include general admission camping with Bring your own tent. Campsite forms large temporary community with facilities including showers, toilets, phone charging and lockers.

Premium and Boutique Camping: Premium camping, boutique camping and accessible camping also listed in festival information. Boutique options include pre-pitched tents, yurts and bell tents with beds, linen and power in dedicated villages. Luxury options offer private showers and lounge.

Hotels in Reading: Hotels, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts in Reading town centre within 15 to 30 minutes walk of Richfield Avenue offer alternative to camping. Town centre accommodation fills quickly due to festival and Thames location.

Non-Camping Tickets: Weekend non-camping tickets available for those staying off site in hotels or private rentals, with same arena access but no campsite. Weekend non-camping priced lower than camping tickets.

Student Accommodation: University of Reading halls and student flats sometimes released for festival weekend providing budget options.

Things to Do Before or After the Event

Reading Town Exploration: Reading offers The Oracle shopping centre, Thames riverside walks, Forbury Gardens, museum and historic abbey ruins. Market town with independent cafes and pubs.

River Thames Activities: Situated along banks of River Thames, Reading offers beautiful and scenic backdrop with boat trips, riverside pubs and walking trails along Thames Path.

London Day Trips: Reading is short train ride from London Paddington, allowing combination of festival with London sightseeing including museums, West End theatre and shopping before or after weekend.

Countryside: Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty nearby offers hiking and scenic walks ideal for recovery after festival.

Afterparties: Reading town centre offers bars, clubs and late-night venues with many official and unofficial afterparties continuing festival atmosphere after arena curfew.

Restaurants & Dining Nearby

Festival Food Villages: Richfield Avenue dotted with extensive array of food stalls offering everything from traditional festival fare to global cuisines including gourmet burgers, wood-fired pizza, Thai, Indian, Mexican, vegan bowls and local traders.

On-Site Bars: Extensive bar and food outlets include craft beer, cocktails, real ale and soft drinks across arena and camping villages.

Reading Town Dining: Reading town centre offers diverse dining including chain restaurants, independent eateries, Indian cuisine, Thai, Italian and modern British gastropubs near station and Oracle centre.

Thames Riverside Pubs: Pubs along River Thames serve traditional British pub food, Sunday roasts and riverside dining within walking distance of site.

Late Night Options: Inside festival, late-night food stalls near campsite and arena serve noodles, burgers and breakfast baps for those enjoying late-night performances.

Ticket Information

Tickets are sold via Ticketmaster and official Reading Festival website. All pricing is shown in USD, converted from previous UK pricing where 2027 pricing has not been announced. Release 1 prices revealed on Reading and Leeds website.

Weekend Camping: Reading Festival 2026 Weekend Camping priced at $414 each including fees, official face value from $261. Weekend plus Early Entry Camping first release priced at $461 with 1 payment of $362 pounds plus fees or deposit of $25 plus 9 instalments via Ticketmaster instalments at checkout. From $572 to $770 for 4 day pass on secondary market.

Weekend Non-Camping: Weekend Non-Camping priced at $376 each. Allows arena access Friday to Sunday without campsite.

Day Tickets: Friday day ticket official face value from $261, resale from $66. Friday with Charli XCX and Fontaines D.C. from $557 to $575 on secondary. Saturday with Dave from $452 to $1096, Sunday similar pricing. Day tickets valid for single day only.

Resale: Resale tickets available from $66 to $843 depending on day and demand. Official resale via Ticketmaster and Twickets recommended.

Booking Fees: Additional fees added to each order, handling $0.00 in some Ticketmaster listings. Event ticket limit 4 per order. Payment plans available with $25 deposit plus 9 instalments.

Basic Price Range: Basic price range listed as $25 to $223 in some guides but actual weekend tickets higher tier due to demand and production costs.

Tips Before You Go

Use Train and Walk: Little Johns Farm and Richfield Avenue form Reading site close enough to Reading station for 15 to 20 minute walk via Thames riverside. Use train from London Paddington rather than car as traffic management and road closures make driving difficult. Shuttle buses limited.

Book Early Entry: Weekend plus Early Entry camping allows Thursday access for setup and avoids Friday rush. First release at $461 includes early entry and is popular with seasoned attendees wanting prime camping spot.

Prepare for Temporary City: Sprawling fields transformed into temporary city with multiple stages, vast array of food and drink vendors, art installations and infamous campsite. Bring waterproofs, wellies, warm layers, sun protection, reusable water bottle and portable charger. Ground can become muddy near Thames.

Plan Stage Movement: Scattered throughout site are smaller stages like BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage, The Pit and Festival Republic Stage each offering diverse range of genres. Plan must-see acts in advance using official app as distances between stages require time.

Secure Valuables: Facilities include phone charging, lockers and safe storage, medical and welfare points, accessible toilets and showers, changing places unit and raised viewing areas. Use lockers for valuables and keep tent locked as campsite large.

Official Event Information

Official Website: https://www.readingfestival.com/

Venue: Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire RG1 8EQ, United Kingdom

Organizer: Festival Republic

Capacity: Hundreds of thousands across weekend with expansive grounds accommodating large crowds

Format: Four-day camping festival with early entry Thursday plus three days main arena

Stages: Main Stage, BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage, The Pit, Festival Republic Stage and other tents

Transport: Close to Reading station 15 to 20 minute walk along River Thames

Attendee Experiences

Bustling Community: Attendees describe characteristic bustling communal feeling central to Reading identity with hundreds of thousands gathering, creating temporary city atmosphere with shared love of music.

Legendary Performances: Reviews highlight countless unforgettable performances on expansive site beside River Thames, from iconic headliners to emerging talent on smaller stages, with grand staging and impressive lighting rigs delivering crystal-clear audio.

Camping Culture: Camping is part of core experience with general admission camping included, creating infamous campsite community with late-night sessions and social atmosphere that continues after arena closes.

Food and Facilities: Visitors praise extensive array of food stalls offering global cuisines, extensive bar outlets and comprehensive welfare and safety services, plus phone charging, lockers and safe storage enhancing comfort.

Riverside Setting: Situated along banks of River Thames, Reading offers beautiful and scenic backdrop for iconic music festival with Thames path providing pleasant walk from station to site, combining urban convenience with riverside charm.