Festival season is almost upon us, and this year’s line-ups haven’t failed to impress – with the likes of Cardi B, Miley Cyrus, and Kylie gracing stages across the UK.
As thousands flock back to Worthy Farm for Glastonbury’s return, the demand for festival tickets has been as high as ever. And, while most will agree that a festival is all about the music, it’s also useful to know where you’ll find the best value for your hard-earned money this summer.Analysis from VoucherCodes.co.ukcompares the cost of each festival ticket to the price of seeing the top nine headline acts individually to determine which one gives fans the best value for money. And the results may surprise you.
Manchester’s Parklife has topped the podium this year, offering the biggest saving of £234.74 – leaping up the rankings from 5thposition in 2018. The all-star line-up this year includes Cardi B, The Streets, Khalid, and Disclosure to name a few. As well as offering revellers the biggest saving vs seeing the headliners on tour, Parklife’s also one of the cheapest festivals to attend in the UK – with weekend tickets (8th-9thJune) costing just £139.50. Sadly, there’s no on-site camping, so for those outside of Manchester, it’s likely you’ll spend a bit more on accommodation and travel – but it’s a great value option for Mancunians and those who live close by!
A stone’s throw away in Liverpool is Fusion Festival, which enters the chart for the very first time, saving attendees £204.25 and bagging the title of second-best value UK festival. The pop-focused weekend features the likes of Little Mix, Rudimental, Kings of Leon, and Jonas Blue. Again, this is a non-camping event, but tickets are a modest £102.95 to make up for that.
| Festival | Saving | Position in 2018 |
| 1. Parklife | £234.74 | ↑ from 5th |
| 2. Fusion Festival | £204.25 | New entry |
| 3. Isle of Wight | £197.53 | ↓ from 1st |
| 4. TRNSMT | £184.58 | – from 4th |
| 5. Glastonbury | £182.41 | New entry |
| 6. Download | £157.51 | ↓ from2nd |
| 7. Wireless | £155.70 | ↑ from10th |
| 8. Creamfields | £151.63 | ↑ from11th |
| 9. SW4 | £144.73 | ↓ from 8th |
| 10. Cambridge Folk Festival | £132.55 | ↑ from13th |
| 11. Lovebox | £106.91 | ↓ from 3rd |
| 12. Bestival | £100.53 | ↓ from 7th |
| 13. Reading and Leeds | £95.43 | ↓ from 9th |
| 14. Latitude | £85.17 | ↓ from 12th |
| 15. Wilderness | £75.52 | New entry |
| 16. Greenman | £52.10 | ↓ from 14th |
Download has dropped from second to sixth place this year, offering a saving of just £157.51 compared to £225.70 in 2018. Being the UK’s most popular rock festival means that their headliners are more unique and there’s less competition for their target audience, so this figure shouldn’t deter any loyal attendees.
The good news for many is that Glastonbury is back this year! It re-joins the chart in 5thplace. It is the most expensive festival on our list this year with tickets costing £253, but that includes five days of camping, so it’s an extra few days of music. With headliners including Kylie, Miley Cyrus, and The Killers; festivalgoers will still be saving £182.41 seeing their favourite acts in one place.
Glastonbury ticket prices have also dropped by 2% since 2016* which is the biggest drop since 1983 when they fell by a whopping 18%. See our Glastonbury ticket prices timeline here.
The lowest value festival this summer is Greenman, although you can still make a saving of £52.10. The tickets will set festival goers back £203.50, and their headliners include Four Tet, Amadou and Mariam, and Maribou State. Having only reached 14thplace in 2018, with a saving of £53.75, time will tell if this festival will be able to continue to compete for value. Festival No.6 came in last place in 2018 and, sadly, could no longer continue to run this year.
For all your festival essentials, even your wardrobe, be sure to visit VoucherCodes and save a bit more before you go!
