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UK: Reading & Leeds Festival 2025 is nearly here – 22nd–24th August
WHAT: Every British summer has a last page, and it’s written in muddy boots and happy exhaustion at Reading & Leeds. For three glorious days the UK gathers to sing itself hoarse, befriend strangers in bucket hats, and pretend sleep is a myth. It’s the traditional end of the festival season—and the ultimate rite of passage—where you graduate from “likes music” to “has stories.” This year, Rockstar Energy presents Reading & Leeds brings a properly stacked programme: stage times revealed, Friday day tickets for Reading sold out, and more than 150 acts ranging from glitter-pop ascendance to pit-ready chaos. The new campsite revamp is the biggest in the festival’s 55-year history, and two fresh electronic stages join old favourites—because sleeping was last year’s hobby.
WHERE: Richfield Avenue, Reading & Bramham Park, Leeds
WHEN: 22nd–24th August 2025 (music Fri–Sun; campsites open from Thu 21st)
WHY: Because exclusives. Because endings-that-feel-like-beginnings. Because the UK does big weekends better than anyone.
- 2025 UK Festival Exclusives: Chappell Roan, Bring Me The Horizon, Hozier
- 2025 European Exclusive: Travis Scott
And beyond the headliners, 2025 levels up the whole experience: redesigned campsites (with vacuum loos, more showers, “Get Ready With Me” stations), The Aux for daytime mischief, and two brand-new electronic playgrounds—Smirnoff Stage (Reading) and Reload (Leeds)—spotlighting the underground that keeps UK nightlife imaginative.
Headliners to watch (and why you’ll lose your voice), Chappell Roan – UK Festival Exclusive, Glitter in Overdrive
America’s next flaming icon turns main stages into queer cabaret cathedrals. Expect camp theatre, choruses you’ll shout all autumn, and a mass makeover of your camera roll.
America’s next flaming icon turns main stages into queer cabaret cathedrals. Expect camp theatre, choruses you’ll shout all autumn, and a mass makeover of your camera roll.
Travis Scott – European Exclusive, Peak Adrenaline
An arena in a field. Mosh choreography. Bass that rearranges your ribcage. If you like your spectacles loud, this is the one that rattles tent poles three campsites away.
An arena in a field. Mosh choreography. Bass that rearranges your ribcage. If you like your spectacles loud, this is the one that rattles tent poles three campsites away.
Bring Me The Horizon – Home-Team Heavyweights
Sheffield’s shapeshifters bring pyros, sing-alongs, and enough catharsis to count as group therapy. The pit is friendly; your calves on Monday, less so.
Sheffield’s shapeshifters bring pyros, sing-alongs, and enough catharsis to count as group therapy. The pit is friendly; your calves on Monday, less so.
Hozier – Dusky Soul for Loud Fields
From “Take Me to Church” to “Too Sweet,” the Irish bard delivers that sunset-into-starlight set you’ll talk about at Christmas. Bring a friend. Or five.
From “Take Me to Church” to “Too Sweet,” the Irish bard delivers that sunset-into-starlight set you’ll talk about at Christmas. Bring a friend. Or five.
New this year (and worth shouting about):
- Five reimagined camp zones (free to book):
The Fields (lively, with a new football pitch in Reading), The Garden (quiet after 1am; yoga & meditation), The Meadow (eco ethos; talks & upcycling), The Glitterball Grove (inclusive, safer-spaces vibes; open mic & karaoke), The Valley (solo/pairs community with daily meetups).
Reading update: The Garden and The Meadow are fully booked. Leeds still has availability. - Fresh stages for electronic die-hards:
Smirnoff Stage (Reading) with Riordan, IN PARALLEL, Lu. Re and more; Reload (Leeds) welcoming DJ Semtex, Disrupta, Tommy Villiers, etc. - After dark turns up: Silent Discos on Festival Republic and Chevron, DJ sets (hello Badger), plus takeovers from Swiftogeddon, Pop Never Dies, UPRAWR. Even The Aux goes nocturnal with Silent Karaoke.
Getting there
Reading is a short riverside walk from the mainline station (fast trains from London Paddington), while Leeds runs frequent shuttles from Leeds Station. Greener options abound: Big Green Coach, rail, car-shares like Liftshare—your future self (and the planet) will thank you.
Where to stay (aka which field suits your personality)
All weekend tickets include camping. Book your zone (free) via Ticketmaster where available. Want quiet nights? The Garden. Want good deeds with your glitter? The Meadow. Travelling solo? The Valley. Feel sociable and spontaneous? The Fields. Feel fabulous? Glitterball Grove.
What you’ll pay
- Day tickets: £125
- Weekend ticket: £325
Flexible payment options across ticket types.
Tickets: readingfestival.com/tickets | leedsfestival.com/tickets
What to bring (and what to leave at home)
Pack: a solid, waterproof tent (take it home), proper boots, reusable bottle (free water points), a real waterproof (bin-bag chic is over), and valid ID (Challenge 25).
Skip: disposable vapes (banned), campfires (nope), and arena bags bigger than A4 (queues are a hobby for no one).
Skip: disposable vapes (banned), campfires (nope), and arena bags bigger than A4 (queues are a hobby for no one).
Sustainable swaps: borrow or hire a good tent (Decathlon’s “No Tent Left Behind” is handy), re-wear or thrift outfits, flannels over wet wipes, soap bars over plastic, picnic blanket over camping throne, and a self-inflating mat over the airbed gym workout.
Good to know: #LookOutForEachOther
Safety and wellbeing are baked in: AIR Hubs (24/7 assistance), partnerships with Safer Spaces, Safe Gigs for Women, welfare and medical teams, a Sensory Calm Space (Event Well), visible Ask for Angela, enhanced but friendly searches, and on-site messaging about consent and care. If something doesn’t feel right, talk to staff—there’s always help nearby.
More info and tickets: readingfestival.com | leedsfestival.com