Is this the way they say the future’s meant to feel? Or just 20,000 people milling about at the White Claw gazebo?

This summer Tom and Chal attended a LOT of different festivals, which got us thinking about not just what makes a festival good, but what makes a festival a festival.

As well as rating and slating our 2026 jollies, we look back at the half-forgotten lifestyles that birthed British festival culture in the first place, talk about our personal festival histories (guess who hates camping!) and figure out what distinguishes a proper festival from a temporary cluster of outdoor stages and energy drink activations taking over a city park.

Let us know what you think. What makes a festival a festival in your eyes? What are your best and worst festivals – and what’s the saddest festival brand activation you’ve ever witnessed?

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