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Festivals in EnglandFrom Glastonbury to Party in the Park, from V festival to the Secret Garden Party, characteristic of the English summer are the crowd-attracting, sometimes week-long festivals which scatter English towns and countryside. Here’s all you need to know about the mood and the music at three of England’s top choice open-air parties. Glastonbury, one of the largest music and performing arts festivals in the world, and the headline summer party for so many festival-goers, takes place annually in the last weekend of June at North Farm, Pilton. From the hardcore groups seeking the busy buzz and whirl of electronic and techno music, to the more-laid back revellers looking for more chilled out areas like Jazzworld and the Acoustic centres, there is something here for everyone. There are even family-orientated areas like the Kidz Field, the theatre and the circus. Be warned about the possibility of rain and mud, and, as at any festival, make sure you keep valuables on you, especially if you are staying in the campsite. The Secret Garden Party, in the beautiful region of Huntingdon in the East Anglian countryside is a four-day festival from the 24th to the 27th of July, and is as much a general arts event as a music party. From actors reciting Shakespeare around fire circles to staged sculpture building and public healing sessions, this festival encourages not only an enthusiasm but also a creative participation from its crowds. Music-wise, with the ‘Wild Things’ area playing rock, electro and house beats, the Small World Solar Space stage hosting floaty, spacey dance and trance bands, and the Mochamania café, where you can sit on sofas, dine and relax to dub, soul and blues, the party arenas are varied enough for festival-goers of different tastes, loves and hates to find something to suit. Adult tickets cost £125 and 14s-17s can get in at £100. Just make sure you book a good few weeks in advance, as this festival sells out fast. From muddy fields and mysterious garden to the whistles and hoots of crowded Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill Carnival is Europe’s largest street party and second in the world only to Rio Carnival. With the thud of bass, raga, reggae, ska and steelpan from the moving floats and stands, there is music here for every lover of the calypso sound. The beautiful costumes, of dancers, the various corners of Ladbroke grove hit by a new sound system; the jerk chicken, blackened corn and other Caribbean treats are all a must-see, and must-eat. However, if you have a tendency to feel claustrophobic in big crowds, be careful of heading straight for the roads and corners choc-a-bloc with people, as well as the pubs on Westbourne Grove. As it’s not your usual festival, there are no tents so if you’re not from the city and plan on seeing more than one day in at the festival, it’ a good idea to check out some Last Minute.com cheap hotels in the area. 
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