8 summer festivals to attend in Essex

PUBLISHED: 09:47 27 June 2017 | UPDATED: 09:47 27 June 2017

Jeremy Gunnell

'V Festival', Liam Swinney. Flickr CC 2.0

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1. V Festival, Chelmsford

19 – 20 August 2017

Often being referred to simply as “V Fest”, V Festival takes place on the penultimate weekend of August every year. Taking place at Hylands Park it showcases some of the best talent from the music industry today. Artists performing this year include Craig David, Jay Z, Stormzy, Ellie Goulding, P!nk (Pink), Busted and many more. Those looking to camp over the weekend can treat themselves to a little bit of luxury and opt to go VIP. Choose from Pink Moon Camping with their luxury camping packages or V Style with its quirky luxury camping style, street food vendors, garden areas and make-up stations.

2. Thaxted Festival, Thaxted

23 June – 16 July 2017 (Over four weekends)

The Thaxted Festival has been running since 1986 and claims to have roots dating back to Gustav Holst’s first festival Whitsun Festival in 1916. Taking place in Thaxted’s beautiful church, the festival attracts incredible musicians from around in the globe in a huge variety of genres from jazz, folk, contemporary and orchestral.

3. Bures Music Festival, Bures

5 – 9 July 2017

Straddling the Essex/Suffolk border, Bures is home to one of East Anglia’s best summer festivals – The Bures Music Festival. Showcasing a fantastic range of musical genres from jazz, blues, rock and pop, and even choral, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Camping will be available and passes can be purchased for £15. There will be a licensed bar and food at all events.

4. The Fling Festival, Chelmsford

1 July 2017

The Fling is so much more than just a music festival with an array of weird and wonderful performers from cabaret, comedians, sideshows, dancers, wordsmiths and many, many more. Taking place in Hylands Park, Chelmsford there will be a great selection of stalls selling food and refreshments too.

5. Brightlingsea Free Music Festival, Brightlingsea

4 – 6 August 2017

First established in 2001 Brighlingsea’s Free Music Festival is all about providing a platform for new bands throughout the music industry. As a free event it has come a long way since its early years, now having a purpose built 15 metre stage and various grants from the Essex Council to assist with costs. It has recently moved location to the heart of Brightlingsea allowing it to utilise the coastal town’s stunning scenery as a backdrop.

6. Leigh Folk Festival, Leigh

22 – 25 June

As another free festival in the county, Leigh Folk Festival has strived over the years to stick to its policy of welcoming everyone giving it a unique and eclectic atmosphere. Working hand in hand with the town’s community imbues the festival with a real sense of local pride and the gorgeous waterfront setting of Old Leigh makes this a truly unforgettable experience for all. Stages are dotted around the town making use of the numerous bars and pubs and communal BBQ’s for refreshments as you go.

7. Brentwood Festival, Brentwood

14 – 16 July 2017

The Brentwood Festival began life in 2011 and since then has been renown for attracting some big names in the music industry. This years headline act will be one other than Staus Quo who have extended their “Last Night of the Electrics” tour. Camping is available and there will be a huge selection of delicious food and drinks on sale. Tickets start at £22.50 for a day pass and £50 for the whole weekend. Proceeds from the event will also be donated to various charities.

8. Village Green Arts & Music Festival, Southend

8 July 2017

Based in the idyllic grounds of Chalkwell Park in Southend-on-Sea, Village Green is a multi-art form and music festivals with eight stages in total alongside rose gardens, green spaces, cricket pitches, and marketplaces. Festival-goers can enjoy international music acts, spoken-word, theatre, comedy shows and a whole lot more. What started off small has rapidly become a vastly popular attraction for people all across the UK with last years show seeing over 20,000 people in attendance.

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