Why Isle of Wight Festival is a great alternative to Glastonbury

 Two years before the first Glastonbury Festival, a counter-culture music festival was held on the Isle of Weight (IoW), back in 1968. The event was so overwhelming for the little island, that an Act of Parliament was passed to prevent open-air overnight gatherings without a special permit. In other words, it was so good, it had to be banned. In these enlightened times, the local Council now support the event, and have done since 2002. So, a whole generation of caulkheads (as IoW locals are known) have grown up with the festival, and it’s truly a standout feature of the island’s calendar.  

The most well-known UK music festival is Glastonbury, which was attended by over 200,000 people last year. It’s undeniable that the Isle of Weight festival is smaller, with about 55,000 people attending last year, according to the organisers. Equally, there’s no denying that Glastonbury attracts a longer list of world-famous acts. However, with such big names involved, it’s hardly a surprise that many are scheduled at the same time so event goers can rarely see all those they wish to. Equally, with such a large number of people, simply getting from A to B can be an issue, again with timings. Finally, with an event of such a size, it can be dominated by long-established names, leaving little room for the truly up-and-coming. It’s great to see the bands of yesterday, but what about the bands of tomorrow? 

The IoW Festival attracts enough big names to be worth going, 2023 having been headlined by Groove Armada, Pulp, The Chemical Brothers, George Ezra, Robbie Williams, and Blondie along others. But it also is spaced so you can actually see all these acts, and catch a few of the newer acts that might not have attracted mainstream media interest, outside their own niches, yet. Indeed, this may well be how some acts start to catch the real spotlight. So, if you go, you’ll get the lowdown before the articles of ‘next big thing’ are even written. 

Another advantage is the cost; IoW is about half the price of Glastonbury, depending on the type of ticket you get for either event. This leaves a littler in the budget left over to explore some of the other delights on the island. Whilst Somerset has many delights, the Isle of Wight is a truly unique part of the United Kingdom which you can explore on foot, by car, and motorcycle (no need to race if you don’t want to). There are also nearby small festivals such as Wickham, the New Forest, and Bournemouth, each with their own unique flavours. Exploring these much smaller festivals can uncover some really hidden gems. And who knows, maybe an act you see in an intimate close-up festival will one day play of the Pyramid stage, and you’ll have seen them at their outset.