Strong London Representation In The UK Festival Awards

Chris Lockie
By Chris Lockie Last edited 125 months ago
Strong London Representation In The UK Festival Awards

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There's nothing Londonist likes more than to don the bright pink wellies and squelch about swampy fields in some far corner of the UK, listening to a band proclaim "Here's another new one" as the crowd groan into their cider.

Unfortunately Londoners don't get many chances to swim to the stage, given our fields are more often parks and not normally tramped upon for more than a day at a time. The festivals we'll be rooting for in this year's UK Festival Awards are therefore much cleaner, drier affairs, but certainly no less excellent for all that.

Voting has opened up to the public (until 1 November) ahead of the awards ceremony, due to take place at the Roundhouse on 2 December. The usual suspects are present and correct, with Old Man Glastonbury once again looming ominously over the chasing pack, but London has plenty of representatives across the categories.

The nominees with a capital flavour are:

FOUND (Best Small Festival, Best New Festival, Best Dance Event, Grass Roots Festival Award)
Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park (Best Major Festival, Best New Festival, Best Metropolitan Festival, Best Family Festival)
Mind Body Spirit Festival (Best Small Festival, Best Metropolitan Festival)
In The Woods (Best Small Festival, Grass Roots Festival Award)
London Summer Jam (Best Small Festival, Best Metropolitan Festival)
Crystal Palace Overground Festival (Best Small Festival, Grass Roots Festival Award)
Bounce (Best Small Festival, Best Family Festival, Grass Roots Festival Award
Yahoo! Wireless (Best Major Festival)

All of the above are also shortlisted for the coveted Best Toilets award, and anyone who has ever been to any festival anywhere ever knows just how coveted a Best Toilet is.

London also has representation in the Best Breakthrough Act category in the form of electronic duo AlunaGeorge, singer-songwriter Jessie Ware, dance quartet Rudimental and alternative band Bastille (you know their song Pompeii, even if you don't know you do).

The number of London festivals nominated for Best Small Festival and the Grass Roots Festival Award (for festivals that support their local communities and resist commercialism) shows that the capital's festival scene is in rude health. Head over to the voting page today to place your X by some of our city's most excellent outdoor events.

Last Updated 10 October 2013