For our final bitesized guide to the best UK music festivals, we head to the Isle of Wight for the unforgettable Bestival. Great for fancy dress and camping, it's the perfect quirky alternative to the likes of Glastonbury.
When is it?
Friday 11 September to Sunday 13 September 2009.
Where is it?
Robin Hill Countryside Adventure Park, near Newport on the Isle of Wight.
Who’s playing?
Curated by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, Bestival 2009 has already announced more than 200 acts. Here are some of the confirmed acts –
Kraftwerk
Massive Attack
Lily Allen
MGMT
Elbow
Klaxons
Doves
Fleet Foxes
Bat For Lashes
Carl Cox
Fabio & Grooverider
Soulwax
Seasick Steve
Check the festival’s website for updates on the line-up.
Essential
Tickets: Weekend tickets, including camping, cost £140 for adults and £125 for students (with valid NUS card). Campervan tickets cost £50 per vehicle.
Fancy dress: Aside from the great range of musical performances, Bestival is also renowned for its fancy dress themes. This year, “Bestival 2009: A Space Oddity” is celebrating the 40th anniversary since man landed on the moon with a space theme, and the judge is none other than Lily Allen.
Sleeping options: Tipi, yurt, squirt, ‘podpad’, ‘cloudhouse’, ‘bellepad’ or a ready-pitched tent: take your pick! Campsites open at midday on Thursday 10 September.
Disabled access: Bestival is an outdoor event on farmland situated at the bottom of a valley so it will present challenges for wheelchair users and those with serious mobility issues. However, the organisers will provide free tickets for carers. More information can be found on the festival’s website.
Weather
If it rains, prepare for the mud. You have been warned so don’t forget your wellies and waterproof clothing.
Getting there
The Isle of Wight is about two hours from London (including the ferry crossing). There are hundreds of ferry crossings to the Isle of Wight every day and ferry routes connect easily with road and rail in Portsmouth, Southampton and Lymington.
Ferry: Wightlink and Red Funnel operate frequent ferry services from Portsmouth and Southampton respectively and both companies offer ‘Ferry and Festival Packages’.
Car: Bestival has set up a car-sharing scheme to reduce pollution and save you money in the process! Last year, ‘Bestival-goers’ who used the ‘Liftshare‘ service saved 368,778 miles of car travel, 113 tonnes of CO2, 37,588 trees and £36,878 of their own money.
(Postcode if you’re using a Satnav: PO30 2NU.)
Read our bitesized guides to this summer’s best UK music festivals:
Bitesized guide: The Big Chill
Bitesized guide: Hop Farm Festival
Bitesized guide: Liverpool SoundCity
Bitesized guide: Glastonbury Festival
