Reading Festival

About Reading Festival

Reading Festival 2027 takes over Little Johns Farm, Reading, for a rock-led music weekend from 26–29 August 2027.

The official history dates the festival to 1961. It started as a jazz event. In 2017, the official Creative Green report listed 94,999 attendees/tickets, 12 stages and 367 artists.

Official history records Nirvana's last UK appearance at Reading in 1992. The Stone Roses played their last show together there in 1996; Metallica made a first Reading appearance in 1997.

Lineup and Programme

The bill crosses rock, indie, hip hop, dance and alternative music, with metal in the festival's documented history.

Who Is It For?

Reading has a mixed teen-and-adult audience with a strong youth and young-adult skew.

Under-13s enter free. Official guidance says the event is not suitable for young children, and anyone aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an over-18 ticket holder at all times.

The Venue and Site

Little Johns Farm and Richfield Avenue form the Reading site, close enough to Reading station for a 15–20 minute walk.

Camping is part of it. Weekend tickets include general admission camping, with premium camping, boutique camping and accessible camping also listed in festival information.

Facilities include toilets and showers, phone charging, lockers and safe storage, medical and welfare points, accessible toilets and showers, a changing places unit and raised viewing areas.

Travel to Reading Festival

Reading station is the rail anchor. The festival site at Little Johns Farm is about a 15–20 minute walk from the station.

• Train: Reading station, about a 15–20 minute walk from the festival site.
• Road: access routes listed by the festival include the A4074, M4 Junctions 11 and 12, M3 Junction 6 and M40 Junction 9 for White Car Park access.
• Parking: White Car Park is in Mapledurham beside the White campsite; Green Car Park is in Kings Meadow off site with a free shuttle boat to Green Gate.
• Day-ticket parking: day ticket holders use Green Car Park only.
• Drop-off: Tessa Road and Cremyll Road are listed for taxi and private-hire drop-off.

Reading is about 40 miles west of central London, with official tourism material listing a train time of around 23 minutes from Reading to London.