Glastonbury has long been and gone. The sun has begun to set at 8pm. Summer is drawing to a close and with it the 2024 festival season, but not without a last hurrah from the iconic double-whammy of Leeds and Reading festivals.
The joint festival dates back to the early 1960s – and more than 60 years after its inception, it’s still going from strength to strength. R+L has really carved out a niche for itself as the summertime rite of passage for school leavers, but it also boasts a lineup that is, year-on-year, one of the biggest and best in the UK.
The twin festivals happen across the same August Bank Holiday weekend and share headliners. This year sees a pretty eclectic lineup, with Fred Again, Liam Gallagher, and Lana Del Rey all topping the bill alongside various others.
Between the whole ‘same but different events’ thing, and the fact that huge events are generally pretty confusing, it can be a bit daunting trying to wrap your head around Reading and Leeds, but don’t fear. We’ve compiled everything you need to know right here, all in one place.
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Reading and Leeds 2024 dates and locations
Reading/Leeds is a nearly week-long event. You can access the campsite from this Wednesday (August 21), but the music goes from Friday until Sunday (August 23-25).
Reading takes place in Little John’s Farm on Richfield Avenue, which is a 15-minute walk from Reading’s main train station. It’s easily accessible by public transport or on foot.
Leeds is a bit harder to get to. All the way out in Bramham Park (near Wetherby) the festival is actually a half-hour drive from the city it’s named after. If you aren’t driving you’ll need to plan out your travel in advance.
What’s the lineup this year and who’s headlining?
The lineup is pretty stacked this year. Across three days there will be six headliners including Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Blink 182, Gerry Cinnamon, Fred Again… and Lana Del Rey. Also set for the main stage is RAYE, Two Door Cinema Club, 21 Savage, Fontaines DC and loads of others.
On the Chevron stage you’ll catch, among others, the Prodigy, Skrilllex, Nia Archives, and Sonny Fodera. The BBC Radio 1 stage will play host to Jorja Smith, the Wombats, Beabadoobee and more.
You can see the whole lineup for Reading and Leeds 2024, including stage splits and set times, here.
Tickets and prices
There are a few different options for tickets. You can buy single day tickets for Friday, Saturday or Sunday, which cost between £125 and £195 depending on how many have sold so far, or you can buy one for the whole weekend, which are £325 each.
You can also select which type of camping you want for free, although some sites, such as quiet camping, are already sold out.
You can buy tickets for Reading here, or Leeds here.
Are Reading and Leeds festivals different?
There is an obvious discrepancy in the fact that one takes place in Reading while the other takes place in Leeds (sort of). There are other differences, perhaps the biggest being Reading’s curfew. Being near a residential area, it’s a lot easier to get to, but also has to stop playing live music at 11pm sharp.
Leeds, on the other hand, sets up in a field in the middle of nowhere. This means that DJs will often continue playing until 6am, making it harder to sleep but a lot easier to have a proper party – depending on what sort of weekend you plan to have.
The northern site is also a lot bigger than its southern sibling, but they both have the same stages which means there’s less walking involved in the latter. They are different experiences, but each comes with its perks.
Do the same bands play?
Most artists will play both Reading and Leeds. They share all the same headliners, and as a general rule you can assume that anyone you want to see will be playing at both, but there are some smaller artists further down the lineup who will only be at one. Make sure to check the correct lineup for your location before getting too excited for anyone.
Weather
In Reading, the weather is set to be a little rainy in the middle of the day on Thursday (August 22) with temperatures between 14C and 20C. On Friday (August 23) it’ll be windy and there’s a decent chance of rain all day, with temps between 11C and 21C, on Saturday (August 24) there’s chance of rain between 10pm and 4pm and temps between 10C and 20C, and on Sunday it’ll be between 11C and 20C with less wind but still some chance of rain.
At Leeds the weather is looking similarly spotty but slightly chillier. There’s a higher chance of rain in the daytime on Thursday, temperatures 12C to 19C. Friday will be 10C to 19C and drizzly (though more overcast later on), while both Saturday and Sunday will be 10C to 18C, with rain most likely in the mid-mornings.
This weekend is set to be windy, so predictions of rain are unpredictable and likely to change. Check the up-to-date Met Office weather forecast for Reading here and Leeds here.
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