In just a few days, the town of Reading will transform into the epicentre of one of the world’s most celebrated music festivals. Music lovers from all corners will flock to Reading to experience a festival with a legacy stretching back over three decades. This year, artists such as Hozier, Chappell Roan, Bring Me the Horizon, Limp Bizkit, Travis Scott, and D-Block Europe, among many others, will light up the Reading Festival stages. If you’re planning to attend this iconic event for the first time, you’re in for a treat. This article is packed with essential tips for navigating Reading Festival 2025 — so jump right in.

The Reading Festival has become an annual tradition, drawing crowds of music enthusiasts year after year, no matter the weather. Festival-goers have braved rain, endured sweltering heat, and embraced the mud, learning the art of packing smartly. You’ll want to bring two sets of clothing, prioritising shorts and T-shirts, but it’s always wise to pack some rain gear — British weather can be unpredictable. As of today, no rain is forecast and the outlook is very pleasant, but everything can change in a heartbeat. A quality sleeping bag is a must, and remember to pack light — dragging a heavy bag while hunting for the perfect camping spot is far from fun.

Towels are essential; one can dry you off on rainy days, while the other provides a cool respite when soaked in cold water during hot spells. Wet wipes are invaluable for reasons you’ll soon discover. Sunscreen is crucial for Friday and Sunday to avoid painful sunburns that could ruin your festival experience. If you enjoy a beer (and who doesn’t?), consider bringing your own to avoid the high prices at the festival. Other must-haves include a hat for sun protection, plenty of water to stay hydrated, sunglasses, glow sticks, and a waterproof hoodie for unexpected downpours.

Selecting the right tent is key to a successful Reading Festival adventure. Choose one that stands out so you can easily find it amidst the sea of tents. Otherwise, you might find yourself awkwardly entering the wrong one more than once. Avoid pitching your tent near hedgerows or main pathways, as these areas can be problematic. The ideal spot is near a tree and close to the arena where the bands play. Finally, don’t forget to make new friends, wear your trendiest jeans, and embrace the festival atmosphere with confidence!

And most importantly, don’t miss the First Timer’s Guide from Reading Festival—it’s an essential read for newcomers.

Kicking off in less than a month, Rockstar Energy presents Reading Festival 2025 is set to define the sound, energy, and spirit of the year. With Friday day tickets for Reading now sold-out, the UK’s most anticipated festival weekend (21st–24th August) continues to raise the bar, with an era-defining lineup led by headliners Chappell Roan, Hozier, Bring Me The Horizon and Travis Scott, and is packed with boundary-breaking newcomers, underground cult heroes and next-gen icons. Whether it’s your first time or your tenth, Reading & Leeds remains the future-facing, culture-shaping moment in the UK festival calendar—where memories are made, legends are born, and music history is written in real time.

The initial running order for the eagerly anticipated bank holiday weekend has been revealed, with over 150 acts set to perform across both sites. Stage times are now available within the official Reading & Leeds app on both iOS and Android devices. The app is the best place to create personalised schedules, design your own Reading & Leeds poster, check maps and info, plus stay up to date with the latest from across the weekend.

The 2025 edition of Reading & Leeds brings the most transformative evolution to festival camping the UK has ever seen. In the biggest site change in the festival’s 55-year history, every campsite has been reimagined from the ground up with vacuum toilets, more showers, bespoke ‘Get Ready With Me’ stations, enhanced décor and production, plus a wide range of new non-music activities designed to elevate the weekend experience. 

At the heart of this refresh are five newly introduced campsite areas—The Fields, The Garden, The Meadow, The Glitterball Grove, and The Valley — each created to reflect the needs, interests, and energy of the diverse Reading & Leeds community. Every space, which is free to book, comes with its own unique identity and daytime programming, allowing festival-goers to choose the vibe that fits them best. Demand for the new campsites reflects just how well this revamp is landing. In Reading, The Meadow and The Garden campsites are now fully booked, whilst over 50% of Leeds Festival attendees have already reserved their spot in the new camping spaces.

Also new for 2025, Reading & Leeds introduces two brand new stages – celebrating the underground electronic communities blazing a path through modern UK culture. In Reading, the Smirnoff Stage brings together the likes of Riordan, IN PARALLEL, Lu. Re, and more. Whilst in Leeds, the Reload Stage will see DJ Semtex, Disrupta and Tommy Villiers amongst many more perform across the weekend.

Reading and Leeds has something for everyone, day and night. Whether you’re raving under the LED roof of the Chevron stage, diving into creative, non-music programming at The Aux with Brittany Broski alongside Max Balegde and Charley Marlowe, JaackMaate’s Happy Hour, or Harry Pinero and Darkest Man, or discovering the best new bands before they blow up, R&L puts you in control of your weekend.

And when the headliners wrap, the night’s just getting started—expect more late-night entertainment than ever before, with Silent Disco sessions lighting up the Festival Republic and Chevron stages after dark, plus DJ sets from Brighton’s Badger and takeovers from clubnight favourites like Swiftogeddon, Pop Never Dies and UPRAWR. Even The Aux goes nocturnal, with Silent Karaoke keeping the party going. This year’s programming goes beyond the big moments—it’s a full-spectrum celebration of where music and culture meet.

Changing the game for festivals every year, Reading and Leeds scooped Music Week’s Festival Of The Year award, after previously being awarded The Innovation Award at the UK Festival Awards 2024 in recognition for the all-new Chevron Stage. This year, more positive changes have been announced for this year’s festivals, with these new initiatives set to make a positive impact on sustainability, safety and inclusivity at music festivals across the board.

Reading and Leeds Festival takes place Thursday 21st – Sunday 24th August 2025 at Richfield Avenue in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds. 

Tickets are on sale at www.readingfestival.com/tickets and www.leedsfestival.com/tickets.

Prices for tickets range from £125 for day tickets and £325 for a weekend ticket, with flexible payment options available on all ticket types.

Festival goers can book their place in the new campsites in Reading HERE and Leeds HERE.

They heard us loud and clear, the 2025 set times are available to view in the official festival app now!
Officially almost less than 30 days away from being back together in our favourite fields…

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