Last Updated on: 21st November 2023, 11:17 pm
Festivals continue to be a popular choice for enjoying summer and experiencing a plethora of great bands and acts at an affordable price. While festivals may initially appear to offer good value, those who are primarily interested in seeing the headliners should reconsider before making a purchase.
Although festivals typically save attendees a significant amount of money due to the multitude of performances, individuals who are primarily focused on the headliners may discover that seeing their favourite artists in individual concerts could be a more cost-effective option.
To help readers make informed decisions, we have compared the ticket prices of various festivals with the cost of attending the top three headliners’ concerts separately. Our findings reveal some interesting insights that can help readers determine which festivals provide the best value for money.
The table below showcases the ticket prices for selected festivals, the headline acts, and the approximate value of seeing those acts in individual concerts:
| Festival Name | Ticket Price (All Days – General Admission) | Headline Act 1 | Headliner 1 Concert Value | Headline Act 2 | Headliner 2 Concert Value | Headline Act 3 | Headliner 3 Concert Value | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Festival | £286.20 | Sam Fender | £41.95 | The Killers | £223.77 | Billie Eilish | £234.14 | £213.66 |
| Leeds Festival | £286.20 | Sam Fender | £41.95 | The Killers | £223.77 | Billie Eilish | £234.14 | £213.66 |
| Boundary Brighton | £52.25 | Sub Focus | £47.78 | Pendulum | £77.25 | Ben Hemsley | £103.92 | £176.70 |
| Bloodstock Open Air | £172 | Killswitch Engage | £53.36 | Meshuggah | £113.88 | Megadeth | £132.99 | £128.23 |
| Parklife | £149.50 | The 1975 | £99.54 | Aitch | £42.85 | Fred Again | £113.88 | £106.77 |
| Creamfields | £240 | Swedish House Mafia | £113.88 | Calvin Harris | £97.15 | Tiesto | £83.62 | £54.65 |
| Forwards | £114.34 | Erykah Badu | £66.89 | Bonobo | £50.17 | Ezra Collective | £39.02 | £41.74 |
| Download Festival | £300 | Metallica | £217.40 | Bring Me The Horizon | £62.91 | Slipknot | £31.85 | £12.16 |
| TRNSMT Festival | £200.10 | The 1975 | £99.54 | Sam Fender | £41.95 | George Ezra | £50.65 | -£7.96 |
| OUTBREAK Fest | £148.50 | Denzel Curry | £25.48 | Death Grips | £39.75 | Bane | £73.26 | -£10.01 |
| Boardmasters Festival | £259 | Lorde | £67.69 | Liam Gallagher | £71.67 | Florence + The Machine | £89.99 | -£29.65 |
| Green Man | £235 | DEVO | £60.52 | First Aid Kit | £54.15 | Self Esteem | £77.25 | -£43.08 |
| Isle Of Wight Festival | £225 | Robbie Williams | £79.50 | George Ezra | £53.90 | The Chemical Brothers | £41.55 | -£50.05 |
| We Out Here | £207 | Ezra Collective | £39.02 | Knucks | £39.82 | Róisín Murphy | £77.25 | -£50.91 |
| NASS Festival | £165 | Wu-Tang Clan | £47.74 | Chase & Status | £22.50 | Little Simz | £39.82 | -£54.94 |
| Glastonbury | £335 | Elton John | £113.88 | Guns N’ Roses | £62.01 | Arctic Monkeys | £95.56 | -£63.55 |
| Wireless Festival | £248.30 | Travis Scott | £70.55 | Playboi Carti | £54.95 | D-Block Europe | £39.82 | -£82.98 |
At Love Discount Vouchers, we have compiled this essential information to help readers assess the value for money offered by various festivals. By comparing the average price of a concert featuring the top three headliners of each festival with the cost of a festival ticket, readers can determine whether attending a festival or seeing the headliners in individual concerts provides the greatest savings.
To provide a summary of the findings, we have identified the top five festivals offering the biggest savings and the bottom five festivals resulting in the greatest losses:
Top 5 Biggest Savings:
- Reading Festival – +£213.66
- Leeds Festival – +£213.66
- Boundary Brighton – +£176.70
- Bloodstock Open Air – +£128.23
- Parklife – +£106.77
Bottom 5 Biggest Losses:
- Wireless Festival – -£82.98
- Glastonbury – -£63.55
- NASS Festival – -£54.94
- We Out Here – -£50.91
- Isle Of Wight Festival – -£50.05
With our comprehensive research covering 17 of the UK’s most anticipated festivals, readers can make informed decisions to potentially save hundreds of pounds this summer.
The results are surprisingly diverse, with festivals offering room for improvement as well as those providing exceptional value for money.
Reading/Leeds Festival emerges as the best value for money, with potential savings of £213.66 on the top three headliners alone. On the other hand, Wireless Festival represents the least value for money, as attending the headliners’ individual concerts outside the festival could save a significant £82.98.
Armed with this information, readers can now decide whether purchasing a festival ticket or attending individual concerts offers the greatest savings for enjoying their favourite artists this summer.
For more detailed insights and a comprehensive evaluation of the value of tickets for the UK’s biggest festivals, we encourage readers to refer to our full article.
