08/06/2020
Isle of Wight Festival is one of the UK's longest-running music festivals, each year bringing over 90,000 music fans to the island for a weekend of rock, pop and dance.
Since its establishment in 1968, the now iconic festival has seen headline sets from legends such as Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and The Who. But one of the festival's most fabled years has to be 1970, when an estimated 700,000 people turned up to see Jimi Hendrix, leading to the UK Parliament to pass a law banning the festival. It made its triumphant return in 2002.
Nowadays the Isle of Wight Festival still hosts its top-tier lineup – 2020's lineup will feature Lionel Richie, Lewis Capaldi, Snow Patrol, The Chemical Brothers and Duran Duran – while the festival is also great for families, with the lineup including a diverse programme of theatre, film, comedy, activities and games.
And beyond the festival's gates, those wishing to turn the trip into a longer holiday will find an island offering all kinds of extra activities, including walking, cycling, horse riding, kayaking, sailing and much, much more