There are a number of huge open-air concerts and summer music festivals to look forward to in Hertfordshire this year.
Busted, Olly Murs, Craig David, Levellers and The Waterboys are just some of the acts set for stages in Hertfordshire in 2024.
Looking for a gig to go this year? Here's some of the major events taking place in the county in our what's on music guide to 2024.
1. Slam Dunk Festival
The 2024 music festival season in Hertfordshire will kick off on Saturday, May 25 with this annual pop-punk, ska punk, metal, emo and alternative rock extravaganza in Hatfield.
UK album chart-toppers You Me At Six will return to headline Slam Dunk Festival South 2024 in Hatfield Park, with The All American Rejects and I Prevail also topping the multi-stage bill.
The Slam Dunk 2024 line-up also include Funeral For A Friend, Asking Alexandria, Waterparks, Palaye Royale, Pale Waves, The Ghost Inside, State Champs, The Blackout and Mallory Knox, whose exclusive reunion shows were confirmed over Christmas.
Tickets are on sale now via www.slamdunkfestival.com
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2. Try Fest
Featuring over 50 live acts, bands and DJs across two days, this music and food festival will take place on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Letchworth Rugby Club in Hertfordshire.
The Friday's 80s vs 90s line-up includes Martin Kemp's Back to the 80s DJ set alongside Our Friends Electric and tributes to The Stone Roses, Oasis and Blur.
The Saturday line-up features the likes of Jo Whiley's 90s Anthems, London Garage Orchestra, General Levy, DJ Luck & MC Neat, and Judge Jules.
For more details visit www.tryfest.co.uk
3. Chilfest
Music festival Chilfest returns to Tring on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6.
The headline act for Chilfest 2024 is legendary Soft Cell singer Marc Almond.
The Saturday line-up in Cow Lane also includes Nik Kershaw, Scouting for Girls, The Farm, Go West, Heaven 17, East 17 and The Selecter.
The event's Totally Tribute Friday line-up will feature tributes to Take That, Whitney Houston, Kylie Minogue, Madness and The Smiths.
4. Sign of the Times Festival
Taking place at Church End, near Little Hadham, this Herts music festival expands to three days for the first time this year.
Running from Friday, July 5 to Sunday, July 7, Sign of the Times features three packed days of rock, indie, pop, punk, Britpop, ska, mod, alternative, and much more.
The Waterboys, Travis and Feeder have been announced as the headliners, with the line-up over the weekend including Kula Shaker, Jake Bugg, Scouting for Girls, The View, Echobelly, Toyah, and Hothouse Flowers.
Day tickets are now on sale.
5. Todd in the Hole Festival
This popular North Hertfordshire music festival in Todds Green is set to return for its fifth year from Friday, July 12 to Sunday, July 14, 2024.
After the resounding success of Todd in the Hole 2023, festival organisers have pulled out all the stops to deliver another fantastic line-up for this year.
Visitors will be able to enjoy headliners who include Rick Parfitt Jnr & RPJ Band on the Friday and The Killerz on the Saturday.
Closing the festival in style, and paying homage to one of the biggest boy bands in recent years, Rule The World will be bringing the hits of Take That back to the Hertfordshire countryside.
Back by popular demand, and after their Todd debut last summer, Australian band Furnace and The Fundamentals will be keeping the crowd jumping on the Sunday afternoon.
Other bands on the bill include the Stereotonics, the Fore Fighters, 7 Wonders of Fleetwood Mac, Kazabian, Blurd, The Arctic Monkeyz and Todd favourites Definitely, Could Be Oasis.
For Todd campers and festival-goers over the age of 18, the team are excited to announce that legendary DJ Dave Pearce will be back to headline the Friday night After Party.
"Dave has a special place in our hearts," said festival co-founder David Nye. "He was headliner for our first After Party back in 2020, so we’re delighted to welcome him back."
Saturday night afterparty visitors will be entertained by dancers and a DJ from the iconic ‘Carwash’ club in London who are set to end the night with disco classics.
To buy tickets please visit www.toddinthehole.co.uk
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6. Battle Proms
This ever-popular picnic concert series is set to return to the grounds of Hatfield House in Hertfordshire on Saturday, July 20.
Fans of the annual picnic proms can once again expect sublime classical music, a Spitfire flying overhead, cannons, cavalry and fireworks.
The main musical programme will include Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and the Battle Proms signature piece, Beethoven’s Battle Symphony — both accompanied by fireworks and cannon fire.
The concert will, as always, finish with a crowd-pleasing, flag-waving Last Night of the Proms-esque finale, complete with yet more fireworks.
Tickets are on sale from the Battle Proms website https://www.battleproms.com/
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7. Folk by the Oak
Taking place on the same Hatfield Park site as the previous day's Battle Proms concert, this annual Hertfordshire music festival will be headlined by Levellers for a second time this summer.
Also set to appear at Folk by the Oak 2024 on Sunday, July 21 are The Young’uns, Seckou Keita's Homeland Band, The Furrow Collective, and Acorn Stage headliner Beans on Toast.
For more, and to buy tickets, visit the Folk by the Oak website at www.folkbytheoak.com
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8. Classic Ibiza at Hatfield House
Always a summer hit with dance music fans, revellers can enjoy the very best in 'stately house music' at Hatfield House on Sunday, August 17.
Classic Ibiza will once again be headlined by the Urban Soul Orchestra (USO), along with DJs and vocalists, for over five hours of Balearic-infused house anthems.
Classic Ibiza’s Lisa Ward said: “We’re blessed with such a fabulously loyal audience, making Classic Ibiza a permanent fixture in the summer diary for many."
Tickets for an evening of music from the White Isle given a classical twist are available now from www.classicibiza.co.uk
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9. Goatfest
This friendly Herts music festival returns to Codicote from Friday, August 23 to Sunday, August 25.
No line-up details have been announced yet, but the three-day festival usually features a selection of well-known names alongside emerging talent and homegrown acts in the Hertfordshire countryside.
For more on the festival — and to buy tickets — visit www.goatfestuk.com.
10. Busted at Hitchin Priory
Year 3000 chart stars Busted — Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis and James Bourne — will play an outdoor show at Hitchin Priory on Thursday, August 29, 2024.
The concert will be a home Herts gig for Busted bassist Matt Willis, who lives in the county.
The gig forms part of the Hitchin Priory Summer Series and tickets are available now.
11. Craig David at Hitchin Priory
Fans of 7 Days singer Craig David will be able to see the Fill Me In chart-topper at an open air concert in Hitchin.
Craig David Presents TS5 at Hitchin Priory on Saturday, August 31.
12. Pub in the Park St Albans
Fantastic food and music will be on the menu as Pub in the Park returns to St Albans in September.
Tom Kerridge's foodie festival will take place from Friday, September 6 to Sunday, September 8.
Organisers have already confirmed that Heart Skips a Beat and Troublemaker singer Olly Murs will headline the Saturday night in St Albans.
Tinie Tempah is down to perform on the Friday evening and Scouting for Girls during the Saturday afternoon session.
Pub in the Park's Lazy Sunday line-up is still to be announced.
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