The best forest festivals

At Skiddle, we take festival season quite seriously, and over time have created some of the best festival content that you could ever dream of. However, if you’ve found yourself here then that can only mean one thing, you’re scouting for the best forest festivals in 2025. 

There are an ample number of elements that make a good festival in the woods. For example, impeccable tunes blasting through the speakers, quality acts that know how to work the decks and the crowd, access to extra activities, eye-catching stage production, quality scran, and of course, the piece de resistance, eye-catching scenery that makes you feel right at home.

Forest festivals are the perfect way to let loose, and let go of all that outside stress, while making some irreplaceable memories. So no matter if you’re an outdoorsy person or not, come and take a gander with us and see what festivals in the woods make you wanna get groovy, and down with the trees.

 

 

Restricted Forest Festival

2025 lineup: DJ Sash, Ellie Sax, Ultrabeat, N-Trance, DJ Sammy, Snap!, Tall Paul, Dee Dee, and many more 

When: Saturday 28th June 2025

Where: Orrell Hill Woods in Liverpool 

Restricted Forest is preparing for another year of incredible music in 2025, bigger and better than the last. Now fully settled into its picturesque home of Orrel Hill in Liverpool, this year’s edition will be as immersive as ever, and despite its name, nothing is restricting about this festival. 

Combining an insane variety of artists to perform knockout performances on their stages, Restricted Festival has provided yet another belting lineup featuring the likes of DJ Sash, Ellie Sax, Ultrabeat, N-Trance, DJ Sammy, Snap!, Tall Paul, Dee Dee, and many more spinning the very best in Trance, Old Skool, Club Classics, and 90s. 

Party from the day way into the night, and get stuck into the woodland energy full of music, art, and enchantment surrounded by other like-minded ravers. So grab your ticket, stick on your wellies, and get your gun fingers out because it’s gonna be a mad one.

 

Find out more information on Restricted Forest - here

 

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Trance In The Woods Festival

2025 lineup: Judge Jules, Ferry Corsten, Bryan Kearney, Billy Gillies, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Will Atkinson, Mauro Picotto, Ben Gold, Symmetrik, Shugz, and many more

When: Friday 6th - Saturday 7th June 2025

Where: Elvaston Castle Country Park in Derby, England 

Goodgreef is back to present another year of escapism in the woods, full of all the best trance music imaginable. Trance in the Woods has made its mark of being one of the best festivals in the woods that caters to all the trace lovers out there, as they bring all the best elements of a good rave in their reoccurring quality space of Elvaston Castle Country Park in Derby. 

Trance in the Woods has already announced the guest artists taking over their stages, including returning DJ Brian Kearney who will play amongst Judge Jules, Ferry Corsten, Bryan Kearney, Billy Gillies, Giuseppe Ottaviani, and more. 

There is still ample time to keep yourself warm in the woods with the unmissable trance sounds that'll keep you on your feet over the jam-packed two days.

 

Find out more information on Trance In The Woods - here

 

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Latitude Festival

2025 Lineup: Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, Sting, Kaiser Chiefs, Elbow, Snow Patrol, Air, Leon Bridges, Maribou State, Sigrid, and many more

When: Thursday 24th - Sunday 27th July 2025

Where: Henham Park, Suffolk

Just imagine a space, surrounded by breathtaking greenery and filled with arts and crafts on the ground and the stages. Now picture immaculate vibes and music so good you don’t want to return to your tent. Latitude has that and then some. 

Latitude is one of the longest-running forest festivals, and each year they get bigger and better, blowing the roof off (metaphorically of course). With the help of their world-class headline acts and this year they have the assistance of Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, Sting, Kaiser Chiefs, Elbow, Snow Patrol, Air, Leon Bridges, Maribou State, Sigrid, and many more fabulous acts to get loose and wild within the unreal scenery of Henham Park. 

To keep its hype of not being your typical one-dimensional festival Latitude offers more than just music. Over the weekend to keep you high on life they also have comedy, poetry, theatre, literature, podcasts, and wellness; including their zero waste and water refills for all you eco-friendly people out there. 

We'll see you in the woods for this one!

 

Find more information on Latitude Festival - here

 

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Forbidden Forest

2025 lineup: Camelphat, FISHER, Shy FX, Enzo Is Burning, Wilkinson, Gorgon City, Hybrid Minds, LP Rhythm, and many more

When: Thursday 29th May - Monday 1st June 2025

Where: Belvoir Castle in Nottinghamshire 

Forbidden Forest welcomes you to join them for the return of their forest. A magical place where dedicated ravers can celebrate their love of music, nature and dance. Forbidden Forest is located in the secluded area of Nottinghamshire at Belvoir Castle, a 10/10 place for repeated non-stop partying. 

Plus in typical Forbidden Forest fashion, they have formed the perfect lineup to blare out the naughtiest tunes from both mainstream and upcoming artists including, Camelphat, FISHER, Shy FX, Enzo Is Burning, Wilkinson, Gorgon City, Hybrid Minds, LP Rhythm, and many more! 

Forbidden Forest opens their space to feel free and become one with not just nature but with the scenery around you, especially with the option to camp you'll never be far from the wild and whacky going on on the stages. So take a gander and stay that one step closer to true euphoria.

 

Find more information on Forbidden Forest - here

 

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Lost Village Festival

When: Thursday 21st - Sunday 24th August 2025

Where: Lost Village in Lincoln

2025 lineup: Honey Dijon, Barry Can't Swim, Caribou, Ross From Friends, Four Tet, Chaos In The CBD, Tourist, Palms Trax, and many more

Lost Village highlights the whacky, weird and wonderful parts of the woods, and is listed as one of the iconic forest festivals for good reason. Taking place in an abandoned woodland village, Lost Village transforms their space in Lincon into a goldmine for steppers to enjoy all the very best of house, techno, disco, and dance. 

A thoroughly immersive and ethereal experience from start to finish, this unique festival invites around 18,000 passionate ravers to escape the aches and pains of everyday life by immersing themselves in the forest and the tunes.

With places such as the Abandoned Chapel, Tribal Banquet, and Forgers Lane for you to explore, there is always some familiarity at Lost Village with their acts always making the outdoors feel like home. This year’s lineup will feature stellar acts like Honey Dijon, Barry Can't Swim, Caribou, Ross From Friends, and Four Tet, and whatever they have in store for this will just be another success they blow out the park!

 

Find more information on Lost Village Festival - here

 

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Wilderness Festival

When: Thursday 31st July - Sunday 3rd August 2025

Where: Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire

2025 Lineup: Basement Jaxx, Supergrass, Wet Leg, Aurora, Air, Orbital, Annie Mac, Gok Wan, Gentleman's Dub Club, and many more

Wilderness Festival is framed within the wonderful splendour of Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire. Created by the team behind Lovebox and Secret Garden Party, this festival is an ode to diverse creativity. Artists from indie, funk, soul and dance all emerge here for a party within the meadows, and if you really feel like it, you can even dive into the lake.

The lineup has some incredible names attached, with Basement Jaxx and Supergrass alongside Wet Leg, Aurora, Air, Orbital, Annie Mac, Gok Wan, and Gentleman's Dub Club, you just know it’s going to be top. 

As well as banging music, there are plenty of other activities to get stuck into, including disco yoga, dining at the long table banquet,  massages, theatre, and talks and debates. We cannot wait for what they have instore for us this year!

 

Find more information on Wilderness Festival - here

 

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Wonderland Festival

When: Saturday 5th July 2025

Where: Newstead Abbey in Nottingham

2025 lineup: Lovely Laura, Roger Sanchez, The Shapeshifters, Gok Wan, Ben Santiago, Jon Pleased Wimmin, Craig Charles, Heather Small, and many more 

Previously known as the brilliant Woodland Disco Festival, Wonderland is the newest forest festival to add to the bucket list. Taking place on the 5th of July, Wonderland has some iconic throwback names on the lineup, with Lovely Laura, Roger Sanchez, The Shapeshifters, Gok Wan, and many more taking to the stage in luscious Newstead Abbey, Nottingham. 

Expect to experience a day full of unlimited house and disco bangers that will be sure to get you on your feet. Plus you can make the most of the day on their woodland grounds as they also have tasty street food on the menu, immersive attractions, and an incredible heritage venue. 

 

Find out more information on Wonderland Festival - here

 

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Noisily Festival

When: Thursday 10th - Sunday 13th July 2025

Where: Barkestone Woods in Leicestershire

2025 Lineup: Goldie, CHRIS LIBERATOR, Alex Stein, Victor Ruiz, Bakey, and many more TBA

Noisily Festival has a strong ethos that reflects its surroundings and they have just gotten even better with their new location at  Barkestone Woods. They have five pillars of Inclusion: the environment, wellness, education, community, and creativity. Each year they welcome 4,000 party-goers creating a close-knit community of shared beliefs.

As well as music, the festival focuses on three key subjects - mind, body and soul. Over four days, festival-goers will dive into the topics in workshops, healing practices and talks. The idea is to heal yourself and the planet we call home. It's the perfect event to reconnect with yourself, heal, make friends, find like-minded people, and of course, enjoy some banging tunes. 

So far the lineup that has been revealed sees Goldie, CHRIS LIBERATOR, Alex Stein and more accompanying you on your spiritual journey at Nosily. To complement the whole hippy vibe, the fest has a distinctively psychedelic feel in its lighting arrangements, transforming the woods into another world. If you’ve always wanted to check out a trippy forest rave, you know what to do…

 

Find more information on Noisily Festival - here

  

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Gottwood Festival

When: Thursday 12th - Sunday 15th June 2025

Where: Anglesey in Wales

2025 lineup: Willow, Crazy P, Dyed Soundorom, Move D, PBR Streetgang, Hunee, Ralph Lawson, Georgia, Ryan Elliott, Rich Reason, and many more

You can’t have a list of the best forest festivals in 2025 without including Gottwood. After we tell you about this absolute stunner of a festival, it’d be foolish not to go. Gottwood is determined to put right what's wrong with average modern-day events, and get back to what's important; good ole' raving. 

Critically acclaimed and independent, this festival in the woods is a little mystical party and underground electronic wonderland. Spanning four days, Gottwood gives underground artists a chance to spread their talent on the decks to ravers and electronic fanatics alike, and makes sure to hit the mark where other festivals fail. 

 

Find more information on Gottwood Festival - here

  

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Forest festivals are on another level. If music takes you to another planet, experiencing live music in a secluded forest takes you to another universe. We all deserve to completely let go from time to time, and that’s exactly what hiking out to the middle of nowhere and raving to some sick tunes does.

However, if you want to check out something a bit different, why not check out the best EDM, trance, or house and techno festivals? With loads of options, we;re here to help you make the most of this festival season.

 

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Have these forest festival recommendations woken up the adventurer in you? Well, if you're looking for more amazing festivals that are going down this year, then check out our festival finder here.

 

 

 Header image credit: Lost Village Festival / Facebook.com