It’s tough to stand out from the legion of festivals that take place during the (sometimes) balmy British summer. With many acts playing a circuit of open-air venues from June to August, it’s often difficult to tell the difference between various events. Not only can Citadel Festival boast an exclusive summer headliner in Foals, the day-long party in central London also has an emphatically diverse lineup of attractions – combining crowd-ready rock with an eye-catching array of non-musical treats. These selling points are more than enough to make the one-day event in Victoria park worth setting apart in your summer calendar.
At the focal point of the festival – curated by Communion, Mama and Time Out – is the music. Foals, fresh from a mammoth UK tour earlier this year are a shrewd booking as headliner, having more than enough hits from their four albums to date to close out the event raucously. Their UK Festival exclusivity will further add to their closing set to deliver the guarantee of a very special show.
The support is strong too. Bonobo’s ambient and cinematic live set makes for a great selection to play out the twilight in Central London, whilst a series of exciting newcomers such as Jake Isaac and Joseph J Jones will inject the afternoon’s proceedings with energy and edge. Laura Marling and Michael Kiwanuka are just two of the more well-established artists who further bolster the lineup.
Music aside, Citadel boasts a multitude of further features, with a variety of food and drink available from established producers, and an impressive selection of Arts, Comedy and Current Affairs bookings across multiple stages. Some of the more audience-focused art installations look to be particularly intriguing inclusions, and collaborative events such as Guerrilla Science’s “Lust, Sex & Brains…” and Open Senses “Is Virtual Reality a Good Idea?” will be well worth taking the time to visit.
If Citadel has piqued your interest, standard Adult tickets can still be purchased for £55.25. Children under the age of 12 qualify for cut-price entry at £6.25. There are no restrictions on age for this event, although those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Citadel Festival opens at midday.
