A Guide To The

With milder weather and the kids heading back to school, September marks the tail-end of the hectic summer season – but there's still time to catch some of the country's best music festivals and events before the season fades into memory. While the months of June to August saw locations across the British Isles playing host to a plethora of fantastic festivals, such as Glastonbury, the Reading and Leeds festival weekend and, of course, the month-long Edinburgh International Festival throughout August, September is a chance for off-shore destinations to shine. Two of the month's most popular events are the Jersey Live Festival and Bestival, bringing some of the biggest names in the music business to Jersey and the Isle of Wight respectively. Jersey Live, taking place over the weekend of 4th to 5th September, includes such notable acts as Paul Weller, Plan B and Calvin Harris, who will be bringing an eclectic range of sounds to the otherwise tranquil island. Visitors from the British mainland are often surprised by how enthusiastic the Jersey locals can be, due to the relative scarcity of big-name gigs throughout the rest of the year – a great event if you're looking for a crowd that really knows how to have a good time. A little closer to home, British music fans can take a short ferry hop from the south coast to Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle of Wight from 9th to 12th September to enjoy the buzzing party atmosphere of Bestival, one of the rising stars of the summer festival roster. With an impressive line-up pitting fresh chart-toppers like Dizzee Rascal and the Flaming Lips against old favourites such as the Prodigy and the reformed Roxy Music, Bestival also encourages attendees to dress up to take the experience beyond the stage – this year's 'fantasy' fancy dress theme is sure to receive a few saucy entries. Those looking for a festival catering to more alternative tastes need look no further than the End of the Road Festival, fittingly named for coming towards the end of summer on 10th to 12th September. A chance for lovers of folk, Americana and alternative rock to get together and see some of the most exciting new artists on the scene – including Wilco and Yo La Tengo – End of the Road is a little more conveniently located for UK festival fans looking to avoid the hassle of island-hopping and get their train tickets online .

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