Isle of Wight Festival 2018 - ticket news, lineup and rumours

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Primal Scream at the Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival 2018 will take place from June 21 to 24.

Here's our guide to lineup rumours and ticket news. Please do leave a post at the bottom of the page if you hear of any rumours for the Isle of Wight Festival 2018.

The first Isle of Wight Festival was held in 1968 in Godshill, so this will be the 50th anniversary year.

If you want to get your accommodation booked early, take a look at our guide to places to stay near the Isle of Wight Festival site or for cheap accommodation try our guide to Isle of Wight holiday parks - although bear in mind that the dates haven't been confirmed!

Where can I buy tickets for Isle of Wight Festival 2018?

How much are tickets for Isle of Wight Festival 2018?


Day tickets:

Confirmed lineup for Isle of Wight Festival 2018

Thursday
The Wombats
Hot Dub Time Machine
T Rextasy

Friday
Kasabian
The Script
Chase & Status
Nile Rodgers & Chic
Rita Ora
Feeder
Circa Waves
Tom Grennan
Walking on Cars
Kara Marni
Bang Bang Romeo
Judas
 
Saturday
Depeche Mode
Liam Gallagher
James Bay
Blossoms
Haçienda Classiçal
Kodaline
Jessie J
Soul II Soul
Rak Su
SG Lewis
Tokio Myers
Mullally
Louise
Slydigs
Wild Front
Catherine McGrath 
Rothwell
Paradisia

Sunday
The Killers
Manic Street Preachers
Van Morrison
Camila Cabello
Sigrid
Travis 
Sheryl Crow
Hurts
Lany
The Pretty Things
Hudson Taylor​
The Skids
Gerry Cinnamon
The Professionals
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
Ten Tonnes

Lineup rumours for Isle of Wight Festival 2018

OK, so we predicted two of the headliners – Liam Gallagher and Depeche Mode – although admittedly we had many other names on our rumours list which won’t be playing now.
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If you’re interested who we thought might play, check out the names in the archive bit at the bottom of the page.

What's the cheapest way to get to the Isle of Wight Festival 2018?

Red Funnel are doing discounted ferry travel for Isle of Wight Festival 2018.

Current offers include £10 foot passenger tickets and reduced price car ferry travel if you book early.

​You can get 10% off car ferry travel with Red Funnel if you use this exclusive booking widget, although you'll probably find the specific festival deals are better. 

​​Your options are:
For more advice see our guide to ferry travel.

What accommodation is near to the Isle of Wight Festival (apart from camping)?

Take a look at our guide to 10 of the best places to stay near the festival or a cheap option is one of the Isle of Wight's holiday parks

Other options include:
  • Travelodge in Newport
  • HomeAway for self catering near the Isle of Wight festival site 
  • Expedia for hotels near the Isle of Wight festival site 
  • Trivago search "Isle of Wight Music Festival"
  • Park Resorts for cheap holiday parks on the Isle of Wight

When is the Isle of Wight Festival 2018?

Isle of Wight Festival 2018 is taking place from June 21-24 2018. In previous years it has mostly been held earlier in the month. I think it has been moved as there is no Glastonbury Festival in 2018, so organisers will be hoping to mop up some people who would normally go there.

The biggest bands are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday but there is usually an act on Thursday night to encourage people to arrive early. In recent years, they have been:
  • Bjorn Again (2008)
  • The Human League (2009)
  • Squeeze (2010)
  • ABC and Boy George (2011)
  • Primal Scream (2012)
  • Happy Mondays and The Farm (2013)
  • Boy George and Inspiral Carpets (2014)
  • Billy Idol (2015)
  • Status Quo (2016)
  • Razorlight (2017)

This year, The Wombats are playing on the Thursday
Ferries are cheaper if you book early - click here to read our guide

Can under 18s attend the Isle of Wight Festival without an adult? Do children get in free?

We haven't seen terms and conditions for 2018, but the official Terms and Conditions for 2017 say:

Teenagers aged between 13 and 17 as at 8 June 2017 but must be accompanied by at least 1 responsible Adult per 5 Teenagers. Unaccompanied Teenagers will be refused entry to the Festival. Adults are reminded that there are areas of the Venue, especially immediately in front of the stage and some bands or acts that may be inappropriate and may contain adult content. Any Adult is responsible entirely for the safety and welfare of any Teenager in its party. Please ensure that all Teenagers carry ID with proof of age. Failure to provide such ID may result in entry being refused or the Teenager being asked to leave the Venue.

Can my band play at Isle of Wight Festival 2018?

Sorry, this is nothing to do with us. Isle of Wight Guru is an independent site which has no official link to the Isle of Wight Festival. 

In previous years there have been Battle of the Band competitions held by the organisers.

There was also a Platform One stage at Isle of Wight Festival 2017 (Platform One is a college of music on the Isle of Wight). 

Should I go to the Isle of Wight Festival 2018?

The Isle of Wight Festival has evolved (like most festivals) from one great big stage to a 'visitor experience' (John Giddings' words) with various big tops, bars and stages. There are also funfair rides etc. 

The age range at the Isle of Wight Festival is pretty wide with loads of families (kids get in free in 2018) and lots of people who are old enough to have attended the first festival in 1968. If you grew up on the Isle of Wight there's a high probability of witnessing one of your schoolteachers looking worse for wear after a jug of Pimms. 

In the last few years the price hasn't really gone up. You've got to pay for the ferry but it is reasonable if you split it between four people in car. If you're travelling alone or as a couple it will be cheaper to travel as a foot passenger (about £15-£20, although it was only £10 in 2017 with a special deal)

Who would you like to see at the Isle of Wight Festival 2018?

Archive of lineup rumours and ticket news updates

March 22nd 2018 - line up news

A load more supporting acts have been added to the lineup, including Travis and The Wombats. This completes the main stage and big top lineup.

February 12th 2018 - lineup news

Another 23 acts have been added to the lineup for Isle of Wight Festival 2018:

Camila Cabello 
Manic Street Preachers
Chase & Status
Nile Rodgers & CHIC
Haçienda Classiçal
Rita Ora
Jessie J
Kodaline
Soul II Soul
Feeder
Circa Waves
Sheryl Crow
Tom Grennan
Walking on Cars
The Skids
Louise
Ten Tonnes
Tokio Myers
The Professionals
Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly
Rothwell
Judas
Catherine McGrath

December 4th 2017 - lineup and ticket news

So, now we know the headliners for Isle of Wight Festival 2018 and we have ticket prices.
 
Friday
Kasabian
The Script
 
Saturday
Depeche Mode
Liam Gallagher
James Bay
Blossoms
 
Sunday
The Killers
Van Morrison

In case you are interested, here are the bands that we had on our rumours list (most of which was wrong, though we did predict two of the headliners)
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  • Foo Fighters - John Giddings told Glamour Magazine in 2014 that 'I'd still love Coldplay, the Foo Fighters or Muse to come back because they were so good'. Isle of Wight Festivals Fansite points out that Foo Fighters have a convenient gap in their UK schedule on the Sunday night.)
  • Coldplay (see above)
  • Muse (see above)
  • Oasis - John Giddings told the Isle of Wight County Press in 2016 that he'd like to book Oasis, Green Day and The Kinks. Liam Gallagher may be more likely than Oasis.
  • Green Day (see above) 
  • The Kinks (see above)
  • Beyonce - John Giddings dropped a few names to The Price is Wight, including Beyonce, Rihanna and Ed Sheeran (although it won't be Ed Sheeran as there's a clash with other gigs)
  • Rihanna (see above)​
  • Depeche Mode (eFestivals says this is a ‘strong rumour'. John Giddings has previously said in 2013 that he'd like them to play at the Isle of Wight Festival).
  • Tears for Fears (a good suggestion from Isle of Wight Festivals Fansite, as they are touring with Alison Moyet who has links with John Giddings)
  • Pearl Jam (there's a gap in their European Tour on June 23rd 2018. They've also played the festival before)

And also...

November 15th 2017 - lineup and ticket news

The early bird and Islander tickets sold out on November 14th.

According to the Isle of Wight County Press, John Giddings 'said he hoped to announce all three headliners on December 4th — but declined to hint who might grace the main stage'.

November 10th 2017 - lineup news

Isle of Wight Festival organiser John Giddings told Isle of Wight Radio that 'We will definitely be announcing some acts at the end of November'

November 9th 2017 - ticket news

We now know that tickets will go on sale tomorrow (November 10th 2017 at 8am)
 and will cost £135 plus booking fee for early birds. The reduced price will only be available until November 28th 2017.

June 23rd 2017 - ticket news

The dates for the festival have been confirmed for 2017 - it has moved to the 'Glastonbury' weekend (June 21 - 24 2018). Glastonbury isn't on in 2018, so it's a good excuse to pick up some people who might go there instead.

Tickets go on sale 'soon'. No idea what that means. I told my wife I would put up a picture 'soon' but it's been sat on the floor next to me since Christmas.

Related guides from Isle of Wight Guru