The UK Festival Awards are awarded annually, with various categories for all aspects of festivals that have taken place in the UK, and one category for European festivals. The Awards were first established in 2004 by Steve Jenner and his team at Virtual Festivals.com. They are voted for by the public via the UK Festival Awards website. To ensure fairness, the votes are weighted to take into account the event capacity. The 2008 Awards ceremony was held on 30 October 2008 at the IndigO2 venue in London. Nordoff–Robbins music therapy will receive funds raised on the night. The 2011 Awards ceremony was held at the Roundhouse in Camden, which remained its home until 2016. Having grown beyond the original team's capacity to manage it as a part-time project, Mondiale Publishing was brought in as an acquiring partner in 2012, with Steve Jenner remaining onboard as a creative consultant. Since 2017, to bring the Awards into closer alignment with flourishing Independent Festival sector, the UK Festival Awards have been held at Troxy, the music and events venue in Stepney, London.

2004

UK Festival Awards launched as an online poll by VirtualFestivals.com, 12,000 fans vote. The awards are presented in person to the winners in their local pubs of choice

2005

50,000+ fans vote; BBC 6 Music sign up as media partner. Saluted in Scottish Parliament when T in the Park is voted Best Major Festival. The awards are again presented to the winners in person during an epic road-trip spanning the UK.

2006

Pressure from the industry prompts the creation of the first live event, for 500 standing-only at London’s Islington Academy, sponsored by Carling. Hosted by: Steve Harris. Outstanding Contribution to Festivals: Melvin Benn (Festival Republic – Reading & Leeds, Latitude).

2007

The first "sit down" event at KoKo, Camden. Michael Eavis attends. Hosted by: the Cuban Brothers. Outstanding Contribution to Festivals: John Giddings (Isle of Wight).

2008

Moves to the IndigO2, adding a gala dinner component (at the Goucho restaurant) and the first UK Festival Conference by day (oversubscribed). Michael Eavis accepting his Outstanding Contribution to Festivals award at the IndigO2 in 2008. Establishes independent ownership as Festival Awards Ltd. Hosted by: Shaun Keaveny. Outstanding Contribution to Festivals: Michael Eavis (Glastonbury).

2008 Nominations Shortlist

2009

The Awards returns to the O2 and the conference fills out into Europe’s largest cinema, the Vue in the O2 complex. The European Festival Awards is launched in partnership with The European Festival Association and debuts at The Grand Theatre in Groningen, Holland, on the opening night of Eurosonic Noorderslag. Hosted by: Dixie and Horsey (Stars of ‘Svengali’). Lifetime Achievement Winner: Katrina Larkin (The Big Chill).

2010

The Awards continues its O2 residency and the Conference expands again into sell-out event at the British Music Experience, covered live by BBC Business News.

2010 Winners

Hosted by: Craig Charles. Lifetime Achievement Winner: Geoff Ellis (T in the Park).

2011

Awards show up-scales to The Roundhouse and sells-out – the founding dream realised. Conference moves up to The Forum, attracts record attendance. Hosted by: The Cuban Brothers. Lifetime Achievement Winner: Steve Heap (Association of Folk Festivals). http://www.festivalawards.com/2011-winners/ Best New Festival Wilderness Best Metropolitan Festival Tramlines Best Dance Event Creamfields Best Overseas Festival Outlook (Croatia) Best Family Festival Beautiful Days Best Breakthrough Artist Ed Sheeran Line-Up of the Year Sonisphere Knebworth Headline Performance of the Year Paolo Nutini at Latitude Anthem Of The Summer Chase and Status: Blind Faith Agent Of The Year Steve Strange Promoter Of The Year Secret Productions Best Small Festival End of the Road Best Medium-Sized Festival Secret Garden Party Best Major Festival Glastonbury Fans' Favourite Festival Bestival Lifetime Achievement Award Steve Heap, Mrs Casey Music / Towersey Village Festival PRESENTED AT THE UK FESTIVAL CONFERENCE: Earlier in the day at The Forum, Kentish Town… The Grass Roots Festival Award Y-Not Festival Concession Of The Year The Beat Hotel The Greener Festival Award Shambala Best Toilets Y-Not Festival Best Sponsor Activation Capitalize: Bacardi The Extra-Festival Activity Award Bearded Kitten Outstanding Contribution to Festival Production The Event Safety Shop

2012

Mondiale Publishing acquires a majority stake in the Awards which returns to The Roundhouse. Conference joins it at the same venue for the first time. Hosted by: Phill Jupitus. http://www.festivalawards.com/2012-winners/ Best New Festival Festival Number 6 Best Metropolitan Festival Camden Crawl Best Dance Event Global Gathering Best Overseas Festival Benicassim (Spain) Best Family Festival Latitude Best Breakthrough Act Jake Bugg Line-Up of the Year Download Headline Performance of the Year New Order at Festival Number 6 Anthem Of The Summer Django Django – ‘Default’ Agency Of The Year William Morris Promoter Of The Year Gareth Cooper (Festival Number 6, Beach Break Live, Lollibop, Snowbombing, Lounge On The Farm) Best Small Festival Y-Not Best Medium-Sized Festival Bloodstock Open-Air Best Major Festival Bestival The Grass Roots Festival Award Green Man The Greener Festival Award Croissant Neuf Summer Party Concession Of The Year Paelleria Best Toilets Lodestar Best Brand Activation The Southern Comfort Juke-Joint The Extra-Festival Activity Award Live From Jodrell Bank Lifetime Achievement Award John Probyn, Chief Operating Officer, Live Nation

2013

Awards returns to The Roundhouse. http://www.festivalawards.com/2013-winners/ BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL Download MEDIUM-SIZED FESTIVAL Kendal Calling BEST SMALL FESTIVAL Bearded Theory BEST NEW FESTIVAL We Are FSTVL BEST DANCE EVENT Creamfields BEST METROPOLITAN FESTIVAL Dot To Dot BEST FAMILY FESTIVAL Camp Bestival BEST GRASSROOTS EVENT 2000trees Festival BEST TOILETS ArcTanGent BEST OVERSEAS FESTIVAL Snowbombing (Austria) HEADLINE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR Arctic Monkeys – Glastonbury ANTHEM OF THE SUMMER Get Lucky – Daft Punk BREAKTHROUGH ACT OF THE YEAR Rudimental Jury-decided Categories: AGENT OF THE YEAR CODA BEST LINE-UP Latitude CONCESSION OF THE YEAR Strumpets with Crumpets THE GREENER FESTIVAL AWARD Shambala Festival BEST BRAND ACTIVATION Virgin Media THE EXTRA-FESTIVAL ACTIVITY AWARD Wilderness PROMOTER OF THE YEAR Paddy Glasgow (Glasgowbury) BEST USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time (in Hyde Park) Intelligent Venue Solutions THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Fiona Stewart, Green Man Festival

2016

Awards returns to The Roundhouse.

2016 Finalists Shortlist

Best New Festival