Netherlands

Joëlla Jackson

United Kingdom

PAWSA

pop dance

uk dance

uk funky

Rudimental

Brazil

Mochakk

electronica

float house

future garage

uk bass

wonky

Joy Orbison

breaks

experimental house

Interplanetary Criminal

ukg revival

salute

Max Dean

Rossi

Australia

australian house

ghettotech

Partiboi69

New Zealand

jazz house

nz electronic

Chaos In The CBD

Ireland

Sally C

dutch tech house

Luuk van Dijk

Paige Tomlinson

latin house

Enzo is Burning

Murphy's Law (UK)

Inafekt

’s roots trace back to a student festival known as 

, essentially an end-of-year party thrown by students at Platt Fields Park in south Manchester​. Over a decade ago, the first Parklife Weekender took place there, born directly from the Mad Ferret experiment. Realizing the event’s potential, the original student founders sought help to take it further - they teamed up with local music impresario Sacha Lord, famed for Manchester’s 

 club nights, to build a proper infrastructure and bigger lineup. With a new company and Lord as co-founder and curator, Parklife Festival as we know it was born. It quickly outgrew its humble beginnings, soon moving from Platt Fields to the expansive Heaton Park in north Manchester to accommodate the exploding crowds​. (Heaton Park, one of Europe’s largest municipal parks, had itself hosted legendary concerts by Oasis and The Stone Roses – a fitting new home steeped in musical heritage​.) To this day, Parklife is guided by the vision of the Warehouse Project team, ensuring the festival maintains its independent spirit even as it partners with major promoters to thrive​.

One of Parklife’s greatest strengths is its musical diversity. The festival predominantly features electronic and dance music, but its stages champion everything from hip-hop and grime to pop, indie rock and house. It’s not unusual to wander from a thumping DJ set straight into a live band or a grime MC’s explosive performance. This broad palette means Parklife attracts a wide audience, united by a love of live music and a good party. Despite its massive scale, Parklife is a non-camping city festival, meaning the party winds down each night as attendees head home or into town (only to return the next day for more)​. This setup gives the event a unique day-party atmosphere and keeps it closely tied to the city. In fact, Parklife has been described as encapsulating the very energy of Manchester’s rave and music culture, with its high-BPM dance stages pulsing alongside blockbuster live acts. The vibe is electric, youthful, and inclusive - a celebratory mash-up of muddy sneakers, bucket hats, and hands-in-the-air euphoria.

The move to Heaton Park marked a turning point in Parklife’s evolution. What began as a 20,000-person gathering of students has swelled into a capacity of roughly 80,000 attendees each day at this vast park venue​. The festival’s expansion in size came with an expansion in scope: more stages (nine major stages running across the park​), more elaborate production, and a broader audience from all over the UK. Heaton Park’s rolling green fields and open space allowed Parklife to blossom into a full-fledged metropolitan mega-festival while still remaining within the city limits. Notably, local authorities and the Parklife organizers have worked hand-in-hand to manage this growth, from security operations to transportation plans. Over the years, the site itself has seen tweaks and improvements - new stage arenas, art installations, even the addition of carnival-style attractions like a ferris wheel - all enhancing the experience as the festival continues to refine its layout. Through these changes, Parklife has managed to keep its Mancunian charm intact: it’s a massive party in the park, but one that feels like part of the city rather than a remote island. The festival’s evolution in venue and scale mirrors the rise of Manchester as a music capital, proving that a homegrown event can explode into a world-class festival without losing its local soul​.

Over the years, Parklife’s stages have been graced by a who’s who of music superstars, reflecting its multi-genre ethos. The lineup is renowned for mixing huge international artists with breakthrough talent and local heroes​. For example, rap icons like Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent have delivered crowd-roaring headline sets, while legendary hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan brought classic East Coast swagger to Manchester​. On the flip side, indie and pop royalty such as The 1975 (hometown heroes turned global stars) and R&B innovator Frank Ocean have captivated Parklife audiences in past editions​.

Electronic music is always front-and-center too - from the chart-topping house of 

 to the rave anthems of The Prodigy and drum’n’bass duo 

, dance acts consistently energize the massive crowds​. The festival also champions UK urban talent: grime king Skepta and Manchester’s own Aitch and Little Simz have all ignited the Parklife stages, underscoring the event’s commitment to homegrown music​.

Parklife is not just about big names, however, it’s about big moments. Fans still talk about the time dance legend 

 led tens of thousands in a moving sing-along of “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” turning a moment of local tragedy into a communal triumph of spirit​. They remember surprise guest appearances, like when Stormzy jumped on stage for an impromptu duet, or when supermodel-turned-singer Grace Jones defiantly performed while ill, hula-hooping onstage in true diva fashion​. Each year brings its own highlights, but the common thread is an atmosphere of shared joy and musical discovery. Whether it’s a blockbuster headliner closing out the night or an up-and-coming DJ throwing down beats at a smaller tent, Parklife delivers memorable experiences that have secured its place in Manchester’s music history.

In just a little over a decade, Parklife has solidified its status as a cornerstone of the UK festival circuit and a point of pride for Manchester’s music scene. It’s curated by a passionate team who keep the festival’s identity authentic and forward-thinking​. Crucially, Parklife never forgot its origins - the community vibe and fearless booking policy remain, even as international acclaim grows. The result is an event that feels both globally relevant and distinctly Mancunian. For one weekend every summer, Heaton Park becomes a mad microcosm of music culture, where graffiti-tagged bucket hats mingle with designer festival outfits, and underground club beats collide with mainstream hits. Parklife is more than just a festival; it’s an annual celebration of everything Manchester stands for: musical innovation, diversity, and an unyielding love of a good time. It’s no wonder Parklife is often hailed as a spirited cultural force for the city - a festival that started small, dreamed big, and continues to embody the loud, loving heart of Manchester’s youth and nightlife.

Parklife

Heaton Park

Parklife Festival 2025

Germany

german techno

minimal techno

techno

Loco Dice

Spain

Playa Soleil Ibiza

Palmarama Week 15

Palmarama

Italy

Ale De Tuglie

Calvin Clarke

tech house

ALISHA

Switzerland

house

swiss house

Andrea Oliva

ANOTR

France

Apollonia

uk tech house

East End Dubs

minimal tech house

uk house

Enzo Siragusa

circuit

Franky Rizardo

deep disco house

Hot Since 82

Ilario Alicante

deep house

Jamie Jones

Joey Daniel

Maqossa

italian techno

Marco Carola

Michel De Hey

tribal house

Nic Fanciulli

Richy Ahmed

detroit house

detroit techno

microhouse

Seth Troxler

SYREETA

brazilian edm

Vintage Culture

Music On

Meerpark

Music On Festival

Sweden

dark techno

raw techno

schranz

swedish electronic

swedish techno

Adam Beyer

Adiel

melodic house

melodic techno

Adriatique

acid techno

french techno

AIROD

deep minimal techno

Alan Fitzpatrick

hard techno

Alignment

Belgium

belgian techno

electra

Amelie Lens

Benin

afro house

AMÉMÉ

brazilian techno

ANNA

Bart Skils

Ben Böhmer

Ben Klock

Chloé Caillet

frankfurt electronic

Chris Liebing

Chris Stussy

minimal dub

Dax J

dutch experimental electronic

De Sluwe Vos

Deborah de Luca

lo-fi house

DJ Seinfeld

United States

DVS1

Ellen Allien

Enrico Sangiuliano

FJAAK

Hadone

garage house

Honey Dijon

industrial techno

I Hate Models

Indira Paganotto

Joris Voorn

Joseph Capriati

Joyhauser

Kevin de Vries

deep euro house

Klangkuenstler

Denmark

danish electronic

danish techno

Kölsch

Len Faki

latin tech house

Maceo Plex

deep techno

Mind Against

Russia

russian electronic

russian techno

Nina Kraviz

Pan-Pot

Patrick Mason

Patrick Topping

dark minimal techno

Perc

spanish techno

Regal

Reinier Zonneveld

acid house

canadian electronic

Richie Hawtin

dark disco

Robert Hood

Sam Paganini

Secret Cinema

Silvie Loto

intelligent dance music

Speedy J

Stephan Bodzin

Tale of Us

TSHA

Beekse Bergen

Awakenings 2023

Archie Hamilton

Music On Festival 2025

Joëlla Jackson

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