Moor Music Festival.
Photograph: Gavin Freeborn/PR Despite the Criminal Justice Bill’s attempts to declare free parties illegal, the scene flourished up north. Toilsoundsystem hosted parties in Yorkshire and Lancashire for 12 years before launching Beat-Herder four years ago. Plucking sound systems from the free party scene, their boutique weekender echoes the excitement of Britain’s infamous countryside raves of 1989, except here you can bring your tent along, too. Instead of trance and jungle, arenas champion reggae, electronica, breakbeat and dubstep, with a little of everything else thrown in. Live acts include Reverend and the Makers, Banco de Gaia and The Whip. Costs are kept low beer is &pound1.50 a can. Co-organiser Nick Chambers says: “You can’t put your face behind something and rob people blind. It’s better to be nice to people, then that love is reciprocated.” Buddhists and sympathisers of the religion have been attending Buddhafield Festival for 15 years now. Buddhists aren’t against making money, but they are interested in how you make it and the intention behind it. A true alternative to the mainstream festivals, this Somerset jamboree is a colourful, clean-living celebration of life. One of the most expensive purchases could be your car parking ticket, which rings in at a whopping &pound20 to deter people from racking up their carbon footprint. Don’t expect to recognise many of the bands or DJs that play here, but do take along a mat so you can join in the morning meditation, yoga or capoeira classes. Instead of headliners there are healers, whose aim is to restore your quality of life. No drink or drugs are allowed on site the strongest brew you will find is a cup of chai. Instead there are social debates and demonstrations that will help you find the answers to the big questions in life that you can’t find at the bottom of the bottle. Natural highs don’t get much higher.