Latitude Festival 2020, Henham Park

Every year, more and more revellers flock to the green pastures of Southwold’s Henham Park. Set around a pine-wreathed lake and graced with flocks of sheep (dyed bright pink for the occasion), Latitude is magically pretty. It also offers a more diverse line-up of culture than most music festivals; as well as big-name singers and bands, the programme is overflowing with theatre, art, comedy, poetry, literature, politics and dance.

This is the 15th year of the festival and the music line-up looks as stellar as ever, with Haim, The Chemical Brothers, Liam Gallagher and Bill Bailey all headlining. Snow Patrol take the coveted Sunday lunchtime slot on the Obelisk Stage in what is a triumphant return, following an illness which forced the band to cancel last summer. Brits Critics' Choice nominee and YouTube's One To Watch for 2019 star Mahilia is also performing on the Obelisk stage in her Latitude debut.

Snow Patrol

Over on the BBC Sounds Stage, audiences can hear Grammy Award-winner La Roux perform hits from her third studio album Supervision along with her best-loved anthems. Psych-rockers King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard are also performing an eagerly anticipated slot on the same stage, as is electro R&B trailblazer, Banks.

Revolutionary spoken-word artist Kate Tempest made her debut at the festival nearly a decade ago and this year, the celebrated artist is back, performing some of her latest album, The Book of Traps and Lessons.

As Latitude regulars will know, the festival is as much about the laughs as the lyrics. Heading up the Comedy Arena this year is Simon Amstell, fresh from the success of his 2019 film Benjamin and with a whole new stand-up routine. Others putting in a bid to provide belly laughs this year include Angela Barnes, Rich Hall, Kerry Godliman, Jayde Adams, Olga Koch and Shazia Mirza.

Whatever you do, don’t miss out on the literary side of things. At the Listening Post, passers-by can hear from Grumpy Old Women writers Jenny Eclair and Judith Holder, who are broadcasting a hilarious live version of their podcast Older And Wider. Craig Parkinson (The Line of Duty, Four Lions) is also filling a slot, bringing his podcast The Two Shot Podcast to the festival, interviewing a special guest.

Meanwhile, at the Speakeasy, Women's Prize for Fiction return to celebrate their 25th anniversary with a headline talk from bestselling novelist Kate Mosse, while Sophie Mackintosh, author of the Man Booker Prize-longlisted novel The Water Cure is also on the line-up, speaking about her new book Blue Ticket. This tent is also where to hear from self-titled ‘sexpert’ Flo Perry, who is presenting a talk based on her book How To Have Feminist Sex: a Fairly Graphic Guide.

Aside from the music, comedy and literature, there's also a stunning selection of dance on offer, including the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Waterfront debut led by new artistic director Carlos Acosta.

Those in search of wellness should take the time to wander through Solas, the enchanted, colourfully lit woodland, and make the most of the healing treatments on offer. Skip queuing for a shower and instead take a quick dip in the lake – a far more refreshing experience. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for interesting talks and readings taking place around the site over the weekend – these sometimes overlooked gems often prove highlights of the festival.

With so much squeezed into just four days, Latitude 2020 offers to be your one-stop-shop for culture in the great outdoors this summer.