The Reading Festival

Music festival in Reading, Berkshire that dates back to 1971 with roots in earlier "National Jazz & Blues" festivals held in Windsor, Richmond, Plumpton and Sunbury. By 1971, the festival based itself in Reading with a focus on progressive, blues and hard rock acts. As musical tastes changed, so did the roster of acts performing at Reading, which remains a favoured festival for many new bands, as well as established artists. In the late 80s, the original promoter (Harold Pendleton) was ousted in favour of the Mean Fiddler group. Over time, Mean Fiddler narrowed its attention to festivals by renaming itself Festival Republic. The festival continued to grow in the 90s, forming a linked site with the Leeds Festival in 1999. The Reading Festival continues to this day, always on the same bank holiday weekend in August, at the same location near Caversham Bridge in Reading.