The UK’s ONLY FREE beachfront festival is back on Lowestoft’s South Beach across Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June 2025 – and here’s a flavour of why you need to be there.
Over the last 5 years First Light has seen over 1890 acts perform across the festivals, 145k people have attended and the festival has impacted and supported creative talent year on year with over 70 new and emerging artists featured throughout the festivals, many of which have gone on to perform at Latitude and Glastonbury festivals, among others. We’ve made our name as the ultimate showcase for creative talent and we’re accessible to all.
First Light Festival’s outdoor weekend programme is free, un-ticketed and for you.
Nubiyan Twist – 21 June, 20:30 – 21:30
A blend of virtuosic players, skilled producers and inspired composers join forces to create a unique, infectious sound drawing on jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, Latin, soul, reggae and dance music.
Horse Meat Disco – 21 June, 19:00 – 20:00
Taking inspiration from a diverse, counter-cultural history of clubs and DJs; rooted in hedonism, rhythm, freedom and emotion, a Horse Meat Disco set reinforces everything invigorating about disco. With brand new original music on the skyline as well as a brand-new compilation coming out this year, this will be a beachfront set you won’t want to miss.
Girls of the Internet – 21 June, 18:45 – 18:30
The electronic music artist and producer whose style blends elements of 90s rave, house, electro, and experimental electronic music has garnered much attention for their distinctive production style and nostalgic yet forward-thinking sound.
Jackie Kay: 22 June, 15:00 – 16:00
Closing the First Word stage on Sunday 22 June, Jackie Kay will be in conversation with Peggy Hughes from the National Centre for Writing, followed by a reading of her poems about love, identity and family.
Brian Bilston: 21 June, 22:00 – 16:00
Performing at The Seagull Theatre as part of our Sundown Events programme, Brian Bilston will be reading a selection of much beloved poems from across his bestselling collections, while showcasing new poems destined to take their place in books to come.
2025 will also see the continuation of First Light’s partnership with Latitude Festival to promote emerging talent across the region. Two hand picked acts from the performers on the New Dawn stage and PlayBreak at First Light, will be given the amazing opportunity to perform at Latitude Festival as well.
Lowestoft is the most easterly point in the UK and this year’s festival takes inspiration from the sea on our doorstep, to the wide blue Suffolk skies. Our festival has a strong environmental focus and we celebrate our location on the Sunrise Coast.
The festival on the beach runs from 12pm noon to sundown (9.30pm) on Saturday, and from 10am – 4pm on Sunday, with a Dawn sunrise programme from 3.30am on Sunday morning.
The party moves from the beach to our Sundown events in Lowestoft venues on Saturday night with a hugely varied lates programme – details and tickets to be announced soon.
Alongside the free access festival, festival goers get the unique chance to spend a weekend under the stars and next to the waves in the Wild Camping site in the Dunes on South Beach.
Camping and Campervan tickets will be on sale soon.
