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Our rolling hills, seaside idylls and city parks play host to some of the best festivals in the world. Music, art, literature, gastronomy: the days when attending music festival meant drinking through a hangover and picking mud from your hair-do are long gone.It takes a bit of expertise to sift through the calendar, though, especially if you're looking for something a bit different. Some festivals are too loud, some too teenage, some too vast. And then there are those that are just right.Read on and discover the most beautiful arts festivals in Britain with the Culture Whisper Summer Festival Guide 2016. Whether you're looking for London's finest headliners or a weekend in the great outdoors, we've got something for you.14-17 JulyA lakeside Suffolk wonderland, perfect for families. In this lantern-strewn pine forest, theatre, art comedy, poetry, literature, politics, dance and really, really good food come together.2 - 4 SeptemberFor our money, Joanna Newsom, Animal Collective, and Bat For Lashes are this year's superlative headline trio. Mark the closing moments of summer in style, and head to Dorset for an expertly curated line-up.28-31 JulyWOMAD brings together the best music from around the world, and has one of our favourite festival atmospheres. A genuine slice of mid-summer utopianism.4-7 AugustDespite a deliciously scandalous creation myth, Wilderness is among the loveliest of festivals. Along with its neighbour Cornbury Festival , it brings music and merrymaking to Oxfordshire's summer evenings.1-4 SepNo. 6 takes place in the impossibly picturesque environs of mountain North Wales. It's a magical place with a line-up to match.17 JulyIf you're pressed for time this summer, Citadel is the festival for you. A one day affair, conveniently located in Victoria Park, it boasts one of the year's most impressive headline acts; Icelandic superstars Sigur Rós are coming to town. Secret Garden Party

21-24 JulySecret Garden Party is about so much more than the music: from huge art installations to lake-swimming and costumes that sing of childhood nostalgia, the boutique festival on a gorgeous Georgian townhouse in Cambridgeshire is all about throwback fun.11-12 JuneField Day also graces London's Victoria Park, with a tendency to draw in Hackney's young and hip. It's easy to see why. The line-ups are always superb, James Blake and PJ Harvey were this year's headliners, and plenty of rising stars and cult favourites bulk out the bill.8-11 SeptemberCould it be The Best of All? Colourful escapism takes over at the annual Isle-of-Wight festival that brings summer to a cheerful close. And this year’s Bestival has one hell of a line-up...