I attended one of Britain’s largest music festivals, joining more than 55,000 people to discover why headliner Justin Timberlake had been eager to perform there for years.
Justin Timberlake, the star behind “SexyBack,” told festival-goers on Sunday that he had been hoping to perform at the Isle of Wight Festival for nearly his entire career, saying Britain had “finally made a Tennessee boy’s dreams come true.” But what is it about this remote island, reachable by ferry from Portsmouth and Southampton, that made a US superstar dream of playing there from over 4,000 miles away?
A source told Express that although Justin could have easily aimed for the much larger Glastonbury Festival, which draws crowds about four times bigger, the Isle of Wight Festival was the one event he really wanted to headline while in the UK. He wanted breaks between his British shows, so he chose Isle of Wight over back-to-back gigs.
The festival has long been loved by both artists and fans. When Jimi Hendrix played there just days before his death in 1970, the crowd of 600,000 made it the largest music event in Britain at the time. While I can’t speak for Justin, I can share some of the reasons why I fell for the island and the festival on my first visit.
First, the Isle of Wight enjoys a microclimate that’s several degrees warmer than the mainland, meaning festival-goers are far less likely to be stuck in mud and soaked by heavy rain in mid-summer—unlike at some other festivals (looking at you, Glastonbury).
This was one festival where I definitely didn’t need to wear wellies, so I slipped on my sequin trainers and got ready to dance all weekend in perfectly dry fields.
Even better, festival shuttle buses ran regularly until 2:30 a.m., dropping me almost right at the doorstep of The Wight, the guesthouse near Sandown High Street where I was staying.
At the guesthouse, I could relax my tired feet in the steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, or pool—or take a quick walk to the nearby beach—before heading back out for another day of music.
Choosing cooked breakfasts and some comfort over campsite portaloos and low-quality snacks was surprisingly affordable, especially when booking ahead and staying in a quieter spot like Sandown, away from the festival crowds.
Top acts like Sting, Faithless, The Corrs, The Stereophonics, and of course Justin Timberlake performed across multiple stages, offering everything from rock ’n’ roll tribute bands to 1990s hip-hop DJ sets and late-night electropop raves.
Outside the festival, I visited an animal sanctuary, home to rescued bears and big cats and known as the filming location for ITV’s Tiger Island (Wildheart), as well as the Dinosaur Isle fossil museum—both just a short walk from my hotel.
The island is famous for its dinosaur fossils, which can still be found on the beaches, and gift shops sell pieces of giant dino teeth that are over 120 million years old.
The Weekender festival bus ticket, costing £50, might seem expensive, but it’s valid for any bus on the entire island for five days—including the Monday after the festival—and gives access to the scenic open-top route to the iconic Needles landmark.
From there, I enjoyed a thrilling open-air chair lift ride down to Alum Bay beach before visiting the battery where a famous space rocket was tested. Overall, I can say I share Justin Timberlake’s excitement for the hidden treasures this remote island holds.