Are You Listening? Festival

Are You Listening? returns to Reading town centre on Saturday 8 May 2027, with doors opening at 12:00. It's a one-day festival spread across multiple venues in the town centre, so you'll be moving between stages rather than staying in one room. The AYL? Hub and box office will be at Market Place Square (RG1 2EQ), which is open to all ages and serves as the central point for the day.

It's a broad-church kind of festival. The music runs from indie and alternative rock through to electronic and dance, post-punk, punk, hip hop and rap, with both live sets and DJ sets. There's more to it than just the music, too: an art exhibition and auction run alongside the performances, and the town centre's food and drink spots fill in the gaps between stages. It's the sort of day where you can start with a live band, wander through the art, and end up at a DJ set.

There's some history behind it. Are You Listening? has run across Reading town centre since it launched in 2013, booking local artists alongside touring acts and keeping a strong community link, including a ten-year charity partnership with Reading Mencap. It's picked up a few accolades along the way: it was shortlisted as a Grassroots Champion nominee at the first national LIVE Awards in 2023, and won Cultural Contribution at the Pride of Reading Awards in 2024. Critics have called it 'a gem in the calendar' and 'a vital addition to the live music calendar of the country'.

Tickets are tiered by age: teens aged 14–17 are £25 and must be accompanied by a paying adult; young adults aged 18–25 are £35; and adult tickets start at an early bird price of £39.50, with tier one at £44.50. Keep in mind that while the hub at Market Place Square is open to all ages, some venues are 14+ with an adult and others are 18+ only, so it's worth checking the age limits for the specific stages you want to hit.