LIDO Festival, London Victoria Park 2025 experience

On June 14, myself and many Charli XCX fans made our way to London’s Victoria Park ready for a day out at LIDO Festival. 

The event is a new addition to the London festival scene and for a first-timer like me, this made it all the more special and exciting. 

I spent my morning getting ready with a friend, listening to Charli on a speaker and excitedly chattering about the day ahead of us. 

Once we’d donned our festival outfits and met up with more friends in London, we hopped on a bus over to Vicky Park. 

The process of getting into the festival was quick (Image: Newsquest) I couldn’t help myself but watch the people we drove past, trying to spot fellow festival-goers – some of whom made it very easy for me by wearing the iconic brat album green. 

Once we were off the bus and through the gates of the park, the excitement really set in. 

We took the opportunity to snap some pictures in the ticket queues before we were scanned in and let to roam around the grounds. 

Our first visit of the day was to see 070 Shake on the Main Stage at 4.35pm.

The first thing I noticed was the vibration of the live music as the sun shone down on us, with Cocoon being one of the songs performed. 

070 Shake was great live on the main stage (Image: Newsquest) The moodiness of the song contrasted perfectly with the heat of the sun, making the whole experience completely surreal and almost as if we were in a daydream.

As a whole, the set exuded a trance-like vibe across the crowd, which became more energized when 070 Shake transitioned into performing Ghost Town. 

We returned to the Main Stage a short while later to see The Japanese House. 

Countless hands were thrown in the air when Sunshine Baby was played, with people swaying as far as the eye could see. 

We grabbed a drink before heading to see The Japanese House perform (Image: Newsquest) After all that dancing and singing we were in need of some food, so my friend and I split off from the group to scout out what was on offer. 

There was a huge range from hot dogs, Mexican burritos and Korean fried chicken. 

We opted for the curly fries and a burger from VFC (Vegan Fried ‘Chicken’), which proved to perfectly satisfy our appetites. 

We had a while to wait before Charli came on and spent our time taking photos and exploring The Club, before settling down on the grass at the Main Stage. 

We took pictures on digital cameras whilst in the crowds (Image: Kaitlin T) As a group we debated about which song she would open with and before we knew it, the stage lit up as the sun set. 

When the 365 remix blasted across the park from the stage, we couldn’t contain our excitement any longer and joined the thousands of fans around us screaming. 

I have never been in a crowd so huge and my face soon began to hurt from smiling so much. 

All around me, friends were taking pictures, dancing and people were popping up on shoulders. 

The vibes were unprecedented and it truly felt as though summer had been welcomed in by the pop icon at LIDO. 

READ MORE: I had an unforgettable dinner at one of east London’s buzziest new spots

Charli’s stage presence was incredible and seeing her live was better than I could have ever imagined, especially when Amelia Dimoldenberg was the surprise Apple dancer. 

I came home giddy from the music and memories made, still in shock from the live talent.

LIDO is well-worth the visit and was the perfect first festival experience.