Rob da Bank's Bestival wins best major festival award

  • Published
Bestival festival-goerImage source, Victor Frankowski
Image caption,

The Isle of Wight event had a fancy dress parade this year with a wildlife theme

Bestival has won the top prize at this year's Festival Awards.

The annual event, held on the Isle of Wight and organised by Radio 1's Rob da Bank, was voted best major festival.

On Twitter, the DJ said: "A 1000 thanks to all who voted for @bestival to win Major UK festi. we did it! sadly i was lying in bed ill but yes!"

Festival No. 6, launched this year in Portmeirion, won three prizes including best new festival, headline performance of the year and promoter of the year.

'Turbulent times'

Bestival won the best major festival award in 2010 with Glastonbury taking the title last year.

Despite being nominated for five awards, Radio 1's Hackney Weekend didn't win anything.

Steve Jenner, Festival Awards co-founder, said: "It is pleasing to see so many first-time category winners breaking through this year and indicative of the dynamic movements in the market at this time.

"Much more than winning gongs, though, the Festival Awards are about celebrating and uniting the UK festival industry which, in these turbulent times, is more vital than ever."

Other winners at the London ceremony included Download (Line-up), Latitude (Family) and Green Man (Grass roots).

Cambridge's Lodestar festival won the honour of having the best toilets.

Django Django's Default was voted anthem of the summer and Jake Bugg was the breakthrough act.

Live Nation's chief operating officer, John Probyn, also picked up a lifetime achievement award.

Image source, Victor Frankowski
Image caption,

Bestival 2012 was headlined by Florence + the Machine and Stevie Wonder

The Festival Awards 2012 in full:

Best major festival: Bestival

Best medium-sized festival: Bloodstock Open Air Festival

Best small festival: Y Not Festival

Best new festival: Festival No.6

Best dance event: GlobalGathering

Best metropolitan festival: Camden Crawl

Best line-up: Download

Best family festival: Latitude

The grass roots festival award: Green Man

Best toilets: Lodestar

Best overseas festival: Benicassim (Spain)

Agency of the year: William Morris

Promoter of the year: Gareth Cooper (Festival No. 6, Beach Break, Lollibop)

Headline performance of the year: New Order at Festival No. 6

Best breakthrough act: Jake Bugg

Anthem of the summer: Django Django's Default

The extra-festival activity award: Live From Jodrell Bank

Concession of the year: Paelleria

The greener festival award: Croissant Neuf Summer Party

Lifetime achievement award: John Probyn

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, external

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.