Thursday 6th September 2012 by Michael Holder

Tags: Bestival

Bestival kicks off tomorrow (Friday 6 September) with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Florence and the Machine, The xx, Sigur Ros and New Order all set to play during what promises to be a sun-drenched weekend.

But aside from the music, perhaps the most famous tradition at Bestival is the annual fancy dress theme, which this year is wildlife. Past themes have included outer space, under the sea and fantasy, with festival-goers constantly trying to out-do each other by wearing increasingly flamboyant costumes.

In 2010, Bestival even set the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people in fancy dress at one event, with 55,000 wearing their own interpretations of that year's fantasy theme.

Here, as a tribute to Bestival's dressing-up tradition, Gigwise has compiled some of the best costumes at the event over the years. Who knows, if you're heading to the Isle of Wight this weekend, it may even help give you some ideas...