As temperatures rise throughout the planet, music lovers and celebration animals don their greatest pageant gear in preparation for days of dancing within the sunshine.
Hastily, foregoing showers and dwelling off of nothing however chips and beer is totally acceptable. In truth, different pageant goers will encourage it.
The foundations of “regular” life disappear at summer time music festivals. Which means no bathing, getting your vitamins, going to work, getting enough sleep, all issues adulting. The liberation brings in crowds of 1000’s 12 months after 12 months.
However a imprecise sense of anarchy isn’t the one factor to like about festivals (neither is the music). With this newfound freedom comes an enhanced sense of group. Everybody within the crowd has come for a purpose so, no matter that purpose could also be, you all have one thing in widespread.
It doesn’t even matter that you just’re coated in sweat and filth.
When deciding which music pageant to attend, the line-up ought to solely be one deciding issue. The vacation spot and vibe of the pageant are simply as essential.
In fact, when you can land a pageant with a badass line-up in an incredible vacation spot, then you definately’ve hit the jackpot.
Undecided the place to start out your search? A few of 2019’s greatest summer time music festivals around the globe are ready for you.
Summer time Music Festivals in Europe
1. Creamfields, Daresbury, UK (August 2019)
For 4 days, the fields of Cheshire are taken over by Creamfields, one of many UK’s hottest festivals. Throughout the realm, beats of digital music resonate as all the things from techno to trance is blasted from the decks on stage.
This pageant is a mecca for lovers of EDM in its many varieties.
A number of the largest artists on the planet, together with Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren and Carl Cox, descend on this pageant to execute immaculate DJ units to the delighted cries of an infinite crowd.
For 2018, the line-up incorporates a staggering variety of world EDM icons, together with Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, and Tiesto. You’ll be able to make sure that Creamfields 2018 goes to be simply as colourful and energetic as its predecessors.
2. Glastonbury, Glastonbury, UK (June 2019)
Certainly, Glastonbury is the only largest occasion within the UK, attracting round 175,000 individuals every year. It’s a cornerstone of British tradition. 12 months after 12 months, the peaceable fields of Glastonbury are hit with waves of festival-goers prepared to observe a number of the world’s largest stars carry out. Previous headliners embrace Beyoncé, Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran and Adele.
Along with the ultra-famous headliners, the pageant additionally pays tributes to unknown artists who’re brimming with potential. Its BBC Introducing stage has jump-started the careers of many well-known British artists who’re killing it on the market right this moment, together with James Bay and Florence and the Machine.
Given the UK’s proclivity for spontaneous downpours (even in the summertime), nevertheless, Glastonbury inevitably turns into a large mud-fest.
However Glastonbury simply wouldn’t really feel proper with out knee-deep mud creeping excessive of your wellies.
Observe that each fifth 12 months (a “fallow 12 months”) there isn’t any Glastonbury pageant as a way to give the native individuals and panorama a break. In, 2019 it will likely be returning with a vengeance!
3. Awakenings, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (June/July 2019)
The self-proclaimed “biggest techno pageant on this planet” returns to Amsterdam this 12 months for an additional weekend of insanity. Over 100 artists from around the globe make up this line-up, which options names like Pan-Pot, Adam Beyer and Len Faki. Awakenings is large—it attracts round 80,000 individuals over the 2 days.
Christian Vollmert of Volle on Tour mentioned this about Awakenings:
Awakenings is ready up in a park with a good looking lake in its center. Every little thing could be very inexperienced, fairly and fairly stress-free, though the music is excessive vitality in distinction.
There are fairly of few exterior dance flooring and a pair massive tents; all the things is ready up with ardour and love—you possibly can actually really feel that. Everybody is absolutely relaxed and there are good vibes throughout.
The DJs are various—some have been within the business for a very long time and a few are fairly new, however the combine is nice!
4. Exit, Novi Unhappy, Serbia (July 2019)
Exit began out as a scholar protest towards the federal government again in 2000. Eighteen years down the road, this occasion is among the greatest music festivals in Europe.
Exit takes place in an iconic fortress in Novi Unhappy, Serbia. It usually features a line-up filled with artists from a variety of genres. All through the three days, count on to listen to hip-hop, EDM, rock, reggae, drum and bass and extra.
This 12 months’s line-up is already wanting fairly spectacular with David Guetta, Ziggy Marley, and Jax Jones performing.
Through the day, festival-goers chill on the town seashore consuming half-price pretzels and having fun with the solar earlier than heading over to the sector within the night. On condition that it’s a smaller pageant, it doesn’t really feel chaotic or claustrophobic. It’s simply full of excellent vibes and good tunes till the solar comes out.
5. Tomorrowland, Increase, Belgium (July 2019)
Tomorrowland is considerably of a pilgrimage for lovers of EDM — 185,000 of them come yearly. Tickets promote out in a matter of minutes.
The entire web site is laid out like a theme park. Tomorrowland itself is the place the music and motion occurs, whereas Dreamville is for tenting and chilling out.
Grace Chen of Lady Gone Wandering mentioned this about Tomorrowland:
Tomorrowland is sort of a Disney miracle for adults who love festivals—particularly adults who love festivals and digital music!
The manufacturing high quality is unparalleled, and the element that goes into designing what’s primarily a theme-park within the grassy fields between Brussels and Antwerp is on par with that of Disneyland.
The spirit and vibe of Tomorrowland feels virtually just like the Olympics. The water and grass on the grounds are stress-free which is in stark comparability to the black tarmac that’s EDC. Tickets are notoriously onerous to come up with however value each penny, so when you’re capable of get your fingers on them, it’s best to!
6. Mysteryland, Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands (August 2019)
If there’s one factor the Dutch know the right way to do, it’s throw an unbelievable pageant—and Mysteryland isn’t any exception. Spanning three days, it is among the longest-running dance festivals on earth.
The décor of the pageant is fairytale-esque, with fairy lights and flowers of all completely different colours giving the entire occasion a distinctly magical really feel. Deep vibrations of drum and bass, techno and home fill the air. These options set the scene for what’s going to captivate the 100,000-person-strong crowd at Mysteryland.
However, Mysteryland isn’t just about music. The pageant additionally places on exhibitions from native artists, spoken phrase occasions and a tiny cinema.
The primary venue is the open air area, however within the surrounding areas are forests with winding paths resulting in secret chill zones with cool facet occasions. Throw warning to the wind and likewise discover the depths of the woodlands—you may be stunned what you discover.
7. Sea Dance, Budva, Montenegro (August 2019)
The aptly named Sea Dance Festival takes locations on the attractive Jaz Seaside, surrounded by mountains. It’s one of the vital scenic festivals on the planet.
In line with legend, the Sea Dance has its roots with historical mariners who would carry out a ceremony to appease Neptune, God of the Seas, earlier than embarking on their voyage. Quick-forward a dozen centuries or so, and the pageant is again with a vengeance—solely this time the mariner chants are changed with worldwide DJs.
Typically, the temperatures soar to the mid-30s when the pageant is on. Which means common dips within the Adriatic Sea are a should. Not the worst method to settle down.
8. Sziget Competition, Sziget Island, Budapest, Hungary (August 2019)
The Sziget Festival is among the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe, as greater than 1,000 performances happen every year.
It’s held in northern Budapest on Óbudai-sziget, a leafy 108-hectare island on the Danube river that divides the Buda and Pest neighborhoods of the town.
Right here’s what Grace Chen of Lady Gone Wandering needed to say:
Sziget Competition, also called the Island of Freedom, is a mixed-genre pageant that takes over Margaret Island in Budapest for a complete week. And after I say a complete week, I imply 24 hours a day for seven days straight. It is among the most extremely anticipated festivals on the continent.
All tickets, that are very moderately priced, embrace tenting passes. Attendees are welcome to arrange their tents actually anyplace on the island. The pageant is uninhibited and, really, something goes.
The primary stage brings in main artists equivalent to Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Alt-J, Pink and Main Lazer, and there’s an enormous stage for all the things from digital music to hip-hop and all the things in between. Meals carts across the venue blast music into the evening, and a few even arrange their very own dance flooring with their very own DJs!
9. Colors of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic (July 2019)
There’s much more to the Czech Republic than Prague. The Colours of Ostrava festival is a one-of-a-kind pageant that caters to simply about each style you might think about. Artists carry out all the things together with blues, pop, jazz, people, digital music and extra for 4 straight days.
No matter sort of music you’re searching for, you’ll discover it Colors of Ostrava.
Veronika Primm of Travel Geekery had a factor or two to say:
Colors of Ostrava is the one pageant of its form in Central Europe. The placement of the pageant is ready in Ostrava’s former mining advanced, Dolní Vítkovice, which, though barely tough across the edges, is an ideal setting for a summer time music pageant!
The vibe is nice—many individuals costume up and there’s superb road meals, stalls of native designers, and, in fact, loads of alcohol. It’s the Czech Republic, in any case!
Though there are sometimes ‘massive title’ artists taking part in (in 2017, Think about Dragons, LP and Norah Jones headlined), there’s sufficient house for everybody. Whether or not you simply need to discover a spot to take a seat down or somewhat place to bounce, you’ll haven’t any drawback.
The already ample program additionally boasts movies, workshops and theater performances. Nobody goes to get bored earlier than the bands begin taking part in within the afternoon!
Upcoming Summer time Music Festivals in Africa
10. Afrikaburn, Tankwa, South Africa (April 2019)
Afrikaburn is the African model of North America’s iconic Burning Man pageant. In contrast to different music festivals, Afrikaburn is participant-led and is the last word expression of freedom and creativity. Certainly, the pageant states that it’s a “no-spectator occasion.”
Everybody who attends ought to get actively concerned with the pageant. On this method, the pageant builds group, and that’s what burns are all about.
Here’s what Kimmie Connor of Adventures and Sunsets needed to say:
Afrikaburn is held within the unforgiving Tankwa Karoo desert of South Africa on the finish of every April—and it’s no regular summer time music pageant. Afrikaburn is held underneath the identical 10 ideas of Burning Man and, at 14,000 individuals, is definitely the most important of dozens of ‘regional burns’ all around the world.
There isn’t a cash at these gatherings, and you have to carry all the things it’s good to camp, eat and drink for the entire week. There isn’t a firm working the present; every individual, group or camp of individuals brings what they should survive in addition to a sure contribution or present to the group.
Some camps carry music levels, DJs and manufacturing; some camps serve champagne every evening or espresso every morning; others have yoga lessons or face portray; some individuals create unbelievable artwork installations or assist to set issues up, and a few merely have good locations to hang around.
Every little thing is free as a result of individuals perceive that you just’re additionally gifting no matter you possibly can contribute.
11. Sandbox, El Gouna, Egypt (Could 2019)
Neglect the Pyramids. When you’re visiting Egypt in Could then it’s going to be all about Sandbox. This pageant takes place in El Gouna, on Egypt’s shimmering shoreline with the ocean on one facet and the desert on the opposite. Within the unforgiving Egyptian warmth, there’s nothing to do however embrace your sweat and likewise dance like a lunatic from nightfall till daybreak.
This pageant doesn’t have one million DJs packing out the line-up—it sells itself as being extra intimate than that.
Nevertheless, what the pageant would possibly lack in amount it greater than makes up for with high quality. Add the glowing seawater—which you’ll leap in to chill off—and also you’ve acquired your self a reasonably superior pageant idea in what also can simply be described as an Egyptian paradise.
Summer time Music Festivals in North America
12. Coachella, Indio, California (April 2019)
Until you’ve been dwelling underneath a rock for the final decade or so, you should have heard of Coachella. Of all of the upcoming festivals in 2018, Coachella has the most important hype.
Yearly, Instagram fills up with photographs of ladies toting hotpants with daisy chains round their heads basking within the California sunshine. In the meantime, a number of the hottest artists on this planet carry out for them.
Earlier headliners embrace Girl Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Drake, The Weeknd, Gorillaz and Kanye West. However 2018 topped all of them when Queen Bee, a.okay.a Beyoncé took the stage. Essentially the most elite worldwide superstars get the highest slot at Coachella, however, it’s not simply the line-up that sells out tickets in a heartbeat.
For the 2 weekends of the Coachella pageant, individuals rework into free spirits who love nothing greater than good tunes and the great individuals of the pageant group. Everybody loves one another and everyone seems to be pleased. That’s what music festivals are all about.
13. Electrical Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas, Nevada (Could 2019)
Underneath the relentless solar of Nevada is the Electric Daisy Carnival—often called EDC by these within the know. By attendance (round 400,000 over the three days), this is among the largest EDM festivals on this planet. And the vitality can also be electrical (pun supposed).
Relating to placing on a present, this pageant actually goes all out. The pyrotechnics alone are sufficient to make your jaw hit the ground. Every of the eight levels has its personal theme, they usually every mix cutting-edge expertise with their pure settings to create distinctive spectacles.
A part of what makes this summer time music pageant stand out is its on-site carnival—assumedly what provides EDC its title. Right here, you can see conventional carny video games, cotton sweet and different carnival treats. There are even just a few rides so that you can go on when you can abdomen it after all of the booze and sweet!
14. Electrical Forest, Grant Township, Michigan (June 2019)
Nestled within the woodlands of Rothbury, Michigan, the Electric Forest Festival has a dreamlike setting with lush forests that unfold out to the horizon. On the middle, there’s a clearing, and it’s right here that the magic occurs.
Happening over the course of two weekends, the occasion is greater than only a pageant.
This summer time pageant is a social experiment exploring the notion of “group.” Free spirits collect collectively and fill the forest with artwork installations and music performances.
A number of the extra thrilling components of the pageant embrace an enormous indoor water park, workshops and competitions, and the odd log cabin wherein to sleep. Gentle shows are additionally a deal with.
If you’d like a pageant with a chilled-out vibe and a number of optimistic vitality, then it’s best to significantly take into account going to Electrical Forest.
15. Bonnaroo, Manchester, Tennessee (June 2019)
Dubbed one of many wildest and greatest summer time music festivals on this planet by pageant junkies, Bonnaroo is paying homage to the Woodstock glory days however with much more range.
Those that’ve gone earlier than will assure that the line-up is world class. However it’s all the opposite stuff that makes this pageant value each cent of the ticket value.
The campsites are gathered collectively in plazas, which turn into communal areas for individuals to hang around and become involved in actions. Stroll via the grounds and also you’ll see ad-hoc yoga, meditation lessons and even artwork workshops.
On high of all that, the pageant sports activities gourmand meals vehicles, comedy performances and snazzy artwork installations you possibly can try if you want a break from dancing. Employees cater to each buyer at this huge mega-festival.
16. Burning Man, Black Rock Desert, Nevada (Aug/Sept 2019)
Of all of the upcoming music festivals of 2018, nothing piques individuals’s curiosity fairly like Burning Man.
Since 1986, the long-lasting Burning Man Competition has drawn in probably the most eclectic and likewise anarchic crowds of any pageant on this planet.
Folks put up a short lived metropolis in the midst of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Then additionally they dismantle it when it’s over. It leaves no hint of what was one of many world’s craziest occasions.
Attending Burning Man may be probably the most liberating expertise of your life.
The pageant has 10 ideas by which it expects its attendees to dwell. These embrace self-reliance, self-expression and group cooperation. For hardcore pageant goers, getting the possibility to go to Burning Man is the equal of reaching Nirvana.
There’s all the time lineup of artists acting at Burning Man. However that’s virtually a side-event in contrast with the group the “burners” construct. For a lot of, Burning Man is greater than only a pageant—it’s a lifestyle.
Upcoming Music Festivals in Asia
17. Extremely Music Competition, Singapore, Singapore (June 2019)
Extremely Singapore is a excessive manufacturing pageant. It brings the highest EDM DJs from around the globe to its quite a few levels. Afrojack, Pendulum and Skrillex have all graced the pageant earlier than. And the 2018 line-up is more likely to be equally spectacular. You should purchase tickets as single day passes or entry passes for the entire two days of the summer time music pageant.
Here’s what Dave Jones of Jones Around the World needed to say about Extremely:
Anybody inquisitive about digital music has, indisputably, heard about Ultra Music Festival. It dominates the pageant scene around the globe.
Their ‘Street to Extremely’ sequence affords worldwide partiers the possibility to expertise one in all their extraordinarily well-produced occasions in international locations all around the world.
Extremely has contracts with a number of the world’s greatest DJs, and I doubt an Extremely Singapore lineup would ever disappoint anybody—the town itself is among the most stunning locations I’ve ever visited.
If Extremely in Singapore acquired your consideration then you definately would possibly need to try Extremely in South Korea and even Croatia and past. Persevering with the model’s fame of placing on the most effective music festivals on this planet, their occasions completely rock.
18. Rainforest, Sarawak, Malaysia (July 2019)
Of all of the pageant venues on this planet, the rainforest of Borneo would possibly simply be the most effective. The aptly named Rainforest Festival embraces every kind of music for each nook of the globe. As a substitute of DJ after DJ, you’ll get indigenous panpipe bands or drumming troupes from the Solomon Islands or string ensembles from Poland. It’s a reasonably wild experience.
The range and variety of this summer time music pageant is what makes it so particular. That and the truth that you’re inside just a few toes of dense pristine rainforest.
The tranquility of the environment and the graceful rhythms emanating from the stage mix to create an environment of full and unmitigated serenity. This can be a pageant for those that need to loosen up whereas they immerse themselves in music.
Need to rave onerous till the early hours or sway to mellow tunes within the sunshine? The proper pageant awaits you someplace on this planet. Peruse our checklist. E book your tickets. And take your summer time to the following stage with a pageant expertise you’ll bear in mind ceaselessly.
Which of those upcoming summer time music festivals are you raging at this 12 months? Tell us within the feedback under!
READ NEXT:
