Feeling The Cold? Here Are 11 Music Festivals Abroad To Get You in The Summer Mood

Did you have to wipe the ice from your car this morning? Are you wearing two pairs of socks every day? And are you currently experiencing your third cold of the month?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions, this post is for you. Having something to get excited about is absolutely necessary to get you through these dark, dreary mornings, and to stop you from calling in sick for the next few months. 

Treat yo’self and book yourself a holiday filled with good vibes, great weather and the best music the world has to offer.

1. Exit, Serbia 

Exit is a multi award-winning summer music festival, held annually at the Petrovaradin Fortress in the city of Novi Sad (Serbia), which is considered by many as one of the best festival venues in the world.

Exit is unique in the festival world as it started as a student movement fighting for peace and democracy in Serbia and the Balkans. Even today, Exit has a strong social mission to help youth in the Balkans and it’s run by a non-profit organisation.

This year, Exit has been named Best European Summer Music Festival for 2016 by European Best Destinations, so you know it’s definitely worth the trip over.

2. Secret Garden Party, England

The Secret Garden Party (or SGP) is an annual independent arts and music festival which takes place in Abbots Ripton near Huntingdon in England. The festival was launched by Fred Fellowes in 2004 as an alternative to the established mainstream music festivals. Since its inception the festival has increased in popularity and size, and has grown from one stage and 1,000 visitors in 2004, to more than 15 stages and 26,000 party people in 2011.

The Secret Garden Party supports The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), which aims to prevent male suicide in the United Kingdom.

And with a motto like ‘this is a serious party’, you know it’s the real deal.

3. Sziget, Hungary

Sziget is one of the biggest multicultural events of Europe and it celebrates its 22nd birthday this year.

The festival attracts almost 400,000 fans from all over the world to a beautiful island in the heart of Budapest, providing a complete festival-holiday experience with an actual non-stop party, unbelievable live concerts, a widely international community and all the classic touristic features the city has to offer.

Sziget goes on for 7 full days and nights, and at a price tag of €249, you’re getting quite the deal. 

4. Colours of Ostrava, Czech Republic

Colours of Ostrava, or simply Colours, is a multi-genre music festival held annually in the city of Ostrava. Since 2012, the event is being held in the incredible surroundings of Dolní Vítkovice – the site of former blast furnaces, mines and ironworks.
 
The festival has brought a number of impressive headliners to Ostrava over the years including Alanis Morissette, Cranberries, Sinéad O´Connor, Bobby McFerrin, Jamie Cullum, Janelle Monáe, The Flaming Lips, as well as Animal Collective. This year is no different with some of top names in jazz, world music, rock and pop like Tame Impala, Kodaline and The Vaccines all appearing.

Colours features 16 stages including four big open-air stages (the main stage of which has capacity of 15,000 people), six indoor stages, a theatre stage, a workshop stage, a kids stage, a cinema and live discussions.

5. Iceland Airwaves, Iceland

Since the first festival was held in 1999 (in an airplane hangar, edgy), Iceland Airwaves has become one of the premier annual showcases for new music worldwide.

The festival spans five days (from Wednesday to Sunday) and its main focus is showcasing new music, both Icelandic and international. It’s gained an enormous amount of momentum since its inception, impressing music heads the world over. E.g.: Rolling Stone magazine called it ”the hippest long weekend on the annual music-festival calendar” . 

Not too shabby.

6. Soundwave, Croatia

Organised by one of London’s top promoters, Rob Waller/Soundcrash, along with one of the managing directors and curators of Outlook & Dimensions Festivals, Soundwave is your opportunity to experience a music festival on the beautiful Croatian coast. 

This “unique European boutique festival” has a very loyal following, with many revellers returning year after year; a third of tickets are snapped up before any artists are even announced, and the festival is always fully and totally sold out beforehand.
 
Soundwave is a perfect choice if you’re just after a long weekend festival event in Europe, although there’s also a great opportunity for you to combine it with a holiday along Croatia’s stunning coastline.

7. Roskilde, Denmark

Roskilde Festival is an annual week-long international cultural event offering ”quality experiences based on modern music and creative kinship”, or in layman’s terms: good tunes and love buzzes. 

The Roskilde Festival is Denmark’s first music-oriented festival created for hippies. Up until recently, it was only Scandinavians who got involved in the shenanigans, but fun-seekers from all over the world have started going as of late, and of course have been welcomed with open arms.

And if that doesn’t convince you, then listen to this: all profits from Roskilde Festival are donated to humanitarian and cultural work. Now you have to go.

8. Bestival, Isle Of Wight

Bestival is an award winning four-day boutique music festival which takes place every September at Robin Hill Country Park, on the Isle Of Wight.

The wonderful world of Bestival was born out of 10 years of pioneering music events and record releases from Rob da Bank’s Sunday Best empire. The Radio 1 DJ had a dream to one day create his vision of how the modern day festival should be, and along with Creative Director and wife Josie da Bank and co founders/partners John and Ziggy from Get Involved that dream is now fulfilled. 

The line up this year includes huge names such as The Cure, Major Lazer, Hot Chip and Bicep, as well as some spectacular looking parades and incredible food tents, to name a few.

9. Donauinselfest Festival, Austria

The Donauinselfest (it’s German for Danube Island Festival) is an open-air free music festival taking place annually at Donauinsel in Vienna, Austria. It usually takes place between the middle and the end of June. 
 
The Donauinselfest is Europe’s biggest open air event, soon expected to reach the staggering three million visitors mark. Some 1,500 volunteer assistants and visible police presence help make the Donauinselfest one of the most secure big events.

10. Bout du Monde Festival, France

The Festival du Bout du Monde is run during August and has always succeeded in attracting a truly cosmopolitan crowd. 

The music is remarkable and the location is fantastic. Situated at the very heart of the Parc Naturel Régional d’Armorique, with stunning views of the Breton coastline for backdrop and in the shade of pretty little houses scattered amongst the grasslands of Landrevarzec, this music festival is a must for lovers of world music. 

11. Mandrea Music Festival, Italy

Mandrea Music Festival takes place in a beautiful hidden valley in the foothills of the Dolomites above Lake Garda, Italy, and is now in its fifth year. It celebrates great music from all around the world, think everything from reggae to African to dubstep and everything in between.

Around it you can hike, mountain bike and rock climb, but the festival itself offers plenty of distractions, including a cinema, mini-skate park and performance workshops, while the sound systems boom in the background.

The festival spreads over five days of activities, amazing Italian food and sensational music. Now that sounds like a festival absolutely anyone could get into.

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