Thinking about attending one of Europe’s now infamous music festivals as part or even the sole purpose of your vacation this summer? You’re not alone. Millions of Europeans will travel across both the UK and the continent in search of the musical paradise that embodies the right type of musical genre and atmosphere for their tastes. You can use a music festival as a great excuse to take a weekend trip over to Edinburgh or maybe Sussex, mingling with thousands of similarly music-hungry Brits along with people from all over the world. If you have a bit more time on your hands, you can opt to make the expedition to the perfect music festival that is a bit farther away into an entire trip itself, visiting the host country and surrounding cities to really get a feel for the region and the festival.
With so many great festivals, how can you choose which is right for you?
It is like going into a shop filled with dozens of varieties of your favorite sweet, only to be told you must choose only one. Choosing where to dedicate your time and monetary resources this summer, though, doesn’t need to be stressful. First think about how far you would like to travel from home – there are plenty of awesome music festivals throughout the UK if you aren’t able to go abroad. If you are looking for a longer and more exploratory music festival experience, start by cutting down the options by either music genre or geographical region. From there, you can look at travel costs, event ticket/package pricing, accommodation types and pricing, and other similar details. After you have finally made the decision, you can begin choosing the fun details of the trip or weekend getaway: What bands will you see? Who will you meet up with? Are there any food or drink specialities you have been dying to try from the area? Don’t be afraid to go all out – you want to make the most of your experience at whatever music festival you choose!
Not-to-Miss Music Festivals in the British Isles
There will be dozens of music fests in Britain this summer. See a taste of what’s on offering:
- Bestival (September 4-7, 2014) at Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight
Bestival (see video) is one of the UK’s best known summer music fests and with good reason. It welcomes bands big and small to several different venues in what they are calling this year a Desert Island Disco. This is a not to miss event if you would like to see headliners like Outkast or Beck while escaping the big city.
- BoomTown (August 7-10, 2014) at Matterley Estate, Winchester
This music fest is as eclectic as they come. The organizers behind the event aspire to create Britain’s “maddest city” for a few days, designating different areas of the event to various cultural themes like Barrio Loco, with burritos and saundry latin music, and Mayfair Avenue, with a faux stock exchange and a full-on swing dancing area. The music is similarly off the wall but still in the electronic genre. You probably won’t spot anyone famous at this fest, but you are sure to witness the unbelievable and be endlessly entertained.
Unbeatable Music Festivals throughout Europe
Like last year, there will be hundreds of music festivals sprinkled throughout Europe this summer. Envision your 2014 vacation options by checking out this small sampling of European music festivals in 2014 for ideas on how you can spend your vacation this year:
- Sonar (June 12-14, 2014) in Barcelona, Spain
Sonar (see video) is a huge bash on the coast of Spain that is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year with big headliners like Caribou and Rudimental. This is a great festival because it allows you to explore the breathtaking city of Barcelona while mingling with hundreds of thousands of similarly-minded music fans in decked out venues of every type. You don’t want to miss this music festival in 2014.
- Sziget (August 11-18, 2014) in Budapest, Hungary
Sziget has made quite the name for itself in Central and Eastern Europe, now spreading in popularity throughout the world for its easy-going atmosphere and great location on an island in the heart of Budapest. See electro and rock hits while soaking up the hangover with an unforgettable Hungarian langos and a view of the stunning city as your bakdrop.
Win a Sziget Holiday by checking this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21RLyvThMXc
- Exit (July 10-13, 2014) in Novi Sad, Serbia
Exit festival has also been getting bigger and bigger, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year with an extension of the typical events held at the ancient castle of Novi Sad with more shows and entertainment on the coast in Montenegro! This is the biggest music fest in the Balkans and you can definitely see the cultural influence of the region and its partygoers at this incredible music fest.
If these music festivals throughout the UK and Europe have tickled your interest, check out the details and buy tickets for the above mentioned parties and more on the web at the events’ official webpages. Don’t stress over your choices too much – you are sure to have an incredible experience at whatever music festival in 2014 you go to!
