The weekend’s glorious weather has put us in mind of Festival Season, those long, lazy summer days and beat-filled, warm nights under the stars. Here’s our line-up of the best music festivals in the UK and around the world.
Bestival – Isle of Wight, England
Rob da Bank’s vision of the modern music festival is family-friendly, laid back and fun. It comes with kudos too; it was voted best major festival last year. For four days in September (8-11) a leafy park on the Isle of Wight will host the likes of The Cure, PJ Harvey, Village People and The Maccabees. Quirky tents (Dressing Up Tent, Baby Temple and the Big Love Inflatable Church) add to the magic on the shores of the Solent.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Southampton | www.bestival.net
T in the Park – Kinross, Scotland
A disused airfield in Balado might not sound like the most likely venue for a major music festival, but this green space near Kinross will fill up nicely in July when revellers congregate to hear the Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Foo Fighters and Blink-182. The giant Ferris wheel and dodgems add to the fun of this fair. This year’s festival will run from 7 to 11 July, the 18th T in the Park.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Glasgow | www.tinthepark.com
Roskilde Festival – Roskilde, Denmark
One of the biggest music festivals in Europe, Roskilde is up there with Glastonbury. It’s up there with Glasto too for its mudbath reputation. Unsurprisingly, for Denmark, the vibe is hippyish, liberal and happy. Well, Roskilde has been going since 1971. This year’s musical menu includes hip-hop, drum’n’bass, death metal, alternative folk-rock, urban, glam, folk and electronic pop and punk rock. This year’s festival runs from 30 June to 3 July.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Copenhagen | www.roskilde-festival.dk
Festival Internacional de Benicàssim – Benicàssim, Spain
Take music and beautiful beaches, and you’ve got Benicàssim International Festival. Although Benicàssim is typically known as a rock, electronic and pop event, there are plenty of other things to do and see at the festival, including theatre, short films and fashion shows. FIB is for night owls only; performances typically start at 5pm and end at 8 the following morning. This year’s line-up (14-17 July) includes Arcade Fire, the Arctic Monkeys, Mumford & Sons, Portishead and The Strokes.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Valencia | www.fiberfib.com
Rock im Park / Rock am Ring – Nuremberg and Nürburg, Germany
This three-day rock festival (3-5 June) is the largest music festival in Germany and divides itself between two cities; Nuremberg and Nürburg. Both festivals take place simultaneously and all musicians (including the Kings of Leon, Coldplay and The Kooks this year) appear at both venues.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Nuremberg or cheap flights to Cologne | www.rock-im-park.com
Soundwave Music Festival – Petrcane, Croatia
Soundwave (22-24 July) is quirky and sunny, located in a fishing village on the beautiful Dalmatian coast. Singing by the Adriatic Sea this year will be Roots Manuva, Zero 7 and Little Dragon among many others. An amphitheatre for the live acts, a beachside terrace for dancing and a nightclub that welcomes 600 revellers all promise a perfect festival.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Zadar | www.soundwavecroatia.com
Sziget Fesztivál – Budapest, Hungary
Originally, Sziget was a Hungarian music event created to boost the summer festival scene after the fall of Communism. Now, between 8 and 15 August, you’ll find a stage for all genres, including blues, jazz, rock and world music. Pulp, Chemical Brothers, Dizzee Rascal, The National and Hurts will play this year. Conveniently located on an island in the centre of Budapest, day trips into the city are a great way to add to the Sziget experience.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Budapest | www.szigetfest.co.uk
Montreal International Jazz Festival – Montreal, Canada
Now in its 32nd year, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal is renowned around the world. Running from 25 June to 4 July, Robert Plant, Bruce Cockburn, Diana Krall, Sade, Youssou N’Dour and Madeleine Peyroux are just some of the stellar names. Situated in the heart of the city, the big names will play at a variety of venues from small to massive and the city streets are given over to the soothing sounds of jazz.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Montreal | www.montrealjazzfest.com
Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival – Indio, California
In the beautiful Indio Valley, Coachella has emerged as the must-go-to festival for musicians and music lovers. It’s a star-studded bash, frequented by celebrities who rival the bands for exposure in the gossip pages. This year’s festival is imminent – 15-17 April – and its line-up reads like a who’s who of the music industry with Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire and The Strokes at the top of the list.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Palm Springs | coachella.com
Summer Sonic Festival – Osaka and Tokyo, Japan
This relatively new festival has quickly become one of Japan’s greatest musical events. Summer Sonic attracts a mix of local musicians and international rock stars, all representing diverse genres of music, anywhere from Deep Purple to Lady Gaga. This two-day event (13 and 14 August) is split between Osaka and Tokyo. This year, X Japan, Maximum the Hormone and One Ok Rock will be joined by international heavyweights Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Strokes and Beady Eye.
Search and compare: cheap flights to Tokyo or cheap flights to Osaka | www.summersonic.com
(Images: Bestival – prusakolep / Mike Mantin; Benicassim – shaunjones_72; Montreal – Surimage)
