European Festival Guide 2019

European Festival Guide 2019

What’s not to love about European music festivals? You get to see international DJs and live acts, and get a holiday out of it too – it’s the best of both worlds! From beachside blow-outs to inner city raves, Europe is home to a huge range of truly spectacular music festivals; here are some of the best ones that’re taking place this year.
 

Field Day Festival

7^th - 8^th June, London, United Kingdom

After spending a decade in the East, Field Day ventured south (to Brockwell Park) in 2018. This year, it’s moved north, to Meridian Water. Setting up shop in The Drumsheds, a former gas works next to Tottenham Marshes, 2019 has been hailed as a ‘new chapter’ for one of London’s hippest festivals. UK grime artist Skepta and BRIT Award nominee Jorja Smith are headlining; Jungle, Diplo, Pusha T, Seth Troxler and Sinkane all feature on the line-up too. And for the first time ever, Field Day are hosting their own after parties to keep spirits (and festival-goers) up until 3am on both nights.  

 

Meadows in the Mountains

6^th - 9^th June, Rhodopes Mountains, Bulgaria

Set against a breath-taking mountainside backdrop in the village of Polkovnik Serafimovo, this unique festival offers a real sense of escape. The music is diverse, with a programme of (largely) independent acts. Andrew James Gustav, Bradley Zero and Rafael Da Cruz are amongst those making an appearance this year. There’s a wellness area offering yoga classes and wellbeing workshops too, though one of the festival’s biggest draws has to be the setting. There’re forests, gorges, rivers and caves to explore, and most revellers stay up all night just to watch the sun rise from behind the mountains.
These guys get extra bonus points for their ethics; the site is completely plastic-free, and the festival maintains a good relationship with the local community. Every year the village choir is invited to perform, and guests can even stay with locals.

 

INmusic Festival

24^th - 26^th June, Zagreb, Croatia

As the biggest open-air festival in Croatia (and one of the best-loved live music events in the country), INmusic attracts some of the world’s biggest acts. Located in Jarun park, just west of Zagreb’s city centre, this three-day festival takes place beside a beautiful man-made lake. Festival goers are welcome to camp (for up to eight days), though day tickets are also available. There’s a leaning towards rock and indie, but there are plenty of activities and after parties on offer to keep everyone happy. The line-up this year includes legends like The Cure, Suede and Johnny Marr, as well as up-and-coming indie favourites such as Black Honey and Super Besse.

 

Rock in Roma

23^rd June - 7^th September, Rome, Italy

Since it began back in 2002, Rock in Roma has quickly become one of the biggest music events in the European festival calendar. There are over 30 concerts scheduled to take place across four venues over the summer, with the bulk of them happening in July. In June, electronic pioneers Kraftwerk will be performing at the Roman Theatre of Ostia; James Blake and Thirty Seconds to Mars make an appearance in July, and Italian pop group Thegiornalisti (The Journalists) wrap things up in September.




 

Mad Cool

11^th - 13^th July, Madrid, Spain

Despite its relative newness, Mad Cool has managed to attract some huge names so far, and 2019 is no exception. Now in its fourth year, the 2019 line-up features a roster of rock, indie and electronic icons; Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, The Chemical Brother and Iggy Pop are all set to perform – and that’s just on the Thursday. Other big names include The National, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Years & Years, Johnny Marr and Jorja Smith. And alongside their (let’s be honest) epic line-up, there’s a welcome party to kick-off proceedings on the Wednesday. There’s no camping area at the festival, but there are plenty of accommodation options nearby – including Generator Madrid.

 

Sziget

7^th - 13^th August 2019, Budapest, Hungary

Hungary’s Sziget Festival began as a small student event way back in 1993, but has grown over the years to become one of the largest music and cultural events in Europe. Held on Óbudai-sziget island (or Old Buda Island) in the Danube, this week-long festival always has a good mix of arena-filling and lesser-known names on the bill. This year, Sziget will welcome the Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran, Florence and the Machine, the 1975, Johnny Marr and Richard Ashcroft, as well as indie favourites Chvrches, Yeasayer and Idles. On top of this, the festival boasts an impressive performing arts line-up, featuring circus, comedy and theatre from all over the world. The festival even hosts its own boat parties too, where guests can discover the city of Budapest in the most unique way.

 

Rock en Seine

23^rd - 25^th August 2019, Paris, France
Set in a gorgeous sixteenth-century park (the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud), Rock en Seine is one of the largest festivals in France. The line-up always includes a mix of genres, though it pays special attention to rock, indie, electronic, pop and hip-hop. The Cure, Johnny Marr and Jorja Smith are all stopping off at Rock en Seine this year; Aphex Twin, Royal Blood and Foals will also be there. And don’t expect the usual fare where food is concerned; it offers what has to be the crème de la crème of festival grub.

 

Lollapalooza Berlin

7^th - 8^th September, Berlin, Germany
When Chicago’s Lollapalooza first came to Europe, it made a beeline for Berlin. At the time, festival founder Perry Farrell said that ‘Berlin’s energy, vibrant art, fashion and music scene are a mirror reflection of what Lollapalooza is all about.’ Five years and two European expansions later (there’re Lollapaloozas in Paris and Stockholm now too), the festival is still going strong. Celebrating international and national talent, the line-up is always impressive. Kings of Leon, Swedish House Mafia and Rita Ora are some of the bigger names performing this year, but there’re also up-and-coming acts to enjoy, as well as a plethora of activities (fun fair, anyone?) to sink your teeth into.

Festivals are a great way to switch up your usual summer holiday, and Europe is home to some of the best festivals in the world. So whether you book a stay at Generator or pitch a tent and camp on-site, be sure to tick a few of them off your list in the coming years!