Because sometimes a field or sports stadium just doesn’t cut it….
One of the best things about festivals is cutting yourself off from all forms of reality… Your own temporary bubble where all that matters are friends, fun and filling yourself up with the best new music possible. A truly unique location can really enhance that temporary reality even more. From volcanoes to vineyards, here are eight of the most unique festival locations you should add to your party bucket-list.
An Island
Where? Sziget Festival, Budapest, Hungary
When? August 10-17
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Sziget Festival, known to Sziget fans as ‘the Island of Freedom’, is held on Óbuda Island, surrounded by the Danube River in the heart of Budapest. Not only is the location of this festival enticingly beautiful, but also the art instillations are fantastic and represent the importance of freedom. Unlike most events that stretch to four or five days, Sziget is a whole week long! This year’s guests include Wilkinson, Dillon Francis, Excision, Boys Noize and loads more. Passes start at 235 Euros. (Image: Sziget website)
A Volcano
Where? Secret Solstice, Reykjavik, Iceland
When? June 16-19
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Secret Solstice festival is a three-day event, taking place during the summer solstice in Reykjavik. Yes, that means three days of daylight to experience a beautiful music festival in Iceland. Some incredible talent has been announced for Secret Solstice such as Radiohead, Jamie Jones, Skream and Art Department.
If the three days of sunlight aren’t quite enough for you, here’s another illustrious addition: a party 400ft down inside a volcano. A world first; no public performance has ever been held in a magma chamber of a volcano before. The $1970 tickets for the 20-cap super-exclusive side-party to the main event are now sold out and the artist has yet to be revealed for this hot-ticket. But it’s baller from the off…. You get picked up by helicopter for the event!
Secret Solstice aren’t shy of exclusives. Last year they became the first event to host a party in a glacier and they’re also the first even to offer VVVVVIP tickets for a milli! (Image: Secret Solstice website)
The Arctic Circle
Where? Trænafestivalen, Træna, Norway
When? July 7-10
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Træna Festival is located on one of the most remote and oldest municipalities in northern Norway. The only way to get to the location – which comprises over a thousand of tiny islands – is by boat. The festival is known for its caves and church with blacked out windows to block the 23-hour long midnight sun. Apparently the whole 500-strong population gets involved in this event with all manner of arts, installations and gourmet food to complement the largely techno and leftfield electronica line-up. The word unique is thrown around all too readily these days, but this one really does live up to the title… It’s like completely leaving civilization and escaping reality for a weekend. (Image: Træna Festival Facebook)
A Transylvanian Castle
Where? Electric Castle, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
When? July 14-17
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No, not Dracula’s castle… This one is called Bánffy Castle, but its past is just as rich and goes back to the beginning of the 1300s. Serious history has gone down in this raving location! Electric Castle has developed some cool history, too… Launching in 2013 it’s been home to some seriously big headliners from The Prodigy to Rudimental to Feed Me to Morcheba. This year is no exception with Skrillex, Rusko, Camo & Krooked, Gorgon City and Icicle just to name a few. Ticket prices start at around $92 USD per person. Sounds a bit ridiculous next to the price tag of some American festivals. (Image: Electric Castle Facebook)
An Irish Castle
Where? Castlepalooza, Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Ireland
When? July 1-3
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Another beautiful castle location. This one’s slap bang in the centre of Ireland, tucked away in the country’s oldest woolands. While the castle itself is 17th century, the grounds’ use date back to an ancient monastery in the sixth century. According the site’s blurb, when Charleville Castle was built it started a craze of castle builds across Ireland and was visited by original hipster Lord Byron… Now you can visit it too and check out the likes of Jurassic Five, Caribou and Prins Thomas while you’re there. Ticket holders have access to the grounds of the castle, as well as inside where art exhibitions and special performances will take place. Ticket prices start at 134 Euros including camping. (Image: Castlepalooza Facebook)
A Vineyard
Where? Rhythm and Vines, Waiohika Estate vineyard, Gisborne, New Zealand
When? December 29 – Jan 1
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You can probably guess from the title, but this festival is located on a vineyard. Due to its way-out-west location it’s also technically the first music festival to ring in the New Year. The summer time in New Zealand is beautiful and warm, and this fun festival is nestled on the coast. Equipped with waterslides, camping, the first sunrise of the year, probably a fair amount of wine and definitely a lot of bass music…. Previous line-ups have included the likes of Sub Focus, Wilkinson, Kill The Noise, Pendulum, Netsky, DC Breaks and loads more. Watch out for their full line-up to drop around August. The price tag starts at $215 USD. (Image: Rhythm & Vines Facebook)
A 360 million year old meteor site
Where? Into The Valley, Rättvik, Sweden
When? July 18-20
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360 million years ago a meteor struck the Dalarna region of Sweden and changed the entire landscape, creating a unique scenery and rock formations that are unlike any other on the planet. For years it was used as a limestone quarry but, since the early 90s, has been repurposed into an amphitheater that’s been home operas, concerts and now electronic music festivals. Equipped with Funktion One’s brand new Vero system, the sound is as rich as the site’s history. Artists for this year’s event include Ben UFO, Dixon, Four Tet, Kink and loads more. (Image: Into The Valley Facebook)
A Fortress
Where? EXIT Festival, Novi Sad, Serbia
When? July 7 – 10
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One of the most famous events in this list, EXIT’s site – the Petrovaradin Fortress – is now the stuff of worldwide festival legend. Steeped in war and history, construction of the site began in 1692 and wasn’t completed until almost 100 years later in 1780. The site itself lends itself perfectly to the EXIT Festival experience; a labyrinth of tunnels, hidden corners and little secrets… We’ve been hosting the mainstage night time schedule for three years and still get surprised by the fortress every year! This year will be no exception as we bring the likes of DJ Hype, Modestep, Ivy Lab, Ms Dynamite, Rene LaVice, Sub Zero, Teddy Killerz, Wilkinson and loads more. (Image: EXIT Facebook)
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