We proudly present the top 15 festivals in Europe. If you haven’t made it to any of these start booking your trips because these festivals are some of the best in the world.
CLICK ON PICS FOR LINKS TO EACH FESTIVAL
1. Tommorrowland ( Belgium )
This is what some say to be the Holy Grail of dance music, with annually one of the biggest lineups in the world It on everyones bucket list . Tomorrowland is a large electronic music festival held in Belgium. It used to be organized as a joint venture by the original founders, the brothers Beers. The festival takes place in the town of Boom, Belgium (16 kilometers (10 miles) south of Antwerp, 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of Brussels), and has been organized since 2005. It has since become one of the most notable global music festivals due to its amazing choreographed production. It has also spawned a US version with Tomorrowworld
2. Mysteryland ( Netherlands )
Mysteryland has been a leading pioneer on the dance festival scene in Europe and the US since 1993 and has inspired numerous other organizers and events. The famous Tomorrowland festival, also produced by ID&T, emerged from the key values of the Mysteryland festival. Furthermore Mysteryland has also been a major catalyst for the electronic music revolution since the early 1990s. This event has also become a US brand with this year being its second taking place in Bethel , where the original Woodstock took place.
3. Electric Love Festival ( Austria )
Electric Love is an electronic dance music festival held annually since 2013. Takes place at the second weekend in July at the Salzburgring in Plainfeld, Austria. Headliners have included Hardwell, Dimitri Vegas David Guetta, etc. According to Technoton Magazine, the 2014 festival attracted over 100,000 attendees. It is operated by Revolution Event GmbH. According to EMF Magazine, the festival is “Austria’s leading electronic music festival.
4. Balaton Sound ( Hungary )
Balaton Sound (between 2007 and 2012 also known as Heineken Balaton Sound, since 2013 as MasterCard Balaton Sound for sponsorship reasons) is one of Europe’s largest open air electronic music festivals. Held annually since 2007 on the southern bank of Lake Balaton, Hungary, it features live acts and DJ’s from all around the world, from established artists to new names. The event was co-created by the organizers of Sziget Festival.
5. Ultra Europe ( Croatia )
Having made it’s mark on the USA dance scene at the annual Ultra Festival held in Miami, Ultra began it’s European journey in 2013 in Croatia. Running over 3 days, Ultra Europe includes some of the biggest names in EDM. The first two days are held at Poljud Stadium in Split, whilst the third day is held in the world-renowned Hvar Island. What makes this festival really special is that it basically allows you to enjoy a beach holiday during the day and attend the festival at nights. The music is just a bonus!
6. Amsterdam Open Air ( Netherlands )
With the four previous editions still written on the insides of our eyes, Amsterdam Open Air returns to recreational park Gaasperpark for its fifth anniversary. During the weekend of 6th and 7th of June, Amsterdam’s most beautiful park will be host to a musical, culinary and cultural adventure which reflects our capital’s nightlife to the fullest. Oh, and don’t forget to find a sunny spot for your tent. As with prior editions there’s an option to stay the complete weekend on our campsite as well!
7. Creamfields ( UK )
Creamfields is a large British dance music festival featuring DJs and live acts. It is held annually on the August Bank Holiday weekend in Daresbury, England. The festival began as an offshoot from Liverpool’s Cream nightclub. It is renowned for being headlined every year by the band Crème. Other Creamfields festivals have been held in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Andalucía (Spain), Malta, Punchestown (Ireland), Punta del Este (Uruguay), Alcala de henares (Spain), Istanbul (Turkey), Vilnius (Lithuania), Mexico City (Mexico), Moscow (Russia), Prague (Czech Republic), Lima (Peru), Santiago (Chile), Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Florianopolis, Belo Horizonte (Brazil), and Wrocław (Poland). Creamfields Lisbon (Portugal) was held for the first time in May 2007. Creamfields Australia has been held annually since 2010 to present.
8. Sensation
Sensation is an indoor electronic dance music event which originated in the Netherlands and organized by ID&T. The original event, which ran exclusively in the Amsterdam ArenA for a period of five years until 2005, is now located throughout Belgium, Canada,Czech Republic, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, United States, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Korea,Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates. In 2008, it was announced that for the first time Sensation would be held on New Year’s Eve in Melbourne, Australia, as well as in Düsseldorf, Germany and Barcelona, Spain, but has not been in these countries since.
9. Magnetic festival ( Czech Republic )
Twice a year (in May and in December), a unique festival with presence of those who dominate the electronic music is organizing in Prague . Since 2012 the MAGNETIC Festival has presented big names, such as AVICII, Hardwell, Afrojack, Martin Garrix, NERVO, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Showtek or Laidback Luke. During it’s existence, this festival has become a place of exclusive performances where the artists enjoy themselves together with their audience, jump into the crowd, play sets together and miss their flights because it is just not possible to go away from such a party. Exactly these experiences make the MAGNETIC Festival one of the most sought after events of this kind in Europe.
10. Weekend Festival ( Finland )
Weekend Festival is a Finnish music festival taking place in the mid-August in Helsinki capital area. The festival was organised for the first time in Luukki, Finland on the 17 and 18 of August 2012. In 2013 the festival location was changed to it’s current location at Kyläsaari/Kalasatama in Helsinki. Weekend Festival artist line up has mainly consisted of EDM artists but there have also been artists from other music genres present. The festival has been attended by more than 40,000 people on both years. Every year the festival has a different theme which reflects mainly in the visual side of the festival. In 2013 the festival theme was Space and Future while for 2014 the organisers decided to go with Electro Disco theme. The festival lineup has featured various internationally acclaimed artists including Skrillex, David Guetta, Calvin Harris etc.
11. Serbia Wonderland Festival
Inspired by the musical force of Tomorrowland and the artistic self-expression of The Burning Man, Serbia Wonderland is a glorious electronic spectacle, where the stages drip in magical decor and the sky is filled with explosions. With 6,000 electronic fans attending the first 2013 event, the headliners such as Andrew Rayel, Omnia, Aly & Fila were really amazed by this festival. Last year (2014.) Open Air Festival, which hosted also some of the biggest names of the EDM scene, gathered around 12000 people and it was a real sensation. Headliners announced for this year: Paul van Dyk, Marlo, Orjan Nilsen, Dannic and there are more to come so get ready to dance with joyful minds until the morning, as the hypnotic music promises infinite happiness and a need to come back again and again.
12. Boom Festival ( Portugal )
Boom Festival began in 1997 as a psychedelic trance music festival with a main stage and a lounge area with mellow, “chill-out music”. Now, there are five stages: the Dance Temple, for psytrance and natural trance music; the Alchemy Circle is for house music; the Sacred Fire stage is for world music and live music performances; the Ambient Source is for chill-out music; the Groovy Beach stage is for electronic dance music dee jays and producers. Other attractions include sculptures, an art gallery, street theatre, and fire performances. Within the shaded Liminal Village are lectures, yoga classes, film screenings, group meditation, and discussions.
13. Outlook festival ( Croatia )
Outlook Festival is a musical event hosting all kinds of bass music held just outside of the city of Pula, Croatia. Although held in Croatia, many of the attendees come from the United Kingdom as do much of the team involved in organizing the festival. Held in Fort Punta Christo and the surrounding beaches the festival is unique in its setting, with sound systems and stages being erected in various tunnels and even the moat of the abandoned ruins.
14. Kanzantip festival ( Ukraine )
KaZantip also known simply as “Z” is an electronic dance music festival that took place every year from 1992 to 2013 on the Crimean peninsula; from 2002 to 2013 it was held in the village Popovka near Myrnyi (Ukraine). The entrance ticket is called a “viZa”. It takes place for 2–3 weeks of August and about 100,000 “paradiZers” visit each year. There is a cult of orange-coloured fashion and yellow suitcases associated with the festival.
15. Ozora festival ( Hungary )
There are many trance festivals in the world and yet, there is only one Ozora festival. A small Hungarian village, Ozora is host to one of the biggest trance and psychedelic music festival in the world. It’s not only the home to constant psy, progressive and dark trance music but also conducts week-long artistic workshops, activities and exhibitions thereby making it as one of the biggest platform of cultural dissemination.
We welcome Ivona to the staff! Look for more articles from her covering europe and beyond!