11 UK & European Festivals worth escaping London for
5th anniversary for Europe’s #1 urban music beach festival, featuring unmissable performances across hip-hop, grime and r&b along with boat & pool parties on the beautiful Zrce Beach.Location: Pag, Croatia
Dates: 12th – 14th July 2016
Line-up: Wiz Khalifa, The Game, Kehlani, Ty Dolla $ign, Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, Chip, Logan Sama, Shakka, Tim Westwood + more
Airports: Zadar, Split, Zagreb
Tickets: Three days from £89 here
Tagline: Europe’s #1 urban music beach festival
2) Electric Castle
Taking place over three days in Romania’s incredible 15th Century Transylvanian castle, Electric Castle will be a journey of musical discovery and an unforgettable fourth edition of the festival. Bringing together electronic, live and innovative festival technology all under one roof, Romania is being tipped as one of the most exciting festival territories in Europe.
Location: Banffy Castle in Bontida
Dates: 14th – 17th July
Line-Up: Sigur Ros, Skrillex, Bastille, Bring Me The Horizon, Gorgon City, Flux Pavillon, Enter Shikari, Rusko
Airport: Cluj International
Tickets: Four days from £70 here
Taking over Sweden’s music capital of Gothenburg, Way Out West celebrates 10 years with a huge international line-up spread over three days at Slottsskogen Park. At night Stay Out West hosts more intimate performances in venues around the city.
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Dates: 11th – 13th August 2016
Line-up: Grace Jones, Sia, PJ Harvey, Massive Attack & Young Fathers, Skepta, Jamie xx, Chvrches, Stormzy, M83, Julia Holter, Lady Leshurr, Travi$ Scott, Anderson .Paak + more
Airports: Gothenburg
Tickets: Weekend from £145 here
Tagline: Europe’s greenest festival / Europe’s biggest combined music & film festival
4) Wave Week
The team behind Croatia Wave have unveiled a festival experience like no other, set across five breathtaking islands in Croatia. 40 yachts will explore the world-famous, Adriatic coastline anchoring at seven separate idyllic locations along the way from a secret club in a cave in Makarska to an abandoned fortress on the Island of Vis.
Location: Sets sail from Split, Croatia
Dates: 13th – 20th August 2016
Line-up: Simian Mobile Disco, Crazy P, Anja Schneider, Soul Clap, wAFF + more
Airports: Split
Tickets: Weekend from £79 here
5) Gibraltar Music Festival
Providing one of the most varied and high calibre festival experiences across the summer season, Gibraltar Music Festival is perfect for the whole family. For its 5th anniversary the festival expands in with two new stages.
Location: Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar
Dates: 3rd – 4th September 2016
Line-up: Sterophonics, NE-YO, Bryan Ferry, Jess Glynne, Rosario, All Saints, The Vamps, KT Tunstall + more
Airports: Gibraltar International Airport
Tickets: Weekend from £89 here
6) Rise Festival
Rise brings together the best electronic music, an award-winning snow setting and unrivalled experiences at 3000 metres. No other snow festival offers such a diverse programme with sports, wild mountain dining, yoga, spas, husky rides, festive favourites and more all waiting to be discovered.
Location: Les Deux Alps, France
Dates: 10th – 17th December
Line-up: TBC
Airports: Grenoble, France
Tickets: Festival wristband & ski pass from £179 here
UK Festivals
7) BSTK
A small festival that throws a big party, prep those dance moves and the perfect festival outfit for Essex’s boutique-bash. The best in pop, urban and electronic sounds extend well into the early hours for the hedonists out there in the festival fields.
Location: Morris Farm, Essex
Dates: 8th – 10th July
Line-up: Annie Mac, Tinie Tempah, Mark Ronson, Katy B, Krept & Konan, Wretch 32, Netsky, Scouting For Girls, Fuse ODG, Mike Skinner, Mistajam, Justin Martin, Huxley, Big Narstie, Ms Dynamite, Charlie Sloth + more
Airports: London Stansted
Tickets: Weekend with camping from £99 here
8) Truck Festival
Oxford’s original music festival, Truck will expand to a three day event in 2016. The 18-year old festival is the discerning go-to for credible and quality acts and 2016 is set to be another prime year.
Location: Hill Farm, Oxford
Dates: 15th – 16th July
Line-up: Manic Street Preachers, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Kodaline, Jurassic 5, Everything Everything, Circa Waves, Mystery Jets, SOAK, Jack Savoretti, Young Fathers, Blossoms, Neck Deep, Swim Deep + more
Airports: London Heathrow, Bristol
Tickets: Weekend with camping from £86.50 here
9) Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF)LIMF returns for its fourth outing celebrating the city’s musical pedigree, diversity and heritage on a global scale. Includes LIMF Summer Jam – Europe’s largest free music festival, the award-winning LIMF Academy and LIMF Presents – a series of commissioned events.
Location: Liverpool, various venues in the city
Dates: 21 – 24 July 2016
Line-up: LIMF Summer Jam: Sigma, The Wombats, Lianne La Havas, Kwabs, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Ms Dynamite, Maverick Sabre, Shakka + more | LIMF Presents: Five commissioned showcases of artists, music and projects that redefine music and culture featuring Gilles Peterson’s ‘From The Soul’, Yousef’s ‘House Nation’, a celebration of Liverpool’s counter-culture ‘From Eric’s To Evol 76-16’ and more | LIMF Academy
Airports: Liverpool, Manchester
Tickets: LIMF Summer Jam FREE
LIMF Presents from £10 here
10) Standon Calling
A boutique festival with major musical ambition, offering renowned and upcoming acts, immersive theatre, a host of weird and wonderful workshops, talks, the annual dog show, a fancy dress parade and its own heated outdoor swimming pool.
Location: Standon, Hertfordshire
Dates: 29th – 31st July
Line-up: Suede, Jess Glynne, Kelis, Everything Everything, The Hives, Ghostpoet, Theo Parrish, Anna Calvi, The Thurston Moore Band, Theo Parrish, Blossoms + more
Theme: Legend of the Lost Seas
Airports: London Luton, Stansted
Tickets: Weekend with camping from £157 here
Tagline: Overgrown house party
11) Y Not Festival
After its 10th anniversary and sell out success and bagging ‘Best Medium Festival’ at theFestival Awards in 2015, Y Not has pulled out all the stops to its worth once again. Nestled in the Peak District countryside Y Not will be a vibrant weekend for celebrating the height of summer 2016.
Location: Pikehall, Peak District, Derbyshire
Dates: 29th – 31st July
Line-up: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Madness, Editors, Catfish And The Bottlemen, The Hives, The Cribs, Everything Everything, Circa Waves, Kelis, Band of Skulls, Fun Lovin Criminals, The Coral, Blossoms, Rat Boy + more
Airports: East Midlands
Tickets: Weekend with camping from £104 here
Awards: Winner of Best Medium Sized Festival – Festival Awards 2015
