Before we know it, festival season will be upon us and if you’ve missed out on tickets for Glastonbury, fear not, there’s a whole load of fun to be had in lesser known fields across the UK and beyond. While the major festivals may offer the best line-ups and the biggest crowds, off the beaten track events are often where the real magic happens.
From the mountains of Bulgaria to the shores Lake Garda, these are the festivals you need to know about for 2017.
1. Meadows In The Mountains, Bulgaria
High up in the clouds, perched atop a mountain in rural Bulgaria, is a festival like none other. Meadows In The Mountains is an intimate gathering all about celebrating its breathtaking alpine surroundings and the coming together of like-minded people. If you like the sound of an eclectic mix of music, spontaneous performances and a big blow-out pool-party on the last day, this one is for you.
9th-11th June, tickets start at £120
2. Obonjan, Croatia
We’ve lost track of the number of festivals in Croatia but last year there was one location popping up on Instagram feed much more than others - the picture perfect island of Obonjan. The previously uninhabited island is being transformed once again this summer for another 10 week residency. Much more than just a standard music festival, the programme is one of the new breed of events that fuses hedonism with wellness, and alongside the line-up of performers and DJs, there’s talks, workshops, craft activities, yoga, crystal healing and sound baths. Plus, forget cramming in a cheap Argos tent, Obonjan offers boutique camping in air-condition bell tents and forest lodges at surprisingly reasonable prices.
23rd June - 2nd September, accommodation starts at £50 per night
3. 2000 Trees, England
Situated in the rolling Cotswold hills, 2000 Trees is a boutique festival that prides itself on being one of the friendliest festivals out there. Forget the big line-ups and over-commercialisation, this festival is all about the joy of discovering new and upcoming music. With locally-sourced food, cider and ales, it’s set to be a weekend to remember.
6th-8th July, tickets start at £83 for 2 days and £100 for 3 days
4. Into The Factory, Sweden
We love their street style, interiors and excellent cinnamon buns, but Scandinavia is also home to a number of great festivals, and Into The Factory is certainly one to have on your radar. Held in a stunning limestone quarry on the outskirts of Stockholm, the truly unique venue is what makes this understated electronic festival. If you can’t make the Stockholm dates, the organisers are also hosting two other festivals, both in equally exciting locations - one in Estonia, and another in Cape Town.
10th-12th August, tickets start at £127
5. Fyre, Bahamas
Forget Coachella, for 2017 the celebs are more likely to be found on a tiny private island in the Bahamas than in the Palm Springs desert. No warm cider and soggy raincoats here, just champagne fuelled beach BBQs, yacht brunch parties and immersive treasure hunts where the prizes are worth millions. To give you some idea, they flew the likes of Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin, Emily Ratajkowski to the caribbean for the launch party last October. Throw into the mix the tropical paradise scenery and a lineup that includes Major Lazer, Disclosure and Blink 182 and you have all the makings of a celeb-approved event.
April 28-30 and May 5-7, packages (including flights, accommodation and food) start at £3500
6. Sunfall, London
For something a little closer to home there’s Sunfall - a one-day extravaganza in the capital from the people behind Croatian festivals Dimensions and Outlook, and London clubs The Nest and XOYO. The two part event kicks off in Brixton’s Brockwell park for a day of partying and continues well into the night at eight clubs across South London.
12th August, tickets start at £50
7. Paradise City, Belgium
Located in the grounds of a 15th-century castle just out Brussels, Paradise City is a laidback festival with a mix of indie and electronic music on the bill. Known for its impressive green-credentials, the festival organisers have implemented a 10 step strategy to reduce their impact on the planet - from a ban on plastic bottles to all locally sourced food and eco toilets.
Laidback vibes and 23rd-25th June, tickets start at £72
8. Mandrea, Italy
You don’t get a much more beautiful location for a festival than the foothills of the Dolomites on the shores of Lake Garda. If you can tear yourself away from exploring the photogenic scenery you can soak up the music, mainly reggae, dub and folk, as well as enjoying art installations, rock climbing and the ‘zen zone’.
16th-20th August, tickets start at £93
9. Electroland, Disneyland Paris
Do not adjust your glasses: you did read that correctly. Disneyland, AKA the happiest place in the world, is launching an electro-music festival. The one-day party will feature DJ sets from Steve Aoki, Nervo, Michael Calfan and Richard Orlinski, all set within the magical park grounds. What's more you'll also be allowed to take advantage of the rides. Sounds great to us.
8th July, for tickets, visit electroland-disneylandparis.com
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