Does it sometimes feel to you like the number of European music festivals you can’t afford to miss just keeps growing and growing? Us too, but at least we’ve got plenty of choice!
Discerning music lovers and hardened festival heads will all have the favourites, but for what it’s worth, here’s our pick of the bunch for summer 2017.
Bilbao BBK Live, Spain
6 – 8 July
Why might you want to hit up this festival in northern Spain? Well for a start it offers great value, and a fantastic setting too, with Basque mountain country and Bilbao right on your doorstep. The line-up is awesome too, with Depeche Mode, Phoenix and the Avalanches playing, while Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson will be playing Pet Sounds live.
Tinggly Tip: Consider staying a few extra days, renting a car and driving to San Sebastian, just an hour away, to sample the mouthwatering pinxto scene.
More details on Bilbao BBK Live here
Meadows in the Mountains, Bulgaria
9 – 11 June
This is one of the world’s most unique festivals, with a very strong environmental ethos – the organisers are determined to leave only positive traces on the landscape of Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountain. Attendees can stay with local residents, breathe in the fresh mountain air and drink in the incredible views, while immersing themselves in an offbeat and chilled ambience.
Tinggly tip: Don’t expect big names here, but instead a more experimental line-up of artists, making it great to hear new sounds. And remember the ethos here is very much DIY, so there’s no luxury glamping yurts or gourmet cuisine to be had either.
More details on Meadows in the Mountains here
Lowlands, Netherlands
18 – 20 August
With its own music station and newspaper, as well as an ambitious schedule of music, arts and film, in some respects Lowlands is like a little Glastonbury, though without the mad ticket rush. 2017 is the popular festival’s 25th anniversary, and must-sees include Cypress Hill, Iggy Pop and the newly reformed At The Drive-In.
Tinggly tip: Featuring everything from saunas and hot tubs to barber shops and even “brain massages”, it’s not hard looking and feeling your best at Lowlands. Remember though that the Dutch weather, even in August, can be changeable.
More details on Lowlands here
Roskilde, Denmark
24 June – 1 July
One of Europe’s largest, most famous and prestigious festivals, Roskilde is now just a few weeks away but tickets are still available at time of writing. An immense line-up has too many highlights to mention, but names that really stick out this year are A Tribe Called Quest, Arcade Fire, Solange and the XX.
Tinggly tip: Head to Dream City, which is similar in ethos to Burning Man. Even if you’re not staying there you can still enjoy monuments and events created by festivalgoers themselves with a big emphasis on sustainability.
More details on Roskilde here
Outlook, Croatia
6 – 10 September
Outlook is among the later summer festivals, but it’s essential to book tickets early all the same. The setting is an abandoned fort looking out across the Adriatic, and here DJ Shadow, Dizzee Rascal and Ghostface Killah will be among the acts on a bill that showcases some of the world’s finest dub, hip-hop, reggae, grime, techno and electronica artists. Don’t miss the Outlook Opening Concert on 6 September, to be held in a 2000-yr old Roman amphitheatre.
Tinggly tip: If this won’t be your only festival this year, Outlook helpfully has an installment plan to help you pay for your tickets.
More details on Outlook here
Secret Solstice, Iceland
15 – 18 June
The sun never sets on this cool Reykjavik festival, literally, so bring an eye mask if you hope to get any sleep at all! The Prodigy, Roots Manuva and soul legend Chaka Khan are just a small part of an eclectic line-up here.
Tinggly tip: Iceland is one of those bucket-list destinations, so leave some money aside to see a bit of the countryside too. You can explore a lava cave or glacier, take a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon or even head north for some whale watching off the coast of northern Iceland.
