17 Concerts And Festivals You Should Look Out For In Europe
There are plenty of concerts and festivals to look forward to in Europe. As many concerts haven’t been announced yet for the following year, the list is heavy on festivals. Having said that, festivals are basically a bunch of concerts and/or other events happening at the same place, so they are definitely within the same category.
Concerts and festivals can be a great way to see your favourite artists, while exploring new places and European artists you otherwise may not know. So let’s look at some of the concerts and festivals around Europe that might interest you.
1. Sziget Festival, Hungary
If you are looking to visit big concerts and festivals, this is up your alley. The Sziget Festival is one of the largest music festivals in Europe! It is held every August in northern Budapest, Hungary on the Óbudai-sziget (“Old Buda Island”), a 108-hectare island on the Danube. It started as a relatively low-profile student event and it now hosts more that 1000 performances every year.
Read more here.
2. Exit Festival, Serbia
Exit is another popular European festival. It started in 2000 and has already won the Best Major Festival award at the European Festivals Awards twice (in 2013 and 2017). It is held every summer at the Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia
Read more here.
3. NorthSide, Denmark
For those looking for smaller concerts and festivals, NorthSide might be the perfect fit. Even though it is a smaller festival (in comparison to others on the list), it has a big impact. NorthSide aims to be Denmark’s best and most sustainable music festival. They work hard on minimising their environmental impact by separating their waste, recycling, working with suppliers on providing more sustainable packaging, organic food and waste management.
Check out their Facebook page here.
4. Bon Iver, Europe
This is a list on concerts and festivals, so let’s look at some concerts that we know are happening. The American indie folk band Bon Iver are going to be touring Europe in 2020. The winners of the 2012 Grammy award for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album have announced a European arena tour behind i,i (their new album).
Read more here.
5. Lisb-ON, Portugal
Another of the more intimate concerts and festivals. Lisb-ON is an intimate electronic music festival held in the heart of Portugal’s capital. Across three days in late summer, the festival offers up an inviting, inclusive and enchanting environment in which to party with like-minded music lovers and a selection of the scene’s finest proponents.
Read more here.
6. Tomorrowland, Belgium
You are going to need to get your tickets for this one as soon as they are released, because it usually sells out in minutes. Tomorrowland is an electronic dance music festival held in Boom, Belgium, which stretches over 2 weekends. Tomorrowland was first held in 2005 and has since become one of the world’s largest and most notable music festivals.
Read more here.
7. Rock in Roma, Italy
The Rock in Rome is a musical event that takes place annually in Rome at the Capannelle Racecourse usually at the turn of the months of June and July. This is not your classic festival, it is not a few consecutive days of non-stop entertainment, but rather a period of about a month where several groups perform. Among those are names like The Killers, Nine Inch Nails, Toto, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Slash, ZZ Top, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Green Day, Bruce Springsteen and many more.
Read more here.
8. Helsinki Festival, Finland
The Helsinki Festival is the largest multi-arts festival in Finland. It is also called Finland’s biggest cultural event in terms of visitors. The performances consist of theater, music, dance, art exhibitions, circus, movies, children’s programs and a variety of other cultural events. Numerous renowned international artists have also been performing at the Helsinki Festival. And the best part is that any of the performances are free.
Read more here.
9. Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland
Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world. It host performances from all over the world, which perform theatre, music, stand up comedy, circus, drag shows. There’s also arts exhibitions and street performers. It is an exciting festival which spans a whole month, with both debut shows and popular performers.
Read more here.
10. Earth Garden, Malta
Earth Garden is the largest Alternative Music Festival Malta held annually at the National Park since 2007, attracting around 30 000 music lovers. It’s a celebration of music, diversity and life, kicking off your summer buzz on the sunny Mediterranean island of Malta. The line-up spans from around the world showcasing ska, dub, reggae and electronic music across five stages
Read more here.
11. Free Earth Festival, Greece
This is not one of your regular concerts and festivals. The name probably gives it away, but nobody can describe it better than its team: free earth is a collaboration of like-minded dedicated psychedelic freedom fighters determined to bring back the vibe to the outdoor party scene. A family gathering, with 3 music stages, at the Azapiko beach, an amazing remote seaside location in Halkidiki, Greece!
Read more here.
12. NOs Primavera Sound, Portugal
NOS Primavera Sound is the Portuguese younger sibling of Spain’s beloved alternative music festival, held each summer in the city of Porto. Drawing from the same pool of artists as the flagship Barcelona event, the festival invites the acts to perform in a to a more stripped back, intimate setting – the country’s largest urban park. Straddling between city and sea, NOS Primavera Sound’s blissful retreat is the perfect antidote for those who want the musical taste of Primavera Sound, but don’t fancy the concrete of Barcelona’s Parc del Fòrum.
Read more here.
13. Colours of Ostrava, Ostrava
Colours of Ostrava, or simply Colours, is a multi-genre festival, the biggest international music festival in the Czech Republic and one of the biggest music events in Central Europe, held every summer since 2002 in Ostrava, the third biggest city in the country. The location is definitely a spectacle with the backdrop of extraordinary industrial works. It’s sure to be a unique experience.
Read more here.
14. The Maine, UK/EU Tour
The Maine have announced a new string of European tour dates in support of their new album You Are OK. Which is exciting news for anyone who, like me, has been following the band for ages but hasn’t had th
https://www.themaineband.com
15. Lollapalooza Berlin, Germany
Lollapalooza Berlin is a two-day multi-genre, mega music festival in the German capital. It hosts some of the biggest names in the music industry. The 2019 line-up includes Twenty One Pilots, Swedish House Mafia, Billie Eilish, Kings of Leon, Martin Garrix, Khalid, Hozier and many, many more.
Check out their website here.
16. Amsterdam Music Festival, The Netherlands
Europe loves EDM and you’ll see lots of concerts and festivals dedicated to EDM. The Amsterdam Music Festival is one of those events. It takes place during the Amsterdam Dance Event mid-October in Amsterdam, Netherlands. During the festival, the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs is announced and several prizes are awarded, among which the award for the number one DJ in the world. The music is mostly house and dance music; other genres that are also played at the event include techno, trance and hardstyle.
Read more here.
17. Oslo World Music Festival, Norway
Oslo World Music Festival is an annual festival presenting music from all over the world, with a primary focus on Asia, Africa and Latin America. Although it has evolved through the years, the aim of the festival has always bee to create an interest and understanding for the values that are inherent in the cultural expressions of others.
Read more here.
What are some concerts and festivals in Europe you want to see? Share in the comments.
Featured image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/ZhQCZjr9fHo
