I bang on about festivals 24/7 on the radio so this year I’m going to put my money where my mouth is and check out as many as I can during the summer months. I’m lucky enough through work that I have the opportunity to check out some pretty awesome Irish festivals, so this year I’m planning on going to at least one European Festival. 

 

1.

Pukkelpop 

My Experience:

I’ve been to Pukkelpop three times, a good few years ago. Pukkelpop was my first experience of a European festival and oh my god I loved it. The weather, the people, the fact that food and drink are super cheap and the lineup is always amazing. This festival is so well run it’s four days of absolute bliss! And did I mention tickets are E199 for FOUR DAYS! I know!

What:

Pukkelpop is a three-day festival organised by Leopoldsburg’s Humanistische Jongeren (“Young Humanists”) which began in 1985. Pukkelpop started life as a small, local music event before becoming an outdoor alternative festival. Pukkelpop has now become one of Europe’s greatest music events.

The festival is a complete experience and one which has been promoting community relationships for over 30 years.

Where: 

The Festival location is in a little town called Hasselt. The locals are awesome in this town, they set up beer gardens in their own gardens and even sell amazing home cooked food outside their homes.

Pukkelpop is about 70km from Brussels.

You can fly into Brussels Charleroi airport with Ryanair or Brussels main airport with Air Lingus

When:

It’s happening 2017 August 16, 17, 18, 19.

How much: 

Combi Ticket: E199 (This is a pass for the 4-day festival)

Day ticket: E99

Acts announced: 

If you like Mumford and Sons, London Grammar, Bakermat, George Ezra, Band of Horses, Bastille, Boys Noize, Chance The Rapper, Clean Bandit, Sigala and Walking on cars, you’re in for a treat!

 

2.

Sziget Festival

My Experience: 

This is a huge contender, I’ve never been to this festival so I might just have to go and have a look!

What: 

Sziget Festival is seven days of a festival on a sunny island in the Danube in the beautiful city of Budapest. But Sziget is more than just a festival: it’s a place to meet, a place to make friends and fall in love; where one can spend a week self-abandoned, where parties await the inquirer. Seven days in paradise!

Sounds like bliss. Where do I sign up?

Where: 

 

Sziget Festival is on the well-known Obuda Island in Budapest.

When:

Sziget Festival 2017 will be from 10 to 17 August

How much: 

7-day pass – E299

5-day pass – E269

Day tickets E65

All of the ticket details are here: Tickets

2. 

Primavera sound 

My Experience: 

Again, I’m a Primavera virgin and I, really really really wanna go!

What:

It’s a festival Primavera Sound, that has taken place in Barcelona since 2001, has consolidated itself as a model reference for urban festivals that is internationally considered as an unmissable musical event. Pixies, Arcade Fire, Queens of the Stone Age, The National, Nine Inch Nails, Kendrick Lamar, Neil Young, Sonic Youth, Portishead, Radiohead, Pet Shop Boys, Pavement, Echo & The Bunnymen, Lou Reed, My Bloody Valentine, Brian Wilson, Pulp, Patti Smith, James Blake, The National, Cat Power, Public Enemy, Grinderman, Franz Ferdinand, Television, Devo, Enrique Morente, The White Stripes, LCD Soundsystem, Tindersticks, PJ Harvey, Shellac, Dinosaur Jr., New Order, Fuck Buttons, Swans, Melvins, Psychic TV, Spiritualized, The Cure, Bon Iver, La Buena Vida, Death Cab For Cutie, Iggy & The Stooges, De La Soul, Marianne Faithfull, Mazzy Star, Blur, Wu-Tang Clan, Phoenix, The Jesus and Mary Chain o Tame Impala, are just a few of the many artists who have played on the stages of the festival to this day.

Where:

It takes place in Barcelona in Spain.

When:

This year it takes place from 31 May to 4 June

How much: 

Day tickets are E80 plus a booking fee.

Acts announced: 

Here’s a selection of the acts announced at Primavera sound this year:

The full line-up can be found below:

7 Notas 7 Colores · Abdullah Rashim · About Leaving · The Afghan Whigs · Against Me! · Agorazein · Alex Cameron · Alexandra Savior · Alien Tango · Âme live · Angel Olsen · Anímic · Annette Peacock · Aphex Twin · Arcade Fire · Aries · Aurora Halal · Autarkic · Avalon Emerson · BADBADNOTGOOD · Barbott · Belako · Ben UFO · Berri Txarrak · Bicep · The Black Angels · Bon Iver · Broken Social Scene · Cigarettes After Sex · CLUBZ · Dj Coco · Conttra · Converge · Cymbal Eat Guitars · The Damned · Dave P. · Death Grips · Descendents · Discos Paradiso Crew · Dixon · Don’t DJ · Dj Dustin · El Petit de Cal Eril · Elmini · Elza Soares · Fatima Yamaha · Ferenc · Flying Lotus · Formation · Frank Ocean · Front 242 · Gas · Glass Animals · Kevin Morby · Khidja · King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard · King Krule · King Sunny Adé · KiNK · Kokoshca · Kornél Kovács · Lady Wray · Lauer · Les Cruet · Les Sueques · Let’s Eat Grandma · Local Natives · Lord Of The Isles · Lvl Up · Mac DeMarco · The Magnetic Fields · The Make-Up · Mannequin Pussy · Màquina Total · Maresme · Marie Davidson · Marta Delmont · Matrixxman · Medalla · Melange · Metronomy Museless · The Mystery Lights · Nikki Lane · No Zu · Noga Erez · Nots · Odina · Operators · PAVVLA · Pearson Sound · Pedro Vian · Pender Street Steppers · Phurpa · Pinegrove · Playback Maracas · Polar Inertia · Pond · Preoccupations · Priests · Rebuig · Recondite · Retirada!  Talaboman · Teenage Fanclub · Dj Tennis · This Is Not This Heat · Triángulo de Amor Bizarro · Tuff City Kids · Tycho · Vaadat Charigim · Van Morrison · Vladimir Ivkovic · Vox Low · Wand · The Waterparties · The Wave Pictures · The Wedding Present · Weval · Weyes Blood · The Wheels · Whitney · Wild Beasts · William Tyler · The xx · Plus many many more. 

So there it is, the three European festivals I’m dying to check out this year. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be going full steam ahead on everything festival related. Bring on Summer! Can’t wait.

Louise xXx