Music festivals have continued to morph into accessible events for practically anyone across the globe. While some have been an annual event for upwards of two decades, more and more are popping up in various cities and countries. Even if you won’t want to hop on a plane, there’s a good chance you can still attend a major coming together of elite musical artists in some city within driving distance of your home. This article will look at five of the bigger ones in the world today. Two are located in Europe, whereas the other two are in California.
Outside Lands
This festival has a unique feel to it. Located in the lush Golden Gate Park (San Francisco), it almost feels as if you’re outside of the big city and in some sort of nature preserve. To be fair, there is a buffalo exhibit on the grounds where you can see those gigantic furry beasts galloping in an enclosed area. As for the festival, the three-day event has a host of stages to go along with beer domes, local artwork, awesome food, and other booths providing unique items and services. San Francisco summers tend to be a bit chilly, and that’s a nice perk compared to some other ones which are located in areas with crazy heat. Still a bit of a ‘hipster’ festival, but it’s worth checking out considering the talent that plays here year after year.
Sziget
Sziget is a festival hosted on an island in the middle of the vast Danube River. Within the city limits of Budapest, this festival is arguably the most well-known display of music within Central/Eastern Europe. While you’ll have your heavy hitters musically, the festival provides dozens of stages for musicians of all levels. There’s a little bit of everything for those who attend. The island itself is over 250 acres (to put into perspective the utter scale of this festival). For those who are music festival enthusiasts, attending Sziget should be on your bucket list.
Glastonbury
Dating back to the early 70s, Glastonbury has been the premier festival in the UK. It’s only about 90 minutes from London, and a cheap train ticket will get you there quite easily. For nearly a week, those in England, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland (and other places in Europe) congregate to see some of the industry’s biggest stars perform. Similarly to the next spot on the list, people camp out on the grounds with tents to take in the full experience. But, it’s not just music — the festival has a plethora of different things to enjoy from a performative standpoint.
Coachella
Long has Coachella been among the most famous music festivals in the world. Millions of people come from everywhere around the world to take in this festival — which is broken up into two weekends. You certainly can ‘rough it’ — as many opt to camp in this desert setting despite the hot temperatures and dusty surroundings. With that said, there’s an energy here unlike anywhere else. You see people dress up in unique, colorful costumes while going crazy for the talent performing. Virtually every major musician who tours/has played music festivals has featured here at one time or another. With it located approximately two hours outside of Los Angeles, the Southern California region as a whole feels the impact of this event on an annual basis.
