The European music festival scene has some unforgettable experiences to offer, attracting visitors from across the globe who come to listen to amazing live music and soak up all-round good vibes. Here are four of the best European Music Festivals in 2016.
Tomorrowland, Belgium, 22nd – 24th July
If you’re looking for a big festival experience this summer, the quaint little town of Boom near Antwerp hosts this mammoth annual electro event. Belgium loves its EDM, so there’s no better festival than Tomorrowland for dance fans and synth lovers.
There are 14 stages in 2016, showcasing some of the best acts across EDM’s many sub-genres, from house to drum and bass, trance, chillout and glitch pop. The spectacular line-up includes Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Axwell, Deadmau5 and Laidback Luke among many more.
Mysteryland, Netherlands, 27th – 28th August
The longest-running electronic dance music festival in the world, Mysteryland was first established in 1993, will be one of the best European music festivals in 2016. Since then, its popularity has exploded, with events of the same name set up at the foothills of the Andes in Chile and on the site of the Woodstock Festival in New York.
Located in the Haarlemmermeerse Bos park, just west of Amsterdam, Mysteryland 2016 boast an eclectic line up of international talent like Grammy Award-winning Afrojack, Martin Garrix and Diplo, as well as championing up-and-coming artists.
Electric Picnic, Ireland, 2nd – 4th September
If you’re a music fan hopping over to Ireland in late summer, make sure you stop off at County Laois. Electric Picnic at Stradbally Hall is billed as the Irish answer to Glastonbury – albeit usually with a little less mud! This maverick music fest really has something for everyone, offering the perfect fusion of indie, dance, pop and hip hop, and boasts one of the best line-ups of the year in 2016.
The star-studded bill features LCD Soundsystem, Lana Del Rey, New Order, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and The Chemical Brothers. There’s also a comedy tent, arts and craft workshops, poetry readings, artisan food and even a circus. What’s not to love?
Pitchfork Paris, France, 27th – 29th October
Serious music lovers will know that Chicago-based online music magazine Pitchfork is one of the world’s most hallowed music publications. If they give an album 7.4 or higher, it’s bound to be brilliant. So it’s no surprise then that the 2016 edition of Pitchfork Paris has attracted some of the highest calibre artists around.
Taking place at Grande Halle de la Villette, the festival will showcase the likes of M.I.A., Explosions in the Sky, Moderat, Chet Faker, Alex Cameron, Alfie Connor, Connie Constance, Fickle Friends, Frances and Loyle Carner. Simply sensational.
If this has inspired you to visit one of these European music festivals in 2016, book your Dover to Calais or Hull to Rotterdam ferry crossing today and start planning your trip.
Feature image by Jamie Tanner
