Out-of-this-world music performances by world-renowned artists, sampling the tastiest food and booze from around the globe, camping out under the stars and getting covered head to toe in glitter and body paint make for a sunny summer well spent. And since Glasto tickets were all gone in a heartbeat, we’ve rounded up these awesome summer festivals you can still get your hands on tickets for.
What? British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London
When? 6 – 14 July
Price? Ticket prices based on individual performances
World-famous Hyde Park plays host to some of the planet’s top music artists this summer. Held over two scintillating weekends in July (with some performances on the weekday evenings in-between) British Summer Time is the pinnacle of an upmarket festival vibe, made up of small stages, theatre and comedy performances, exceptional food and drink offerings and a super-posh VIP area.
And with headliners like the effervescent Florence + The Machine, The National and the eternally epic Celine Dion…. you’re guaranteed two weekends of Hyde Park hijinks in the heart of London.
What? Magnetic Opera Festival 2019
When? 7- 22 July
Price? Tickets for performances at Miniera di Ginevro: €56,50
Magnetic Opera Festival 2019 (4 concert package): €166,50
Concerts at Piazza Matteotti are free of charge.
Elba Island will host the fifth edition of the Magnetic Opera Festival that will take place in Capoliveri, the main town of the South-Eastern side of the Tuscan island. The summer musical event combines opera and ballet performances at two venues: the historical, magnetite mine of Ginevro (Miniera di Ginevro) and the scenic main square of Capoliveri – Piazza Matteotti.
Located on Mount Calamita, every summer its sides become the natural background where lights illuminate the high iron-rich mountainside making the dreamlike atmosphere of the mine even more enchanting. For more information on Elba, click here.
What? Love International, Croatia
When? 3-10 July
Price? Day tickets start from €50
The town of Tisno, on the Dalmatian coast, hosts several festivals over the summer, including Love International. Offering a up a week-long party on Croatia’s gorgeous coastline, with three amazing stages, the legendary on-site nightclub, Barbarella’s (where revellers party until the small hours), Sun Rise Sessions at The Olive Grove, boat parties, chilling out on the secluded beach by day and more besides, there’s much to love at Love International.
Taking place in the Garden Resort, a private bay offers time to cool-off in the Adriatic, or the site makes a good base for day trips to Zadar (40-minute drive) and Split (one hour).
What? Verbier Festival, Switzerland
When? 18 July–3 August
Price? Ranging from CHF 50 – CHF 220
Each summer, for more than a quarter century, music lovers from around the world have come together in the majestic Swiss Alps to take part in a community of exchange between great masters of classical music and the most promising musicians of the new generation. For 17 days, from 18 July to 3 August 2019, the Verbier Festival is brimming with remarkable main stage performances, unforgettable new musical discoveries, and engaging programmes to quench your curiosity.
What? Fuji Rock Festival, Japan
When? 26–28 July
Price? From ¥19,000
The first ever Fuji Rock festival was held at the bottom of Mount Fuji back in 1997, hence the name. The festival is now held in the Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The three-day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan.
While rock is in the title, the artists who perform aren’t all rockers. The line-up last year ranged from N.E.R.D, MGMT, Skrillex, to James Bay and Bob Dylan (making his 101st performance in Japan). Sakura will be over by then but the festival is worth making the trek.
What? Lollapalooza, Chicago
When? 1-4 August
Price? Starting from $340 plus taxes and fees
Famed music fest Lollapalooza (pictured below) – started out as a travelling farewell to the band Jane’s Addiction before it settled down to live happily ever after in Chicago’s Grant Park. With the iconic downtown skyline as its backdrop, Lollapalooza returns for its four days of music with this year’s lineup featuring Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Twenty One Pilots, Tame Impala, the Strokes and the Chainsmokers amongst a lineup of more than 170 acts.
Guests can expect all the regular hallmarks of a lolloping good time: Chow Town, the festival’s food market, is set to make a return, as is eco-centre Green Street, and Kidzapalooza.
What? Wilderness, Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, England
When? 1-4 August
Price? From £179.50
Nestled into the very edge of The Cotswolds, near the glorious Blenheim Palace, you’ll find the country’s boujiest music festival of the summer. Wilderness comprises epic music stages, film screenings, drag and burlesque shows, trippy light displays in the woodland and fitness and wellness workshops, meaning there’s something for everyone. There’s even a gorgeous lake for dipping in when the English sun decides to shine (fingers crossed!).
Award-winning for its brilliance and record-breaking for its weirdness, this year they’re even organising the world’s largest spooning cuddle if that’s something that tickles your fancy…
And with headliners including Robyn and Groove Armada, it’s safe to say this 4-day weekend will excite and inspire.
What? Lisbon Jazz Festival
When? May-September
Price? From €6
The gardens of Lisbon will host the Somersby Out Jazz Music Festival every Sunday from May through September 2019.
Throughout the months you can listen in various places around the city – such as Jardim do Campo Grande (June), Jardim da Estrela (July), Ribeira das Naus (August) and Parque Bela Vista (September) – to outdoor concerts that mix various musical styles, such as jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop and electronic.
What? South West Four, Clapham Common, London
When? 24-25 August
Price? From £59.50
Taking residence for the Bank Holiday weekend stint in South London’s lush green lung, South West Four is an all-out explosion of electronic, trance and dance music that brings a slice of Ibiza to Clapham Common!
Famous for its diverse lineups (that attract an equally diverse crowd) this year you’ll see noughties stars such as Basement Jaxx and Miss Dynamite playing along with newer headliners like Mabel and Disciples, guaranteeing a weekend of awesome performances.
Even Idris Elba will be playing a set, and if that’s not a draw then I don’t know what is…!
What? Dimensions, Pula, Croatia
When? 28 August – 1 September
Price? From £148.50
Dimensions is the sister festival to the famously bass-y, dubstep-y Outlook. It shares the same organisers and production as Outlook, but with an underground house, techno, disco and electro soundtrack aimed at a slightly more mature audience. Think less gap year kids and more city slicker escapees here.
Stages are set up on the beaches, in the forests and even on yachts that take off from the mainland, making for an unparalleled partying experience.
Photo Credit: DigitalAnthill
2019 marks Dimensions final year being held at the achingly beautiful Fort Punta Christo, the lush green peninsula that juts out into the sapphire blue Adriatic near Pula, setting the scene for one of the most beautiful festival locations in the world. It goes without saying then that this is the year to go to Dimensions.
What? Bhakti Fest, Joshua Tree, California, USA
When? 25 – 30 September
Price? From $200
This happy hippy festival is all about wellness. Held in sun-drenched Joshua Tree in the California desert, think of Bhakti as a yoga retreat and Coachella combined. The otherworldly landscape sets the scene for six days of hardcore yoga, meditation and music that focuses on chill.
Workshops cover perfecting yoga practice, the contemplation of existence and personal growth. It’s all about togetherness and community vibes, with classes led by leaders in this industry. Finding the heat a bit much for a downward dog? Hit the festival’s pool for some bronzing relaxation, should the mood take you.
Now in its 11th year, this Bhakti champions being totally alcohol-free, with the intention of guests getting drunk on life!
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