Best Summer Music Festivals
Music festivals are one of my favourite ways to spend my summer travelling! You could spend every single day of summer at a different music festival around the world and that’s what I try to do, whether it’s a quick trip to Manchester for Parklife Festival or all the way to New York to soak up the sounds of summer in Brooklyn.
Here are a few of my favourite summer music festivals I’ve experienced (so far):
Parklife Festival, Manchester
Right in the heart of Manchester, this party is one of the best in the UK. It always has massive headlining acts every year with music to suit most people. We spent the full two days at the festival, enjoying not having to camp out in between the concert days but enjoying staying in the city centre! Manchester is an amazing city with a great music scene, so you can enjoy the city as well as enjoying the music.
Isle of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight have been entertaining people with great music for 50 years this year! It is a well-known British summer music festival on the Isle of Wight with incredible lineups including acts like Kasabian, The Killers, The Script and James Bay. Last year was my first time at the festival but it won’t be my last…I wish I was going this year!
Northside Festival Brooklyn
A trip to New York is always a good idea, there is always so much to do and see in the Big Apple. If you can spare a few days then you’ll not want to miss out on this festival. It takes place all over Brooklyn and some of the events are even free, a win-win! The music scene all over New York is vibrant and amazing to discover, this is the best way to uncover it.
Sonar, Barcelona
If you’re an electro music fan then you’ll already probably know all about Sonar Barcelona. It’s a three-day festival with some of the best electro music you’ll hear worldwide. Not to mention being in one of the best cities in the world, Barcelona! So when you’re not dancing at the festival you’ll get to eat tapas, drink sangria and enjoy sites like Las Ramblas.
Tomorrowland, Belgium
This is another one for the electronic dance music lovers and it is in beautiful Boom in Belgium, just in between Antwerp and Brussels. It is on for two weekends in July so it’s great for planning travel between the two festival weekends which is a nice break from crazy festival life. I went with a few friends and we decided to explore all around Belgium between the two weekends of the festivals! I’m not sure many people go for both weekends but we’re music crazy so we couldn’t resist.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland
I discovered some new and amazing talent that I had never heard of before at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, not just of music but of the arts and culture. I experienced amazing street performers which were so incredible I could have stood and listened to them for hours! There are also some free concerts and performances by talented musicians both on the streets and in the venues. Not only do you get to experience talent, you get to experience the beautiful city which is Edinburgh and take in the culture of Scotland.
TRNSMT, Glasgow
While we all wept when T in the Park Festival ended, TRNSMT did us proud in its first year of action! It is a weekend festival, over two weekends and full of amazing music in an amazing city. Hopefully the weather will be nice this year so you can enjoy good Scottish sunshine when you’re listening to some great headlining acts like Kodaline, The Script and Picture This (to name just a few). Plus, in such a great city there is plenty to do around the concert.
I’ve been to quite a few city based festivals and I definitely have a few camping festivals on my travel bucket list…including Coachella and Glastonbury (obviously)!
I am a massive music lover with a goal to attend every festival I can get tickets for, as well as travelling the world… but on a student budget. I love watching travel videos and seeing other people’s pics for inspiration on where I should go next – I’ll just keep saving for that round the world trip!