5 festivals you’ve never heard of…but wish you had

In a summer festival circuit saturated with big names and huge venues, there is something really exciting about discovering a new  festival which is a bit more off-the-radar.

Imagine combining the feeling you get when you explore an amazing country for the first time, and listen to a great new band. Add hot weather, and you’ve found the formula for happiness. Prepare for emerging music, a new place, a fresh audience, and a whole different experience with these 5 festivals you need to know about. Go forth and explore them all!

Primavera Sound Festival

Barcelona, Spain

Despite entertaining rapt audiences for nearly a decade, Primavera Sound is only now beginning to become a key festival on the summer circuit.  With a wide variety of artists from genres as diverse as rock, pop, house and dance, its impossible not to find loads of new acts to love at this unique festival. This summer’s line up includes Kedrick Lamar, Foals, Jamie XX, Moderat, Disclosure and many, many more.

Dates: May 28th – 31st – start planning now with Contiki

Burn Selector Festival

Warsaw, Poland

Held in tent structures on the grounds of the Sluzeweic racetrack (nope, we haven’t heard of it either) this Polish festival should be a priority for those who like their music electronic. For their fifth year, expect big names like James Blake, Breakbot, The Knife, Jessie Ware and MIA

Dates: September 6th-7th – start planning now with Contiki

Les Eurockeenes

Belfort, France

Known colloquially as ‘French Glastonbury’, this festival has all the elements you would expect from an accolade like that (beautiful countryside venue, amazing line up), with the addition of better weather and a stage on a beach. With artists this year including Skrillex, Black Keys, Stromae, Franz Ferdinand, and the Pixies, why on earth would you stay in England?

Dates: July 4th-6th – – start planning now with Contiki

Melt Festival,

Ferropolos, Germany

With a unique industrial setting and brilliant artists, Melt is the festival that you hope no-one else knows about because its too good to share. Come here to see Haim, Roykstopp, Roybn, Bombay Bicycle club and Four Tet while it’s still considered ‘underground’.

Dates: July 18th-20th – start planning now with Contiki

Sziget Festival

Budapest, Hungary

With 400,000 music lovers, a stellar line-up, and an incredible site, you are guaranteed a week of non-stop partying in Hungary with this festival. In addition, it’s full of creative, arty weirdness and really hot weather. Head here to see Queens of the Stone Age, Imagine Dragons, Bastille, Macklemore and Placebo entertain the colourful masses.

Dates: August 11th-18th – start planning now with Contiki