As temperatures rise across the planet, music lovers and party animals don their best festival gear in preparation for days of dancing in the sunshine.
All of a sudden, foregoing showers and living off of nothing but chips and beer is completely acceptable. In fact, other festival goers will encourage it.
The rules of “normal” life disappear at summer music festivals. That means no bathing, getting your nutrients, going to work, getting adequate sleep, all things adulting. The liberation brings in crowds of thousands year after year.
But a vague sense of anarchy is not the only thing to love about festivals (nor is the music). With this newfound freedom comes an enhanced sense of community. Everyone in the crowd has come for a reason so, whatever that reason may be, you all have something in common.
It doesn’t even matter that you’re covered in sweat and dirt.
When deciding which music festival to attend, the line-up should only be one deciding factor. The destination and vibe of the festival are just as important.
Of course, if you can land a festival with a badass line-up in an amazing destination, then you’ve hit the jackpot.
Not sure where to start your search? Some of the best summer music festivals around the world are waiting for you.
Creamfields, Daresbury, UK (August)
For four days, the fields of Cheshire are taken over by Creamfields, one of the UK’s most popular festivals. All around the area, beats of electronic music resonate as everything from techno to trance is blasted from the decks on stage.
This festival is a mecca for lovers of EDM in its many forms.
Some of the biggest artists on the planet, including Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren and Carl Cox, descend on this festival to execute immaculate DJ sets to the delighted cries of an enormous crowd.
For 2018, the line-up features a staggering number of global EDM icons, including Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, and Tiesto. You can be sure that Creamfields 2018 is going to be just as colorful and energetic as its predecessors.
Glastonbury, Glastonbury, UK (June)
Without a doubt, Glastonbury is the single biggest event in the UK, attracting around 175,000 people each year. It’s a cornerstone of British culture. Year after year, the peaceful fields of Glastonbury are hit with waves of festival-goers ready to watch some of the world’s biggest stars perform. Past headliners include Beyoncé, Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran and Adele.
In addition to the ultra-famous headliners, the festival also pays tributes to unknown artists who are brimming with potential. Its BBC Introducing stage has jump-started the careers of many well-known British artists who are killing it out there today, including James Bay and Florence and the Machine.
Given the UK’s proclivity for spontaneous downpours (even in the summer), however, Glastonbury inevitably turns into a giant mud-fest.
But Glastonbury just wouldn’t feel right without knee-deep mud creeping over the top of your wellies.
Note that every fifth year (a “fallow year”) there is no Glastonbury festival in order to give the local people and landscape a break. In, 2019 it will be returning with a vengeance!
Exit, Novi Sad, Serbia (July)
Exit started out as a student protest against the government back in 2000. Eighteen years down the line, this event is one of the best music festivals in Europe.
Exit takes place in an iconic fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia. It generally includes a line-up packed with artists from a range of genres. Throughout the three days, expect to hear hip-hop, EDM, rock, reggae, drum and bass and more.
This year’s line-up is already looking pretty impressive with David Guetta, Ziggy Marley, and Jax Jones performing.
During the day, festival-goers chill on the city beach eating half-price pretzels and enjoying the sun before heading over to the arena in the evening. Given that it’s a smaller festival, it doesn’t feel chaotic or claustrophobic. It’s just full of good vibes and good tunes until the sun comes out.
Mysteryland, Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands (August)
If there’s one thing the Dutch know how to do, it’s throw an incredible festival—and Mysteryland is no exception. Spanning three days, it is one of the longest-running dance festivals on earth.
The décor of the festival is fairytale-esque, with fairy lights and flowers of all different colors giving the whole event a distinctly magical feel. Deep vibrations of drum and bass, techno and house fill the air. These features set the scene for what is going to captivate the 100,000-person-strong crowd at Mysteryland.
But, Mysteryland is not just about music. The festival also puts on exhibitions from local artists, spoken word events and a tiny cinema.
The main venue is the open air arena, but in the surrounding areas are forests with winding paths leading to secret chill zones with cool side events. Throw caution to the wind and also explore the depths of the woodlands—you might be surprised what you find.
Coachella, Indio, California (April)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last decade or so, you will have heard of Coachella. Of all the upcoming festivals in 2018, Coachella has the biggest hype.
Every year, Instagram fills up with photos of girls toting hotpants with daisy chains around their heads basking in the California sunshine. Meanwhile, some of the hottest artists in the world perform for them.
Previous headliners include Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Drake, The Weeknd, Gorillaz and Kanye West. But 2018 topped them all when Queen Bee, a.k.a Beyoncé took the stage. The most elite international superstars get the top slot at Coachella, but, it’s not just the line-up that sells out tickets in a heartbeat.
For the two weekends of the Coachella festival, people transform into free spirits who love nothing more than good tunes and the wonderful people of the festival community. Everyone loves each other and everyone is happy. That’s what music festivals are all about.
Electric Forest, Grant Township, Michigan (June)
Nestled in the woodlands of Rothbury, Michigan, the Electric Forest Festival has a dreamlike setting with lush forests that spread out to the horizon. At the center, there is a clearing, and it is here that the magic happens.
Taking place over the course of two weekends, the event is more than just a festival.
This summer festival is a social experiment exploring the notion of “community.” Free spirits gather together and fill the forest with art installations and music performances.
Some of the more exciting parts of the festival include a huge indoor water park, workshops and competitions, and the odd log cabin in which to sleep. Light displays are also a treat.
If you want a festival with a chilled-out vibe and a lot of positive energy, then you should seriously consider going to Electric Forest.
Bonnaroo, Manchester, Tennessee (June)
Dubbed one of the wildest and best summer music festivals in the world by festival junkies, Bonnaroo is reminiscent of the Woodstock glory days but with a lot more diversity.
Those who’ve gone before will guarantee that the line-up is world class. But it is all the other stuff that makes this festival worth every cent of the ticket price.
The campsites are gathered together in plazas, which become communal spaces for people to hang out and get involved in activities. Stroll through the grounds and you’ll see ad-hoc yoga, meditation classes and even art workshops.
On top of all that, the festival sports gourmet food trucks, comedy performances and snazzy art installations you can check out when you need a break from dancing. Staff cater to every customer at this enormous mega-festival.
Burning Man, Black Rock Desert, Nevada (Aug/Sept)
Of all the upcoming music festivals of 2018, nothing piques people’s curiosity quite like Burning Man.
Since 1986, the iconic Burning Man Festival has drawn in the most eclectic and also anarchic crowds of any festival in the world.
People put up a temporary city in the middle of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Then they also dismantle it when it’s over. It leaves no trace of what was one of the world’s craziest events.
Attending Burning Man might be the most liberating experience of your life.
The festival has 10 principles by which it expects its attendees to live. These include self-reliance, self-expression and community cooperation. For hardcore festival goers, getting the chance to go to Burning Man is the equivalent of reaching Nirvana.
There is always a good lineup of artists performing at Burning Man. But that is almost a side-event compared with the community the “burners” build. For many, Burning Man is more than just a festival—it’s a way of life.
