From Croatia to Belgium, people are ditching the Pac-a-Mac, Hunters and rain logged fields in favour of pool parties, boat parties and stages surrounded by dramatic landscapes and oceans.
The festival season is in full swing and next weekend the infamously muddy fields of Daresbury will be hosting to 60,000 welly clad festival goers a day for this year’s Creamfields. The British festival that caters only to the best of dance, electronic and house. Big headliner acts such as Avicii, DeadMau5 and Steve Angello will be gracing three of the ten stages that the festival is home to.After nine years, 2013 saw the best year yet for the pioneering festival. Creamfields staggering success was evident after receiving six nominations in the UK Festival Awards including; ‘Best Dance Event’, ‘Best Major Festival’ & ‘Best Headline Performance of the Year’ after a monumental headline set from The Prodigy.
Although Creamfields still reigns number one, the increase in UK dance festivals is unprecedented. This year dance lovers have been spoilt for choice across the country. Parklife returned early in June for its fourth year, along with Global Gathering, the Electric Daisy Carnival, and Lovebox to name a few.
However, despite this, there is an unstoppable trend in the dance music festival scene… festivals on the continent. From Croatia to Belgium, people are ditching the Pac-a-Mac, Hunters and rain logged fields in favour of pool parties, boat parties and stages surrounded by dramatic landscapes and oceans.
Eastern Europe plays host to some of the biggest, best electronic and dance festivals in the summer calendar. Hideout, which takes place on the Croatian island of Pag in the paradise esc surroundings of Zcre beach, runs for six days and this year celebrated its fourth sell-out year. Tomorrowland takes place in the ironically named town of Boom, Belgium and since it’s somewhat humble beginnings in 2005 is now one of the most notable global music festivals. Serbian dance festival, Exit, was officially proclaimed as the ‘Best Major European festival’ in 2014 at the EU Festival Awards. It’s clear to see why dance lovers are flocking to these destinations, ditching the modest British festival.
Here, we celebrate why Brits have adopted the Eastern European nature of dance culture by taking over these festivals;
SUN (or lack of mud)
Alright, forgive me, this is a fairly obvious one but with average summer highs of 30+ degrees in Croatia alone, it’s no surprise that this is a clear advantage for festivals on the continent.
BACKDROP
A festival on the continent comes complete with the ‘holiday feeling’. The idyllic islands of Croatia are fast losing their ‘hidden gem’ status and are rapidly increasing in popularity - playing host to Dimensions festival, Outlook, Electric Elephant Festival, Unknown and The Garden festival to name a few.
Outlook famously takes place on Zcre beach, sandwiched amongst mountains, trees and Adriatic Sea. Dimensions festival, which takes place in the Croatian town of Pula has an opening concert in a 2000 year old Roman Amphitheatre. It isn’t just Croatia offering amazing scenery, Sonar festival takes place amongst the amazing backdrop of Barcelona. And Energy in the Park takes place in the dance capital of the world, Berlin. With all this, you seemingly get more from your money, as much as everyone loves being in a muddy field on the outskirts of Leeds…
PRICE
As rewarding as it is paying £6.50 for a pint of Somersby cider, European festivals are knowingly cheap as chips. The average Outlook festival ticket is only £55.50, along with a cheap Ryanair flight, you’re laughing. And with 9.58 Croatian Kuna to one British pound, accommodation, food and drink is also extremely cost efficient.
MUSIC CULTURE
As most people know, Eastern Europe is huge in terms of dance, house and electronic music. Techno still reigns highly in Berlin, with the city boasting some of the best clubs in the world, such as the notoriously difficult to enter converted power station, Berghain. Along with this love of the music comes an altogether different culture. Festivals such as these can often have a far more chilled out vibe, be more relaxed. And as a lot of the music tends to happen at night due to the heat, day times can be dedicated to sun bathing, DJ’s, boat and pool parties, changing the whole atmosphere. As dance music has always been part of Eastern European culture, it isn’t surprising that as the popularity for such genres flourishes in Britain we are flocking to these amazing festivals.
Although these all sound amazing, there is nothing quite like waking up still pissed, in mud-caked wellies, clutching a can of Strongbow with condensation dripping down your face. But we’ll let you decide on that one…
Chloe Shepherd
Follow Chloe on Twitter: @shepherdchloe
