This #festivalfriday is all about #cityfestivals. Check out our guide to the best city festivals to get the best of both worlds and combine a festival experience with a city break.

Love music and festivals? Love travel and exploring new places? Why not take an extended trip and get your fix of culture, gastronomy, sightseeing, art and music. Forget camping and opt for a few creature comforts. Check in to a hotel or make like a local with airbnb. Heat it up in the heart of Morocco or check out what Amsterdam has to offer this festival season, the choice is yours!

 

MIX MUSIC AND GASTRONOMY IN BILBAO FOR BILBAO BBK LIVE

Set atop the Kobetamendi Hill with breathtaking views across culture-rich Bilbao, Bilbao BBK Live 2017 will showcase acts including Depeche Mode, The Killers, Die Antwoord, Justice, Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club, Fleet Foxes, The 1975, Sundara Karma, Cabbage and a whole host of Spanish musical talent. Basoa, the festivals carefully curated dance music space will also play host to uninterrupted party sessions from many of the most-respected names in electronic music including Dixon, The Black Madonna, Andrew Weatherall, Daphni, Job Jobse, DJ Tennis and Motor City Drum Ensemble. With many more acts still to be announced, it’s the perfect excuse for a long weekend in Bilbao, home to the Guggenheim Museum, a vast cultural hub, and the world-famous Basque gastronomic scene.

Line Up: Depeche Mode, The killers, Die Antwoord, Justice, Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club, Fleet Foxes, Royal Blood, The 1975, Andrew Weatherall, Bawrut, The Black Madonna, Daphni, Dixon and DJ Tennis.

Bilbao BBK Live takes place from 6-8 July 2017. To book tickets visit bilbaobbklive.com

DISCOVER THE BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC AT OFF FESTIVAL IN KATOWICE

OFF is a festival for the discerning music fan and the place to discover the best alternative acts from around the world.  A truly unique boutique music festival, OFF Festival takes place in ‘Three Lake Valley’, Katowice  – a beautiful green oasis in the heart of industrial Silesia.  OFF is a way of life, one that flies in the face of current trends and stays true to itself, and the ethos of organiser Artur Rojek is firmly aimed at supporting art and music with the festival bringing many acts to Poland for the first time. OFF Festival’s reputation is growing year on year driven by the festivals forward–thinking, eclectic music policy and  it’s bold and eclectic lineups.  From the greatest alternative music stars from around the world to the increasingly strong Polish scene, OFF festival has inspiring music in abundance and the organisers and crowd have one serious finger on the pulse when it comes to music.

Line Up:  Line Up:  Anna Von Hausswolff, BEAK>,  Carla Bozulich, Circuit des Yeux, Daniel Johnston, Duzy Jack, Feist, Group A, Helando Negro, Jessy Lanza, Kikagaku Moyo, Kwadrofonik I Artur Rojek, Made in Poland “Martwy Kabaret”, Moor Mother, PJ Harvey, Preoccupations, PRO8L3M, Royal Trux, Shame, Shellac, SIKSA, Silver Apples, Spoiwo, Swans, Taleb Kweli, The Black Madonna, Wolves in the Throne Room with more to be announced.

OFF Festival takes place from 4-6 August 2017. 3-day tickets from £52 available at off-festival.pl

A WEEK LONG FESTIVAL HOLIDAY ON THE ISLAND OF FREEDOM AT SZIGET IN BUDAPEST

Proud winner of the ‘Best Major European Festival’ award in 2015 and 2011, and ‘Best Festival Line Up’ in 2016, Sziget Festival is one of the biggest multicultural events of Europe. Taking place on the picturesque Óbuda Island in Budapest, Sziget welcomes over 490,000 visitors from over 100 countries to express themselves on their self-proclaimed Island of Freedom.  Sziget is not just about music, with more than 50 program venues offering festival goers the chance to experience many different things including; circus, theatre and dance, art and installations, yoga and sports and a huge variety of food. There is also has a beach area where fans can truly enjoy the summer and the Danube. With so much on offer in the heart of Budapest, Sziget provides a complete festival-holiday experience with a week long party, great live concerts and all the attractions the city has to offer such as beautiful historic buildings, thermal spas and special ’ruin pubs’.

Line up: Alex Clare, Alt-J, Andy C, Anne-Marie, Bad Religion, Bassjackers, Bear’s Den, Billy Talent, Cashmere Cat, Charli XCX, Chef’Special, Clean Bandit, Crystal Fighters, Danny Brown, De Staat, Dimension, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, DJ Shadow, Dubioza Kolektiv, Flume, Fritz Kalkbrenner, George Ezra, GTA, GusGus, Interpol, Jagwar Ma, Jamie Cullum, Kasabian, Kensington, Leningrad, León, Mac Demarco, Major Lazer, Mando Diao, Maurice West, Metronomy, Nervo, Nothing but Thieves, OH Wonder, Oliver Heldens, Paul van Dyk, PJ Harvey, Rita Ora, Rone, Rudimental live, Steve Aoki, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, The Couteeners, The Kills, The Naked and Famous, The Pretty Reckless, The Strypes, The Vaccines, Tom Odell, Two Door Cinema Club, Valentino Khan, Vince Staples, W&W, Watsky, Weval, White Lies, Wiz Khalifa

Sziget takes place from 9-16 August 2017. 7-day tickets from £175 available at szigetfestival.com.

DANCE BENEATH THE STARS AT OASIS FESTIVAL ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF MARRAKECH

Nestled on the outskirts of the bustling city of Marrakech in the luxurious surroundings of the Source music resort, Oasis brings a slice of festival paradise to Morocco, shining the light on North Africa as the latest must-visit festival destination. In addition to the cutting-edge music programme, there is ample opportunity to nourish the mind, body and soul with daily yoga, massage and reflexology. Guests can also experience Moroccan culture on-site with authentic local street food, a wide selection of locally produced and organic products, market vendors, henna artists and more. With the ‘Red City’ of Marrakech just 10 minutes from the festival it’s also the perfect opportunity to explore the rich Berber, Arabic and Moorish culture, historic sights, desert landscapes, souks, spas and aromatic cuisine.

Line Up: Amine K, Auntie Flo, Charlotte De Witte, Chloe, Jeremy Underground, Karenn live, Karmon, Kenny Glasgow B2B My Favourite Robot, KiNK live, Maceo Plex, Marcel dettmann, Mike Servito, Moodymann, Polyswitch, Solomun, Thris Tian, Young Marco with more to be announced.

Oasis takes place from 15-17 September 2017. To book tickets visit theoasisfest.com.


IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC CULTURE AT THE AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT

Amsterdam’s thriving club and nightlife scene is well documented and for 5 days a year the city becomes the centre of the electronic music world as over 375,000 visitors flock to the city for the Amsterdam Dance Event. The ultimate music festival for fans of electronic music takes place from 18-22 October in 2017, featuring more than 2,200 international artists performing in more than 100 of Amsterdam’s most celebrated venues including Melkweg, Closure, Gashouder, Claire, Shelter, Paradiso, the NDSM Docklands and De School. In addition to the extensive line-up of the ADE Festival, ADE also offers music enthusiasts a large and varied daytime program featuring a wealth of dance music-related exhibitions, films, documentaries, DJ showcases, gear master classes and artist Q&A’s, taking place across Amsterdam’s five main districts, utilising historical locations and unique venues across the city.

ADE  takes place from 18-22 October 2017. To book tickets visit amsterdam-dance-event.nl.


PR CONTACT
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk