This #festivalfriday is all about #Coachella alternatives.  If you’re not going this weekend, get on a plane and visit one of the top notch alternatives in Europe instead. Swap A-lister fashionistas for good vibes on a beach festival to rival Ibiza or watch your favourite artists in a magical forest or combine your festival holiday with a city break to one of Europe’s cultural hotspots. Here are 6 of the best alternatives for the ultimate festival getaway!

EXIT Festival | Serbia
Just a short ride away from the Serbian capital Belgrade, the magical Petrovaradin Fortress set high on the banks of the river Danube in Novi Sad provides the perfect setting for the EXIT Festival.  Started as a student protest in 2000 fighting for political change and freedom, EXIT continues to spread positive vibes, promoting change and positive education, supporting many community and humanitarian missions, while throwing a damn good party. The award winning festival has something for music lovers of all genres with a diverse mix of artists performing on numerous stages connected by cobbled streets, ramparts and tunnels.  Also renowned for it’s amazing atmosphere and energy the Dance Arena champions the who’s who in the electronic music world  set in the awe inspiring moat of the fortress, it’s that special moment when the sun’s rays shine over the fortress walls and your favourite tune is belting through the soundsystem and into your soul! EXIT continues to deliver the most adventurous and value for money festival experiences in Europe so keep your eyes peeled for the first acts to be announced soon. EXIT. Where hedonism meets activism.

Line Up: The Killers, Liam Gallagher, Years & Years, Hardwell, Rag’n’Bone Man, Jake Bugg, Paul Kalkbrenner, Solomun b2b Dixon, Duke Dumont, Jamie Jones, Robin Schulz, Alan Walker, Black Coffee, Faithless Dj Set, Hot Since 82, Recondite live, Rufus, Foreign Beggars, Kungs, Noisia Outer Edges, Discharge, Destruction

Exit takes place from 6-9 July 2017. To book tickets visit http://www.exitfest.org/en

Positivus | Latvia
Taking place in the picturesque coastal town of Salacgriva in Latvia,Positivus is the largest music and arts festival in the Baltic States, transporting chart-topping headliners, underground emerging talent and exciting art and dance stages to their unspoiled atmospheric coastal setting amid stunning woodland. Festival goers can dip their toes in the baltic sea or take in the atmosphere in a hammock beneath the trees while enjoying a rich diversity of international chart toppers and underground emerging talent in this idyllic holiday location. Positivus also offers art and dance stages giving festival goers a variety of activities and stalls selling locally made designer clothing and accessories, giving festival goers plenty to see and do during the 3 day event. Positivus was also recognised in the 2013, 2015 and 2016 European Festival Awards being a finalist in the ‘Best Medium Sized Festival’ category and also for ‘Best Festival Line Up’ in 2013.

Line Up: Maximo Park, The Lumineers, The Pixies, Ellie Goulding, Alt-J, Rae Sremmurd, Kamasi Washington, L.A. Salami, José González, Mew, Austra, JP Cooper, Cigarettes After Sex, Dagamba, Dzelzs Vilks, Pienvedēja Piedzīvojumi. Ray Blk, Eska, Nothing but Thieves, Julia Jacklin, Margaret Glaspy, Bandmaster.

Positivus takes place from 14th to 16th July. 3 day festival passes from £67  positivusfestival.com

Sea Dance | Montenegro

Recently listed by Skyscanner as the number 1 cheapest holiday destination for 2017 this country is well worth checking out.  Montenegro has towering mountains perfect for hiking and mountain biking as well as some of the world’s best unspoiled beaches on the Adriatic Sea.  And if that wasn’t enough Montenegro featured in the James Bond Film Casino Royale and if it’s good enough for Bond, it’s good enough for us! Award winning Sea Dance festival gathers each year fans from over 50 countries from all over the world, and impressive line up of more than 100 hottest international music stars. This year, fourth edition of the festival, will be held in Budva  from 13th to 15th July, in Budva, Montenegro with acts including John Newman and Sean Paul. Voted best European medium-sized festival, Sea Dance has proven much within just three short years. Stunning location, world renowned artists and outstanding productions make this festival a must see. Save the date and experience Sea Dance festival on Europe’s hottest summer destination, city of Budva, Montenegro.

Line Up: Sean Paul, Fatboy Slim, john Newman, Amelie Lewis, Denis Horvat, South London Ordnance, Space Dimension Controller, Bad Copy, Filip Xavi, Insolate, Tkno, Who See and many more

Sea Dance Festival takes place from 13-15th July 2017. To book tickets visit seadancefestival.me

OFF Festival | Poland
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: 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 

Sziget Festival | Hungary
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, Her, 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, P!NK, 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.

Lowlands | The Netherlands
Only an hours drive from Amsterdam A Campingflight To Lowlands Paradise is exactly what it promises to be: a true backpacker’s Garden Of Eden and Holland’s most adventurous cultural outdoor event, offering a cutting edge choice of only the best in alternative music, film, stand-up comedy, visual arts, literature and street theatre. For three days in August, a township with 55,000 inhabitants arises in the middle of the country. The Lowlands festival features heavyweight headliners, impressive installations including the renowned red and white chimney stacks and no less than twelve stages (among which a cinema and theatre), going by the names of Alpha, Bravo, Heineken, Lima, Juliet, X-Ray, Echo.  All stages are covered too, so you can enjoy all the music  and entertainment come rain or shine.

Line Up: Mumford & Sons, The xx, Editors, alt-J, Bastille, Cypress Hill, Elbow, Flume, Iggy Pop, Kovacs, London Grammar, Michael Kiwanuka, Milos, Moderat, Septa, Architects, At The Drive In, Ben Klock, Billy Talent, Cashmere Cat, Death Grips, Dixon, First Aid Kit, Future Islands, Glass Animals, Jonna Fraser, Leon, Mac DeMarco, MHD, Mura Masa, Nina Kraviz, Noord Nederlands Orkest, Nothing But Thieves, Paris, Robert Hood (DJ Set), Sampha, Talaboman, The Pretty Reckless, Tove Lo, Ty Segall, Baloji, Canshaker PI, Denzel Curry, Haus, Jeawgu Macrooy, John Moreland, Palace, Parcels, Shame, Shovels and Rope, SMIB, The Ufoslavians

Lowlands takes place from 18th – 20th August 2017. To book tickets visit  www.lowlands.nl/english

Contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
Nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk