Snowbombing - Austria
travel,music,event,holiday,festivals,music event
Snowbombing festival Austria
Mon 31 March - Sun 6 April
Various venues, Mayrhoffen, Austria
Europe\'s biggest Alpine party, Snowbombing, is an extraordinary week-long festival that not only includes lashings of snow sports, but also boasts a fantastically eclectic musical line-up, street parties, igloo raves and performances under roof and stars. This year\'s performers include the Foals, Dirty Pretty Things and Madness.
Festival tickets: £149 (entertainment only passes), package prices start at £219
www.snowbombing.com
Tignes Fest - France
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Tignes Festival France
Thu 17 - Sun 20 April
Tignes Ski & Snowboard resort, France
This new festival, to be held in one of the highest ski resorts in the world, aims to help find and support fresh new talent from DJs to live bands. It\'s also a long weekend of skiing, snowboarding, socialising and most important of all, the event is free! This year\'s line-up includes Autokratz live, Trash Fashion and Kissy Sell Out.
Festival tickets: Free
www.tignesfest.com
Dissonanze - Italy
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Dissonanze festival Italy
Fri 9 - Sat 10 May
Various venues, Rome, Italy
Now in its eighth year, Rome\'s electronic music and multimedia art festival Dissonanze has risen to become one of Europe\'s most exciting festivals. This year\'s impressive musical line-up includes Prefuse 73, Switch and Erol Alkan. Also in residence this year are the Array dance company and visual artists including Cyprien Gaillard, Spartacus Chetwynd and Susan Philipsz, making Dissonanze 2008 a very interesting prospect indeed.
Festival tickets: €35
www.dissonanze.it
Rocket Festival - Spain
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Rocket Festival Spain
Fri 16 - Sun 18 May
Alhama de Granada, Andalucia, Spain
Described as the Burning Man for Europe, Rocket Festival is a multicultural delight celebrating music, dance, art and expression. Set within the gorgeous backdrop of the Andalucian hills, the festival has something for everyone: a Circus and Cabaret area with street performers, trapeze shows and acrobatics, an Extreme Sports area, Kidz Area, Market Area, Radio Disturbo, Tribal Funk, Twisted Sculpture area and the Natural Living area in addition to the Dance Tent, Main Stage and the Star Wars cantina themed Space Bar. This year\'s line-up includes Coldcut, Pendulum and the Nextmen, plus continental sounds from Spain\'s Muchacito Bombo Inferno and Los Delinquentes.
Festival tickets: £65
http://rocketfestival.com
Pinkpop - Netherlands
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Pinkpop Festival Netherlands
Fri 30 May - Sun 1 June
Megaland Park, Landgraaf, Netherlands
According to the Guiness Book Of Records, Pinkpop is the oldest festival in the world. Beginning life back in 1970, this year\'s festival is set to be the biggest to date with acts such as the Foo Fighters, Metallica and Rage Against The Machine set to take to the stage.
Festival tickets: €129
www.pinkpop.nl
Synch - Greece
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Synch - Greece
Fri 13 - Sun 15 June
Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece
In June Greece averages 22ºC and tourists arrive in their masses. So why not be one of them and partake in the three-day music festival held at the Benaki Museum in Athens. The festival is known for "showcasing accomplished and experimental international talent from around the world". Synch focuses on the contemporary electronic scene and the line-up includes; Roisin Murphy, Juan Atkins, Pedro and many more.
Festival tickets: €70 weekend
www.synch.gr
Sonar - Spain
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Sonar festival in Spain
Thu 19 - Sat 21 June
Various venues, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is one of the coolest hot cities in the world, and there is no better time than in the middle of June because this is when the whole of the electronic music scene descends and spreads the hottest beats throughout the city. This year\'s line-up includes Miss Kittin, Goldfrapp and Frankie Knuckles. Expect trippy visuals, clean beaches and dirty beats.
Festival tickets: 140€
www.sonar.es
Roskilde - Denmark
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Bjork perfroms at Roskilde festival in 2006
Thu 3 - Sun 6 July
Festivalpladsen, Darupvej 19, Roskilde, Denmark
Our trip over to Scandinavia this summer will take us to Denmark, reportedly the happiest nation in Europe, and with a festival like Roskilde to keep the spirits high you can see why. Bringing in the biggest names from all over world, with the likes of Radiohead, Judas Preist and Enter Shakari, you\'re bound to leave here as happy as a Dane with her bacon.
Festival tickets: DKK 1650
www.roskilde-festival.dk
Les Eurockeennes de Belfort -- France
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Les Eurockeennes de Belfort festival
Fri 4 - Sun 6 July
Peninsula of Malsaucy near Belfort, France
Imagine seeing all your favourite Gallic stars such as Air and Phoenix, with a host of other acts from across the world - all in the shade of those most French of Alps. Vivre le Rock François!
Festival tickets: Price tbc
www.eurockeennes.fr
Exit - Serbia
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Exit Festival in Serbia
Thu 10 - Sun 13 July
Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia
Launched in the year 2000, Exit festival started out as a protest event to sound off about a repressive government. Eight years on and it has grown into one of Europe\'s biggest dance and music festivals, packing both a political punch and pulling in some of the biggest names to boot. This year\'s line-up includes Paul Weller, Francois K and Primal Scream.
Festival tickets: £72
www.exitfest.org
Oxegen - Ireland
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Oxegen festival Ireland - Kings Of Leon
Fri 11 - Sun 13 July
Punchestown Racecourse, Co Kildare, Dublin, Ireland
Headlining Ireland\'s hottest festival this year will be US rockers, Kings Of Leon. Also confirmed on this year\'s line-up are Amy Winehouse, Rage Against The Machine and REM.
Festival tickets: Camping tickets have now sold out but a limited number three-day tickets are still available, priced €199.50
www.oxegen.ie
Festival International Benicàssim (FIB Heineken) - Spain
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Festival International Benicàssim (FIB Heineken)
Thu 17 - Sun 20 July
Benicàssim, Valencia, Spain
If a festival by the sea tickles your pickle, then FIB Heineken is the event for you. Hosted by the port town of Benicàssim, which sits on the gorgeous Coasta Azahar, this year\'s festival offers a lot more than just music; including dance, contemporary art, theatre and films. On the music side of things, you can look forward to hearing from the likes of Justice, Leonard Cohen and Mika.
Festival tickets: €170
http://fiberfib.com
Pohoda - Slovakia
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Pohoda festival Slovakia
Fri 18 - Sat 19 July
Trenčín airport, Slovakia
Held within the former Czechoslovakia, Pohoda festival boasts a musical line-up that encompasses over 20 nationalities and includes everything from chamber music to reggae. Aside from music, Pohoda also offers theatre, cinema, a dance workshop, a literature tent, sports park, kids\' park, discussions, photography and much more.
Festival tickets: From 1199 SKK
www.myspace.com/pohodafestival
Melt! Festival - Germany
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Melt! Festival - Germany
Fri 18 - Sun 20 July
Ferropolis, Germany
Melt! Festival is an unforgettable music experience. Due to popular demand Melt! is now a three-day music extravaganza. You\'ll be able to enjoy over 80 live acts and DJs perform while enjoying the European landscape. You can expect to see the likes of Björk, dEUS, Kate Nash, Miss Kittin & The Hacker and many more!
Festival tickets: €85 three-day ticket (plus booking fee)
www.meltfestival.de
Fuji Rock -- Japan
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Fuji Rock Festival in Japan
Fri 25 - Sun 27 July
Naeba Ski Resort, Yuzawa-machi, Niigata, Japan
Say Konnichiwa and head over to the land of the rising sun if you want to catch a festival that\'s as far out as the country it\'s held in. The Japanese really are up there when it comes to cutting-edge music and design and this festival celebrates both in abundance. Best of all, the whole thing takes place under that most Japanese of symbols, Mount Fuji. This year\'s line-up includes Underworld, The Go! Team and My Bloody Valentine.
Festival tickets: ¥39,800
www.smash-uk.com/frf08
Lollapalooza -- USA
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Lollapalooza festival - USA
Fri 1 - Sun 3 August
Grant Park, Chicago, USA
Get ready to rock for Generation X\'s answer to Woodstock. OK, maybe there aren\'t as many hippies, drugs and free love, but then you never know? 2007\'s event had an absolutely enormous line-up that put Pearl Jam, Daft Punk and Ben Harper at the top, so we can\'t wait to see who\'s up this year. It\'s time to get lollapa-loony!
Festival tickets: Price tbc
www.lollapalooza.com
Stella Polaris - Denmark
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Stella Polaris festival Denmark
Sat 2 - Sun 3 August
Royal Museum Of Art, Copenhagen, Denmark
Held in the beautiful gardens of Copenhagen\'s National Gallery among stunning natural surroundings that include a lake, banks of tress and sprawling greens, this electronic music festival is one for lovers of our very own Big Chill festival. This year\'s line-up includes Copenhagen native Trentemoller and Pete Gooding. Best of all, the event is totally free!
Festival tickets: Free
www.stella-polaris.dk
Sziget - Hungary
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Sziget festival in Hungary
Tue 12 - Mon 18 August
Mozaik utca, Budapest, Hungary
Literally meaning \'Island Festival\', this one is exactly what it says, a festival on an island in the middle of the Danube. Can\'t say fairer than that, especially with 400,000 people expected to turn up and acts vast and varied, ranging from industrial metal to reggae. This year\'s line-up includes the Sex Pistols, Roisin Murphy and R.E.M.
Festival tickets: €120
www.sziget.hu
Burning Man -- USA
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Burning Man festival - USA
Mon 25 August - Mon 1 September
Black Rock Desert of Nevada, USA
The USA is BIG, so you are spoilt for choice when it comes to festivals... So why not go for one of the most extreme festivals ever? Set in the Nevada desert, the festival is based on people coming, building a city, doing their thing and at the end of it burning an effigy of a giant man. With temperatures usually over 32ºC, this is one HOT party!
Festival tickets: $295
www.burningman.com
Rhythm and Vines - New Zealand
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Rhythm and Vines festival New Zealand
Wed 31 December
Waiohika Estate, Gisborne, New Zealand
What better time or place to be at a festival than when the sun rises for the first time in 2009? If you can wait for the Kiwi summer, down in the east coast of New Zealand on a vineyard near the city of Gisbourne, there is no excuse not to have one of the danciest, hip hoppiest, reggaeist and all-round coolest starts to the new year.
Festival tickets: Price tbc
www.rhythmandvines.co.nz
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