As someone who loves a summer festival and can’t say no to a holiday (there’s a reason my overdraft is always maxed out), the premise of a European music festival in 2024 is tantalising to say the least. In more recent years, the jury has been out on English festivals, as lineups seem to have taken a significant downward spiral after Covid. It is perhaps a combination of bands choosing to do their independent tours, the price of a weekend ticket skyrocketing, and the cost of living crisis which has left most of our pockets being squeezed empty after basic, fundamental payments. However, there is hope! For those worried about European festivals costing a fortune, fear not, as tickets for a weekend at some of the most popular events are pretty much the same price as British staples such as Leeds Fest, Y Not, and Kendal Calling. If you’re looking to get a summer holiday in with your mates, why not combine that quintessential European summer vacay with a festival sandwiched in the middle, saving you on two lots of flights and organisation? Here are my top picks for the 2024 Festival Season, for both destination and lineups:
- Mad Cool - Madrid, Spain. 10th- 13th July. The perfect combo of pop, indie and rock, this year’s lineup for Mad Cool includes: Dua Lipa, The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Tom Morello, Bring Me the Horizon, Sum 41, and April Lavigne. As a city break Madrid brings together sights, food, culture and night life in a harmonious blend for those pushing the boat out for a week long getaway. Tickets cost €210 and return flights from most major airports are around £100 in July, making this a fairly reasonably priced festival for the height of the summer months.
- Rock Wercher – Belgium. 4th – 7th July. Another mid-summer festival, Rock Wercher’s 2024 lineup certainly lives up to its name with the Foo Fighters, The Hives, The Kooks, Maneskin, Royal Blood, The Streets, Young Blud, and Snow Patrol set to play. Festivalpark Wercher isn’t far from Brussels, meaning a few days of stuffing yourself with beer, Belgian Chocolate and Belgian Waffles could easily be added to the trip. At €309 for a 4 day ticket, Rock Wercher is on the more pricey side, but with return flights at around £60 you can’t complain for that busy summer season.
Some honourable mentions include Øyafestivalen in Oslo, Love International in Croatia, Sziget in Budapest, and Primavera Sound in Barcelona. This summer, overdone lads and girls’ holidays to Zante, Kos and Magaluf need to be swapped out for a European festival with all of your mates, to give you a holiday that you’ll never forget for all the right reasons, not the wrong ones.
