We have been preparing psychologically for months, and it’s finally here, the best time of year in Hungary: the festival season.
This is a magical time, when we can leave behind everyday worries, get out of the rat race and discover a new community, where everyone’s heart beats to the same rhythm, and everyone shares one goal: being happy! Festival season is a time to get a little dirty, eat a little worse and consume more alcohol that would be generally considered the daily recommended amount. And everywhere is music, music, music!
With only a couple of dozens of nights to go before the festivalgoers swarm the country’s many musical paradises, some truly huge names have already been announced to perform at Hungary’s various world-renowned open-air venues. Opening the season will be Sopron’s VOLT Festival, to be organized for the 25th time between 26 June and 1 July. Headliners include Fatboy Slim of ‘Weapon of Choice’ fame (you know, that groovy track with that funny video of Christopher Walken doing cool moves), nu-metal band Linkin Park, English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, stadium rockers Imagine Dragons, and post hardcore group Enter Shikari.
Balaton Sound, the region’s largest open-air electronic music festival will be held between 5 and 9 July. The southern shore of glistening Lake Balaton will host the likes of Hardwell, Armin van Buuren, Nicky Romero, Jason Derulo and KSHMR.
Sziget Festival is one of Europe’s largest music festivals, a true giant that merges together theatre plays, world music, circus shows, pop up art performances and main stage headbangers, all on one island in the middle of the Danube at Budapest. This year’s Sziget will start off on 9 August and close on the 16th, virtually ending the summer festival season. So far, names announced to perform on Sziget include Pink, Kasabian, Alt-J, The Vaccines, Crystal Fighters, Tom Odell, Major Lazer, Interpol and Alex Clare.
Whichever festival you choose and whatever show you decide to see, remember: nothing’s compulsory, except for one thing – enjoy yourself.
