Festival season is upon us! Well, actually, while some are almost upon us, most are still a good few months away. Seasoned festival goers will tell you though that a lot of festivals require a fair bit of forethought.
While festivals tend to be mass celebrations of freedom, individuality and spontaneity to really make your festival experience as smooth as possible you want to have your tickets, flights and anything extra like accommodation or car hire sorted well in advance. With so many amazing festivals happening around the world, we’ve selected just a tiny cross-section of what’s out there and found some tasty prices to help get you there. Whether you are looking to head to one of our festival choices or are heading somewhere else completely, read on to get inspired or head over to KAYAK and start finding the best flight deals now.
Holi (India & Nepal) – the festival of colours
The Holi Festival is an ancient festival that is as magical today as it’s ever been! The Hindu festival of colours is also about sharing love: it is celebrated in both India and Nepal at the end of winter to mark the start of Spring and new beginnings for everyone.
Over the past few years, it has become so popular that the concept has spread around the world! Participants come from every social class and background and gather together in open spaces for a giant (friendly) battle of powdered, vivid colours. Music, dance, and food and drink accompany the celebration. Getting to India may be a bit pricey but the cot of living makes up for it.
From March 13th, 2017: goindia.about.com
Flights:
✈9- 19 March: London – Mumbai from £331
✈9 – 19 March: Manchester – Mumbai from £374
For your stay:
- 4- star hotel Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport from £88 per night
- The Paradise by Tunga with an Excellent rate from £56 per night
Sonus festival (Croatia) – Electronic music festival
Located on Pag Island, on the Zrce Beach, Croatia, Sonus Festival makes dreams come true: enjoy the cream of international techno artists as you swim in the transparent turquoise sea, or as you dance on a white sandy beach or a boat for five nights and days.
For the connoisseurs and techno enthusiasts, legendary german promoter Time Warp has co-founded the event, and 2017 celebrates the 5th edition. Line up phase one has been announced already!
20 – 24th August 2017: sonus-festival.com.
Flights:
✈17 – 24 August: London – Zadar from £175
✈17 – 24 August: Birmingham – Zadar £230
For your stay:
Secret Solstice (Iceland) – the festival where the night never arrives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPNJ6kdKq48
A festival where the night never arrives! Experience the midnight sun in Iceland and visit Secret Solstice: enjoy multiple music genres by international artists, attend a concert on a glacier (!), go to a rave in the secret lagoon, get on a party boat or dance in the wild countryside. And if that’s not enough to blow your mind, why not extend your stay and travel around spectacular Iceland after the party is done?
June 16-18th, 2017: secretsolstice.is
Flights:
✈15- 19 June : London – Reykjavik from £140
✈15 – 19 June : Manchester – Reykjavik from 158
For your stay:
Tomorrowland (Belgium and others) – an insanely colourful electronic & ecologic festival
“Let’s work as one towards dignity for all” Not every festival can boast that UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon came and delivered a speech in front of over 180 000 visitors in 2015.
The giant electronic festival held in Belgium, USA and Brazil may look like a crazy multicolour fairytale, but its concerns for a harmonious and ecological future are real. You can read more about their ‘Five Circles of Love’ on the festival website, and get inspired by having a peek at their incredible stages from the past few years.
July 21-23rd & July 28-30th, 2017 (2 festivals because there are so many people): tomorrowland.com
Flights:
✈20 – 24 July: Bristol – Brussels from £105
✈20 – 24 July: Manchester – Brussels from £57
For your stay:
Take me beyond (Sahara) – A festival of music, sport, and art, etc. but in the desert
Would you believe it if I told you that there’s a 4-day festival that travels through the Sahara desert? Travel options range from a 4×4 to a camel convoy? A festival that brings live music, sport, relaxation, creativity, great local food and adventure together?
Welcome to the ‘Take me beyond’ festival. second edition. Hurry up; the festival only has space for about 200 lucky people!
March 3-6th, 2017: takemebeyond.co.uk
Flights:
✈1- 7 March: London – Marrakesh from £148
✈1- 7 March: Manchester – Marrakesh from £175
For your stay:
Frieze contemporary art fair (London & NYC) – the top contemporary art fair
Occurring in both London and NYC, it offers twice as many chances to see the many faces of contemporary art.
Although ‘fair’ suggests that people are here exclusively to buy art, don’t feel pressured, most of them are here solely to visit! In Regent’s Park, London, expect graphic art, films, music and talks alike in this exhibition that spreads over 170 art galleries. In New York, attend the event in Randall’s Island Park, Manhattan and discover more than 1000 artists.
London: October 5-8th, 2017: frieze.com
✈5-9 October: Glasgow – London from £62
✈5-9 October: Belfast – London from £84
For your stay:
NYC: May 5-7th, 2017: frieze.com
✈5 – 8 May: London – NY from £320
✈5 – 8 May: Manchester – NY from £303
For your stay:
If you’re travelling so far you’re obviously going to hang around a bit after the festival and check out what else is going on. Luckily, KAYAK’s put together a handy guide to help you find the best hotel deal for you. And if it’s a music festival you’ve been to? The hotel is going to worth it for that first shower in 3 days alone.
Spin Cycling Festival (London) – for every sort of bike enthusiast
Are you a bicycle enthusiast? Are you also a London enthusiast? Sounds like you’d enjoy this one. Spin cycling is hosting a weekend festival all about bikes.
The exhibition showcases the latest bike technology, apparel, accessories and artwork, set to turn you into from a bike fan into a fanatic. Enjoy a fantastic coffee, craft beer, street food and DJs as you’re dreaming about your next frame.
May 12-14th, 2017: spinldn.com
Flights:
✈12- 14 May: Glasgow – London from £43
✈12 – 14 May: Belfast – London from £90
For your stay:
Meadows in the Mountains (Bulgaria) – a beat-utiful festival in the Rhodope Mountains
Set in the Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains, ‘Meadows in the Mountains’ is a one of a kind music festival. Take a deep breath of air as the sun rises above the mountains and… lush out to the techno beats all around you! Embrace nature and get ready for a uniquely immersive experience in a total change of scenery. Hop in a horse cart at the bottom of the mountains and let it take you upwards to discover a space that is intimate, friendly and at the opposite side of the scale of big established festivals.
June 9-11th, 2017: meadowsinthemountains.com
Flights:
✈8 – 13 June: London – Sofia from £76
✈8 – 13 June: Glasgow – Sofia from £125
For your stay:
Burning Man – the festival that needs no introduction
Travel to the Nevada desert and join the Burning Man Festival in ‘Black Rock City’, smack bang “in the middle of nowhere”.
Now one of the world’s most (in)famous festivals, Burning Man attempts to create a temporary Metropolis dedicated to art and community with a leaning towards the radical. As sculptures adorn the desert landscape, a new community is born and everyone participates, creating a free, hedonistic and unbridled way of life, where almost anything goes and a true sense of freedom is discovered. Here, you truly are your own master.
August the 27th – September 4th: burningman.org
Flights:
✈25 – 6 September :from London to Reno from £795
✈25 – 6 September :from London to San Fransisco from £551
✈25 – 6 September :from London to Las Vegas from £630
For your stay:
- Rino: Western Village Inn And Casino from £79 per night
- San Fransisco: The Mosser from £91 per night
- Las Vegas: Circus Circus Hotel & Casino from £31 per night
Did you know that by clicking on ‘Show flexible dates‘ you can filter your arrival and departure dates by +/- 3 days? Meaning that you can save serious smackers by flying in or out to your destination a day or two earlier or later.
Note: These rates are based on search queries made on KAYAK.co.uk on February 23, 2017. The prices are quoted in GBP. Flight prices are based on results for a return economy flight search. Hotel prices are for double occupancy and include taxes and fees. Prices are subject to change, may vary, or no longer be available.
