Most Unique Festival Locations Around The World!

Move over stadiums, and concert houses, these festivals bring the festival experience to the outdoors and in the most unusual of settings!

Music festivals are awesome! Most of us look back to that amazing weekend at Coachella, Ultra and the other mainstream festivals and seem to be content with having had the ultimate experience! Well we’d like to direct the GOT Jon Snow phrase towards you, “You know nothing folks!”. These festivals around the world are rare in the know to most people and are hosted in the most unusual and picturesque of locations. Check them out below:

1. Day Zero, Mexico

Day Zero, held in the Mayan jungles and ruins that surround Tulum in Mexico, is by far one of the most anticipated dance events around the world. Damian Lazarus’ magical creation is all things ethereal and magical. The festival boasts of dainty sunrises, mesmerizing art installations and a fantastic line-up each year. Need we say more?

2. SALT Festival, Northern Europe

SALT festival of arts and music is an avant garde and unique festival that takes place in the northern parts of Europe. The festival scouts the landscape following the migrational footsteps of animals in the Arctic Circle region. Expect an artistic amalgamation of extraordinary art projects, concerts, theatre and local foods to elevate the experience! This is a lifetime experience to be had!

3. Obanjan, Croatia

Originally held in Croatia during its inception, Obanjan Festival moved to the island of Obanjan off the Crotian side of the Dalmatian Coast, last year. Located deep inside the island’s woodlands, the festival puts together a phenomenal experience complete with yoga, spiritual nourishment, art exhibitions and a whole lot of musical wonder!

4. Festival Tauron Nowa Muzyka, Poland

Held amidst an abandoned coal mine in the heart of Katowice, in the Upper Silesia region of Poland- Nowa Muzyka or New Music festival is a marvel to witness in an industrial setting. The festival is a week-long celebration of jazz, nu-jazz, electronica and dance music. The festival has seen the likes of Bonobo and Neneh Cherry feature and this is one party we want access to!

5. Colours Of Ostrava, Czech Republic

Hosted in the midst of mining and coal production plot in the Czech Republic, Colours Of Ostrava brings together music aficionados to the industrial setting over a weekend of festivities. The location with its enormous rust-coloured piping, disused furnaces and creaking towers makes for a very unique music experience.

6. Shambala Music Festival, Canada

Held on a 500-acre cattle ranch plot, Shambala is an electronic music festival that takes place in Canada’s West Kootenay mountain grasslands. The festival is an amalgam of extraordinary art and music and is a festival that features on our bucket list!

7. Dimensions Festival, Croatia

Transport yourself to a medieval setting and be roped in to the surreal experience of Dimensions Festival in Croatia. Fort Punta Christo, a mid-eighteenth century fort on the coasts of Croatia plays host to one magnanimous concert that takes place in this medieval Rome amphitheatre setting!

8. Electric Forest, USA

Held in the Sherwood Forest every year, Electric Forest is transforming the way we experience festivals. An all night insomniac event, Electric Forest is a niche in the making. The acts are centred towards jam bands and EDM acts.

9. Exit Festival, Serbia

What began as a student movement promoting freedom, has now turned into one of the biggest music hot spots in the world. The festival is held annually at the Petrovaradin Fortress in the Serbian city of Novi Sad.

10. Into The Valley, Sweden

Defining the trend of picturesque festival locations, Into The Valley is literally paradise in the middle of nowhere! What was formerly a limestone quarry has now become home to a vibrant crowd of music and travel aficionados.

11. Labyrinth Festival, Japan

One of the most lauded festival experiences, Japan’s Labyrinth Festival is as wishful as it can get! Imagine DJs playing in the tepees and a crowd in the midst of Japan’s picturesque landscapes, that’s Labyrinth Festival for you! Ticket sales are majorly within Japan with 95% inland sales, so that’s a very limited chance that us outsiders might actually get to visit the festival, sadly!

12. Lake Of Stars, Malawi

Lake Of Stars, an annual 3-day festival that happens on the shores of Lake Malawi was voted by THE TIME as having the most beautiful festival location in the world. With a backdrop of the third largest lake on the continent, this festival is a serene experience indeed! No performing acts are paid which in turns boosts the local economy as all proceeds from the festival are profitable.

13. Moga, Morocco

Game Of Thrones. Period. Did you know that this 3 day festival is to be held at one of the shoot locations of Game Of Thrones? A newly launched festival that will take place in October, promises a visual arts treat combined with electronic music.

14. Secret Solstice

Synonymous with paradise locations and over the top experiences, Secret Solstice is the ultimate experience to be had! The venues are spread on a Scandinavian island within a dormant volcano, inside a glacier and in a geothermal lagoon. The festival had priced a sector of their tickets at $1 million USD and is the most expensive festival ticket yet!

15. Traena Music Festival, Norway

The magnifique experience of Traena goes down on the islands of Husøya and Sanna off the mainland of Norway. The festival has been hosted in an ancient cave, a church with blacked-out windows and tents! This truly is a beauty to behold!

We don’t know about you, but we’re already handing in our vacay notices in from now! How many of these festivals were already on your bucket list?

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