Roskilde, Denmark
In a nutshell: 100,000 Scandinavians in a field, rocking, raving, hip-hopping and chilling out at Northern Europeʼs biggest music bash.When: 2011′s festival happens 30 Jun-3 Jul and artists include Arctic Monkeys, Iron Maiden, Mastodon, PJ Harvey and TV On The Radio.
Bʼestfest, Bucharest, Romania
In a nutshell: Heavyweight and handy. Romaniaʼs biggest, booming-est gathering is played out in a lakeside field just ten minutes from Bucharest airport. And the beerʼs cheap too.When: 2011′s festival happens 1-3 Jul, headliners include Skunk Anansie, Mika, Asian Dub Foundation, Pendulum and Roger Sanchez.
Exit Festival, Serbia
In a nutshell: Political mouthpiece turned new-music-cool, nestled on the banks of the Danube. From its student-activist beginnings, Exit now sees Novi Sad’s Petrovaradin Fortress blare out four award-winning days of punk, rock, hip-hop, electronica and social comment.When: 2011′s festival happens 7-10 Jul, headliners include Arcade Fire, Portishead, MIA, Editors, Pulp, Underworld and Jamiroquai.
Oxegen, Co Kildare, Ireland
In a nutshell: Gaelic gala on a grand scale: 80,000 revellers plonk themselves in Punchestown for a craic-ing weekend. Expect huge names, funfairs, foodstalls and communal silliness.When: 2011′s festival happens 7-10 Jul, headliners include The Black Eyed Peas, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Beyoncé, The Script, Arctic Monkeys and Slash.
Latitude, Southwold, England
In a nutshell: More than music – bring brain as well as listening tackle to Latitudeʼs lovely Suffolk setting: thereʼs axe-thrashing, drum-bashing acts, yes, but also a pot pourri of poetry, literature and comedy types, too.When: 2011′s festival happens 14-17 Jul, headliners include The National, British Sea Power, Suede, Foals, Brendon Burns and Louis de Bernières.
Benicàssim, Spain
In a nutshell: Supreme bopping by the beach. Banish the wellies for Benicàssim, the festival where camping – by the sparkling Med, under the Spanish sun – is actually a pleasure. And the music – an eclectic pop, hip-hop, rock mix – ainʼt bad either.When: 2011′s festival happens 14-17 Jul, headliners include The Streets, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Brandon Flowers, Paolo Nutini and Mumford & Sons.
Øya Festival, Oslo, Norway
In a nutshell: International clout, Scandinavian heart. This mash-up of music in the Norwegian capital mixes acts you know and love with local favourites, in one of the prettiest settings on the festival scene.When: 2011′s festival happens 9-13 August, headliners include Kanye West, Pulp, Fleet Foxes, Aphex Twin, Grant Lee Buffalo and The Jayhawks.
Sziget Festival, Budapest, Hungary
In a nutshell: No-holds-barred dancing on the Danube. This raucous rave-up on the river-island of Óbudai combines Pop-Rock, European and World Music main stages with a smatter of Roma, reggae and roots too.When: 2011′s festival happens 10-15 Aug, headliners include Amy Winehouse, Gotan Project, Dizzee Rascal, Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers and The National.
Spirit of Burgas, Bulgaria
In a nutshell: Super sounds on super sands. The beautiful Black Sea coast plays host to Bulgariaʼs biggest blow-out, a moonlit music marathon of big names and new finds.When: 2011′s festival happens 12-14 Aug, headliners include Moby, Skunk Anansie and Deftones.
Leeds Festival, Bramham Park / Reading Festival, Richfield Ave, England
In a nutshell: Rock on! One weekend, two mighty field-fests – acts pootle between the two venues, spreading their music magic north and south.When: 2011′s festivals happen 26-28 Aug, headliners include Muse, Pulp, My Chemical Romance, Elbow, The Strokes, The National and Interpol.
Bestival, Isle of Wight, England
In a nutshell: Boutique carousing in the Garden of Eden – quirky music mayhem takes over leafy Robin Hill Country Park in this fine, festival-season finale.When: 2011′s festival happens 8-11 Sept, headliners include The Cure, Fatboy Slim, Primal Scream, Katy B, Paloma Faith and The Maccabees.
Berlin Festival, Germany
In a nutshell: Festival fun down at the Flughafen – and beyond. This genre mix in the German capital is held at the old Tempelhof Airport, and in the hip city itself.When: 2011′s festival happens 9-10 Sept and headliners include Suede, Primal Scream, Mogwai, Boy George, The Rapture, Santigold and Aloe Blacc.
