Our list of the best parties around the world to strut your stuff this summer Image courtesy of Creamfields It might be the tail end of winter here in the UK, but thankfully we can share with you a taste of the massive line-up of live acts and DJs we can expect from the greatest festivals in the world coming up this summer season. It’s wise to book your tickets early to get the best deals and give yourself enough time to plan with your pals the enjoy the cream of this festival season’s fields to dance the day and night away… MARCH 23rd – 25th March: Ultra Music Festival, Miami, Florida, USA Headliners: Carl Cox, Armin Van Bruen, Afrojax, Tiesto, Sasha & Digweed, Eric Prydz, David Guetta, Hardwell, Axwell & Ingrosso APRIL 13th – 22nd April: Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, California, USA Headliners: Beyoncé, Eminem, Hannah Wants, Jamie Jones, Jamiroquai, Jean-Michel Jarre, Soul Wax and The Weekend 28th April: Brixton Disco Festival, Brixton, London, UK Headliners: Joey Negro, Crazy P Soundsystem and Jocelyn Brown MAY 18th – 20th May: Electric Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Headliners: John ‘OO’ Fleming, Andy C, Armin van Buuren,, Gabriel & Dresden, Grum, Jason Ross & Tiesto 26th & 27th May: Common People, Southampton, UK Headliners: Lily Allen, All Saints, Jaguar Skills, Artful Dodger, The Jacksons, Cuban Brothers, James & Snap! 26 May: Creamfields Steel Yard, Finsbury Park, London, UK Headliners: Above & Beyond, Faithless, Eric Prydz, Tiesto and Axwell & Ingrosso  Image courtesy of Coachella JUNE 1st – 3rd June: All Points East, Victoria Park, London Headliners: Bjerknes, The XX & LCD Soundsystem 9th June: Southport Weekender Festival, Finsbury Park, London Headliners: Sister Sledge, David Morales, Alison Limerick, Juliet Roberts, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Louie Vega, Joey Negro, Sandy Rivera, John Morales, Grant Nelson, Junior Sanchez, Soul II Soul, Roger Sanchez & Brandon Block 21st – 24th June: Isle of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, UK Headliners: Depeche Mode, The Killers, Kasbian, Manic Street Preachers, Chase & Status & Sheryl Crow 28th June – 1st July: Luminosity, Amsterdam, NL Headliners: Ferry Corsten, ATC & Paul Oakenfold 29th June – 1st July: Love Supreme, Sussex, UK Headliners: Earth, Wind & Fire, Mavis Staples & James Taylor Quartet  Grace Jones. Image courtesy of Andrea Klarin. JULY 11th – 15th July, Henley Festival, UK Headliners: Grace Jones, Chic featuring Nile Rogers & Rita Ora 13th & 14th July: Lovebox, Gunnersbury Park, London, UK Headliners: Chilish Gambino, N.E.R.D & Annie Mac 14th July: British Summertime, Hyde Park, London, UK Headliner: Bruno Mars 20th – 23rd & 27th – 30th July: Tomorrowland, Boom, Belgium Headliners: Above & Beyond, Hardwell & Carl Cox 26th – 29th July: Camp Bestival, Lulworth Estate, Dorset, UK Headliners: Simple Minds, Clean Bandit, Rick Astley, Orbital, Basement Jaxx (DJ Set), Sara Cox, Raindance & Big Fish Little Fish  Image courtesy of Camp Bestival AUGUST
2nd – 5th August: Bestival, Lulworth Estate, Dorset, UK Headliners: London Grammar, MIA, Plan B, Grace Jones, Chaka Khan, Norman Jay, Jimmy Cliff, Craig Charles, Rudimental (DJ Set), Faithless (DJ Set) & Stanton Warriors 4th August: Eastern Electrics, Morden Park, London, UK Headliners: Defected in the House & Ministry of Sound DJs 9th – 12th August: Boomtown, Mattersley Bowl, Hampshire, UK Headliners: Morcheeba, Soul II Soul, Gorillaz, Goldie, Jimmy Cliff & Shy FX 23rd – 26th August: Creamfields, Cheshire, UK Headliners: Carl Cox, Eric Prydz and The Chainsmokers 25th & 26th August: South West Four, Clapham Common, London, UK Headliners: Basement Jaxx (DJ Set) Galantis, The Prototypes & Sam Divine 26th August – 3rd September: Burning Man, Reno, Nevada, USA Expect an array of multicultural arts, acts and performers across this magical and memorable event Ben Ricci
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 Image courtesy of Tomorrowland One of the standout things about the mighty Tomorrowland dance festival held at Boom, Belgium across two weekends in July, is the luxurious facilities on offer. DreamVille, the accommodation field, resembles a small city, home to some 35,000 guests. It really is quite incredible, not just because every thought has been carefully considered, but also because five star amenities are in abandon including room service, private butlers, spa pools, private bars, chill out zones and even massage treatments, if you fancy a touch of exquisite pampering. It’s unsurprising that all 185,000 tickets sold out recently across both weekends in under an hour! But don’t fret, there is always next year to prepare for so you have plenty of time to plan. In an effort not to tease you too much, here is our round up of the luxurious glamping and accommodation available to get you in the mood early…  The gorgeous cabanas. Image courtesy of Tomorrowland. Relax Rooms Package Akin to London’s hipster retail and leisure village in Shoreditch, BoxPark, Tomorrowland’s Relax Rooms are extraordinary. Equipped with 2 beds, light, personal power outlet to charge phones – always a godsend – clothing rack and free access to separate toilet and showering facilities, reserved only for Relax Rooms residents. You also can enjoy the Montagoe area that offers private catering, chill out and massage treatments with 24 hour concierge. You can even leave your key at reception so no need to worry about misplacing it and being locked out. Marvellous. Spectacular DreamLodge Package If you liked the sound of the Relax Rooms, you’ll love the Spectacular Dreamlodge Packages designed for two. You get all of the same added luxurious extras like access to the Montagoe, parking and 24 hour reception, plus loads of extra space, a living room and your very own personal terrace with comfortable chairs and a table. In addition to luxe soft bedsheets, a fan, locker and power outlet. You also get your own goodie bag and access to The Gathering’s exclusive VIP deck. Jet Set or what?  The spectacular mansion. Image courtesy of Tomorrowland. Kokono Packages
Continuing with the five star theme, the Kokono Packages offer a tippee type experience with raised wooden decking and a canvas roof, beds with foam mattresses, duvet and pillows, cotton bed linen, a mirror, battery operated lanterns, power outlet and all the mod cons of the Montagoe. Cabana Packages If you fancy something really different, then Tomorrowland’s Cabana Packages could be just the ticket. Mirroring all of the luxurious touches; private terrace, cosy chill out furniture, soft beds and proper lighting, guests can also enjoy all of the extras, private restaurant, bar and Montagoe chill out area as well as a welcoming lobby team on hand through the night. Mansion Packages For the ultimate in luxury, then look no further than the Mansion Packages. Sleeping up to ten people over 5 separate bedrooms with private bathroom and private lounge terrace, butler and even massage treatments, this accommodation is in another league; set in the countryside it even includes your own fridge, filled with everything to ensure you have a super deluxe experience, spa pool and room service. The Mansion Packages are our pick at Tomorrowland and has been given our prestigious Cat’s Pyjamas Award for Supremacy. Tomorrowland offers a world of bespoke prestigious luxury, unlike any other festival in the world. Make sure you don’t miss out next year and ensure you follow them on social media to book your Early Bird tickets for 2019 as soon as they go on sale. If you love dance music and enjoy a deluxe experience to rival the best five star accommodation, take my advice and plan ahead. www.tomorrowland.com Ben Ricci 
Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of Jamaican infused Dub, Roots and Dancehall, but Goa Sunsplash, a cracking open-air festival that welcomed families, hippies, and reggae aficianados and rookies alike, was an unexpected surprise.
Held at the beautiful Riva Resort in Mandrem, a beach-side resort with stunning views of the glorious sun setting over the ocean, Goa Sunsplash claims to be South East Asia’s largest collection of Reggae culture. The festival had a powerful line up of local and international artists who worked the crowd to a dream and the relaxed atmosphere had a unique sense of hashish-inspired hedonism. 
The sound system kicked out beats until the early hours and the assortment of art workshops and local wares on sale helped add to the creative vibe. Highlights included Riddim Funktion with Christopher DC, a show-stopping performance from LMK featuring dancer MC Sherif, and Cian Finn, a charismatic Irish MC.
If you're looking for an authentic reggae experience in India, then Goa Sunsplash isn't to be missed. Check out the aftermovie before for a glimpse of the action. Ben Ricci  Sheep dreams are made of these... Image courtesy of Litro Magazine My journey from Bournemouth to the Latitude Festival in Southwold, Suffolk, was epic to say the least. But the 7-hour trip of trains, tubes and buses was well worth it once I’d arrived.
Here festivalgoers from all over the country come to celebrate with some of the biggest bands in folk, indie, electronic, dance, disco and soul. The atmosphere is incredibly welcoming, with a mix of young people, families and hardcore band fanatics all merging together united by a shared love of music. Albeit pretty middle class – it has a Waitrose on site – Latitude Festival is an absolute delight. The bar staff, market traders, servers and local volunteers were standout and the famous vibrantly dyed sheep were a must see. Click here to read our full review  Image courtesy of Camp Bestival Bestival 2017 is just around the corner (7-10 September)! Kicking off this Thursday, this beloved festival isn’t to be missed.
Throughout the festival, visitors can discover a wonderland of exciting arenas including: Castle Stage, Bollywood Stage, Temple Stage and unique areas such as the Ambient Forest, Slow Motion, Cuckoo Clump, Colour Field, Love-Bot Park, The Lawn and Caravanseria. Click here to read our full review  Image courtesy of Camp Bestival The torrential rain and ankle-deep mud didn’t disturb the fun that was had at Lulworth Castle in Dorset for Camp Bestival. I think the organisers were caught by surprise at the relentless weather – there could have been more undercover areas, especially for the little ones and big families – but you can’t blame them for that.
That being said, on the day of our arrival our spirits were lifted thanks to sunny weather and a pleasant surprise in the form of a festival survival kit courtesy of Waitrose. In true Camp Bestival style, the atmosphere was friendly and safe, making it a great place for families and young people alike to let their hair down and celebrate great music, food and comedy, while having stacks of fun. Click here to read our full review |
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