From Tomorrowland to Glastonbury: 7 international music festivals every Indian music lover should experience once

Planning a music-filled holiday? Here are international festivals that should be on every Indian music lover’s bucket list.

If you are a traveller for whom music can be as unforgettable as the destination itself, then international music festivals present you with a great way to see the world. These festivals range from massive electronic dance music festivals to historic festivals dedicated to rock, pop or performing arts.

1. Tomorrowland, Belgium

Hosted in Boom, Belgium, it is one of the prominent festivals of electronic dance music in the world. The festival is famous for its outstanding stage designs, staging themes, and unbeatable lights and performances of top world DJs. It is not only significant to listen to live sets but also to experience everything happening around, discovering different fabulous and colourful stages. It is normally celebrated over two weekends in July and brings a lot of people from different countries.

The Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, is a main fixture of the global music scene. (Pexel)

2. Glastonbury Festival, UK

The Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, is a main fixture of the global music scene. In contrast to festivals concentrating solely on electronic music, Glastonbury stretches across rock, pop, indie, dance and many other genres alongside theatre, comedy, circus and social and cultural activities. The many stages and characteristic festival areas make it feel like a temporary cultural village. Glastonbury happens in June every year but sometimes skips a year for the landscape to recover.

3. Sziget Festival, Hungary

The Sziget Festival can be found on Óbuda Island in Budapest, with the aim of providing international musical acts, arts, presentations and culture through lively and multicultural means. The festival’s focus is on providing a variety of music genres, including pop music, rock music, electronic music, and alternative music of various forms. Since Sziget Festival usually takes place in August, it is perfect for travellers interested in a festival during their European city trip.

4. Untold Festival, Romania

Held in Cluj-Napoca, Untold Festival is known as an important site for electronic music enthusiasts. This festival is known for its outstanding stage shows, spectacular lights and visuals and famous DJs and electronic musicians.

5. Electric Daisy Carnival, Thailand

Electric Daisy Carnival is globally recognised for its combination of electronic music, extraordinary stage shows, bright lights, carnival funfair attractions, and sophisticated visual shows. Its Thailand edition holds out for travellers from India an opportunity to visit an overseas music festival of the much- loved entertainment genre without high financial costs.

6. Coachella, USA

Coachella is one of the most significant art and music festivals in the world, taking place at the Empire Polo Club, Indio, California. The festival features well- known global artists as well as emerging talents from every musical genre, including pop, rock, hip-hop and electronic music. The festival is typically held for two weekends in the month of April and is known to attract many music lovers and artists from across the globe.

Hosted in Boom, Belgium, Tomorrowland is one of the prominent festivals of electronic dance music in the world. (Pexel)

7. Ultra Music Festival, Miami, USA

Ultra Music Festival is a leading event on the global electronic dance music calendar, held in downtown Miami, Florida. Known for its great DJ lineup, excellent sound systems, large formats and the energy of the performances, it brings together dance music lovers from all over the globe.