10 European Festivals Worth Traveling Across The Pond For

There's only so much you can do here in the States. Though restricted by the Red Bull-induced clutches of earning an undergrad degree, I feel like I nailed out some of the bucket list festivals in this country. 

I have been across the US map for massive festivals like Electric Forest in Michigan, TomorrowWorld in Georgia, Decadence in Colorado, and the list goes on.. but what's going on in other countries? Do they party as hard as we do? Maybe harder? 

As a soon-to-be graduate, eager to see the rest of the world, a couple friends and I planned a trip to Europe for the summer. Naturally, I did my research and compiled a list of the best festivals across the pond. 

1. Shipsomnia - Ibiza, Spain
June 14 - June 18

This epic music and arts festival cruise ports from Barcelona, then sails the Mediterranean Sea for five days hitting Ibiza and Sete, France. They will be hosting popular European genres- a DnB stage, a breaks stage, house and techno stages and trance. Follow The Tale of The Kraken by visiting each of this cruises six themed stages such as the first stage AKA The Toxic Room - Legend says these toxins were dumped into the ocean by shady businessmen and caused the Kraken to grow into a massive beast.

2. Sonar - Barcelona, Spain 
June 15 - June 18

While Shipsomnia sets sail for the weekend, the good people at Sonar will be holding down the dry land for their 24th edition. Sonar strives to engage with their community and stay ahead of the trends. Sonar recently approved the new SonarDome stage which features 19 new Red Bull Music Academy artists, as well as the SonarXS stage that will be showcasing national and international up-and-coming and/or underground artists. 

3. Electric Castle - Bontida, Romania 
July 13 - July 16

Held in a castle in Transylvania, night owls (or should I say "bats") will be getting wicked roaming the halls of the castle by day, and party in the courtyard by night as Electric Castle is a 24-hour festival. This year's festival features stand-up comedy, international headliners like Deadmau5, Zedd, and NERO, and the biggest production to date. 

4. Ultra Music Festival - Split, Croatia 
July 14 - July 17

Known for their epic live streams and a strong presence in almost 20 countries around the world, Ultra Europe on the beach in Central Europe is one that can't be missed. This festival is known to bring the who's who of the electronic music realm like Above & Beyond, Armin Van Buren, Deadmau5, and Hardwell.  

5. Sziget Festival - Budapest, Hungary
August 9 - August 16

Nestled in the heart of Budapest, Hungary on the Danube River, Sziget Festival returns for their 25th year for a full week of live international headliners, local talent, epic adventures, and lifelong memories. Enjoy your days relaxing on the river, or dance the night away to top of the line artists with your new friends, the Szitizens. 

6. Electric Love - Salzburgring, Austria
July 5 - July 8

Near the Austria - Germany border, Electric Love Electronic Music Festival will be hosting artists like Marshmello, Flux Pavilion, DJ Snake, and Tchami. Two phases are still yet to be announced. This festival features house, deep house, techno, drum n bass and hardstyle stages at the paddock by the mainstage, and camping sites on the countless pastures that surround the Salzburg Ring.  

 7. Tomorrowland: Boom, Belgium
July 21 - July 30

Probably the most recognized festival in the world, Tomorrowland is back again with back-to-back weekends to give you the fairytale experience of a lifetime. Along with the who's who of electronic music, The Monstercat Stage caught my eye featuring heavy hitters like Snails, Seven Lions, Getter, and Krewella. Not your style? Tomorrowland has something for everyone!

8. Flow Festival - Helsinki, Finland 
August 11 - August 13

Ranging from indie, to jazz, to underground hip-hop, and up to electronic music, Flow Festival features international acts in every genre. Notable headliners of 2017 include Lana Del Rey, Flume, Moderat, and Frank Ocean. Flow Festival is hosted at 10 to 12 different venues each year, including larger outdoor and tent stages, as well as intimate indoor and outdoor venues.

9. FM4 Frequency Festival - St. Polten, Austria 
August 17 - August 19

As if you needed another reason to visit Austria. Just a 30 minute ride from Vienna, FM4 Frequency Festival has an average attendance of 140,000 people each year. Their DAY- and NIGHTPARK offers all the "FreQs" more than 16 hours of music on 7 different stages. The camping is next to a river where you can cool off during the day. 

10. Mysteryland - Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands
August 26 - August 27

To finish this epic summer off, known as the mother of EDM festivals MysteryLand, will be home to 16 stages. MysteryLand just dropped their MASSIVE lineup including Armin Van Buuren, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Deadmau5, Alesso, Above & Beyond, Carl Cox, Dillon Francis, and hundreds more. 

I plan on attending some of these festivals to get the first hand experience. How could I not? If I could clone myself and hit the jackpot I'd be at every single one of them. Stay tuned for updates on my travels across the pond.