Are you a lover of great art and music? If yes then plan to visit some of the best Art & Music festivals around the world. A celebration of culture with different forms of music, art and dance, these Music and Art festivals attract the audience from around the world.
We have curated a list of some of the best music festivals in the world and Art festivals that will leave you enthralled.
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World’s best festivals of Music and Art
Sometimes it feels worth traveling across the world for witnessing the world’s best Festivals. We were blown away while writing about celebrations and festivals around the world. The list includes some of the world’s biggest music festivals and Art festivals. Most of these are outdoor festivals and attract fans from across the globe.
So get ready to sway and dive into the world of music & arts.
Ziro Music Festival, Arunachal Pradesh, India
When: Ziro Music Festival takes place around September every year that spans for a period of 4 days.
Where: UNESCO World Heritage site of Ziro Valley in Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, India.
Age group: Kids are allowed. Make sure to invest in good quality earplugs/earmuffs for your child as the music festivals usually have an amplified sound system.
About: One of the most eco-friendly festivals in India, the Ziro Festival of Music exhibits an independent music scene in India. In 2012, Bobby Hano and Menwhopause guitarist Anup Kutty started the event to spring out their passion for music. Since then, youth and music enthusiasts have been looking forward to the event.
From Lee Ranaldo, Damo Suzuki, MONO, Louw Majaw, Sha’air n Func to Divine, Indus Creed, Menwhopause, Guru Rewben Mashangva, and many more, the festival is known for hosting famous musicians from around the world.
Ziro Music Festival, one of the top music festivals of India, is hosted by Apatani tribal people who inhabit the Ziro Valley. They are well-known for their warm hospitality and love for music.
Why visit: It’s music-lovers’ (who doesn’t love music) mecca. You must visit if music runs in your soul. There’s no festival like Ziro Music Festival for music enthusiasts. You can’t help but lose yourself as the thrill and melodious beats fill the atmosphere.
It’s not only about music. Ziro Valley is known for its verdant beauty. The terraced rice fields, bamboo groves, pine forests, and cute little villages in a unique fashion – Ziro Valley is one of the most beautiful landscapes in India. So, you get to stay close to nature. Imagine staying in a tent in a valley draped with breathtaking layered green carpet and listening to the soulful music while drinking in the colors of the sunset. Do I need to say more?
Another reason to visit Ziro Music Festival is you get to meet the Apatani tribal people and know their unique culture and traditions.
Burning Man, USA
Attended by Nick and Val from the Wandering Wheatleys
When: Burning Man takes place on the week before Labor Day every year. You can go for as much or as little time as you want and the main event (the burning of the man) will take place on Sunday, September 5th.
Where: Black Rock City, Nevada (In the middle of the Black Rock Desert)
Age group: Yes kids are allowed but I probably wouldn’t recommend bringing a child under 10 years old. Conditions can be rough and it’ll be the strangest experience of their little life.
About: One of the famous festivals in the USA, Burning Man is based on 10 principles that include radical inclusion, radical self-reliance, and radical self-expression. “Burners” are encouraged to dress and express themselves however they want with no fear of judgment. One of the biggest challenges is packing for Burning Man. You’ll be camping in the middle of the desert and must bring everything you’ll need to survive the week. The only items that are sold are coffee and ice. Burning Man is based on a gifting model so you can bring gifts for other Burners and you’ll also get gifts during the festival (food, booze, entertainment, etc).
Why visit: Burning Man is unlike any other festival in the world. You’ll essentially be surviving in the middle of an uninhabitable dry lake bed, miles from civilization. The Black Rock Desert is dry, hot, and often has sand storms that will coat you and everything you own in dust. You’ll meet the kindest people who invite you to join their meals or to ride in their art cars. You’ll dance at massive raves that rage until the wee hours of the morning. And you’ll get to climb all over spectacular art installations that were painstakingly planning and assembled in the middle of this wasteland solely for your enjoyment. You’ll never have an experience like it in your lifetime.
Desert X, California, USA
Attended by Kay from The Awkward Traveller
When : February-April : though may be pushed to fall based on lockdown measures
Where: Coachella Valley, California USA
Age group: All ages are welcome, though young children who would not be interested in an art museum might not enjoy Desert X
About: Desert X is a biennial free outdoor art exhibition, with pieces from local and international artists spread throughout the Coachella Valley. In layman’s terms, it is an art road trip through Southern California’s desert. The pieces are a blend of pop-art and street-art, sparking conversation by incorporating the pieces into the desert landscape and pulling from current events. Wildflowers weave through giant sculptures encouraging environmental conservation while another piece might be an abandoned building with a somber scene displayed inside. Since so many various forms of media are used during Desert X, each piece is a welcome and unexpectedly clever surprise.
Why to visit: Since Desert X only happens every other year, the last being Desert X 2019, you have to visit while you have the chance. Plus, since it usually takes place during the early spring, it is the perfect season to visit the area while skipping the unbearable heat.
POW!WOW! Honolulu Street Art Festival, USA
Attended by Carol Guttery from California Crossings
When : Occurs annually in the second week of February
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Age group: Kids are welcome to participate in any aspect of the festival, however the late night street party may not be suitable for smaller kids.
About: POW!WOW! has run mural festivals in twelve far flung locations from Long Beach to Guam to Israel, but, Honolulu is their literal and spiritual home. The festival brings in a mix of international and local artists to paint murals in the Kaka’ako neighborhood of Oahu. In addition to watching the artists work live, you can also explore curated art shows, listen to artist talks and participate in the annual street festival.
Why to visit: For many, street art is a passive thing that simply appears as they walk by. But watching it get made, will give you a better appreciation for the skill and passion that goes into making murals.
Glastonbury Festival , England
Contributed by Annisa from London Travellers
When: Date of Festival is usually at the end of June of every year.
Where: Located in Glastonbury, England.
Age Group: Glastonbury Festival allows children under the age of 16 years old but must be accompanied by someone who is 18 or over. They don’t need to register and do not require tickets.
About the festival: Glastonbury Festival, one of the top music festivals in the world, is aimed for the youth, but people from different ages still visit. People from all over the world visit every year. It holds many angles of performing arts, from pop, jazz, drama and theatre, circus acts and many more.
Why to visit: From grime to jazz, Glastonbury hosts a diverse type of music. Famous people such as Beyonce, Jarvis Cocker from Pulp, Foo Fighters and many more have performed there. You’ll often see colourful painted faces and costumes from audiences and performers alike.
Expert Tip: You must book a year or two years in advanced since it’s extremely popular and can be expensive. You’d have to put up a tent for 3 days, rain or shine, muddy or dry, you’d have to get through it and smile. If you want to use the toilet, you’d have to queue up.
I have noticed that people have tattoos of Glastonbury Festival because they love it so much. I never really like sleeping in tents and getting wet, but because I was with my best friends, it was enjoyable.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland
Contributed by Anuradha from Country Hopping Couple
When : 6th August TO 30th August 2021
Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
Age group: Edinburgh Fringe Festival is for all ages. There are many shows that focused on family entertainment and children of all ages
About the festival: Edinburgh Fringe Festival (also referred as Edinburgh Fringe, The Fringe) and its history dates back to 1947 when eight British theatre companies appeared uninvited and performed their own shows alongside the new International festival in Edinburgh. Fast forward to recent times, Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world. Every year for three weeks in the month of August, Edinburgh city comes alive, with explosion of creativity and power packed performances of artists from all over the world. It is an open access art festival, with no selection committees. Anyone – literary any artist from anywhere in the world can participate and perform. While a lot of the shows are ticketed events, you can also watch some street performances during Edinburgh Fringe Festival which are absolutely free. Shows are categorized into theatres, comedy, dance, circus, children’s shows, musicals, opera, acrobats.
Why to visit: Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a single greatest celebration of performing arts, music and cultural event on the face of earth. People from all over the world come to Edinburgh to participate or be spectators of extravaganza. Every year, you can witness as many as 55,000 performing artists on approximately 3500 shows that runs across Edinburgh city in 317 venues. Edinburgh Fringe Festival is part of Edinburgh International Festival that includes six other festivals. Naturally for this reason, Edinburgh is too crowded and expensive for travelers in the month of August!
Lowlands , Netherlands
Attended by Dymphe from Dymabroad
When: 20, 21 and 22 of August of 2021
Where: Evenemententerrein Walibi Holland in Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands
Age group: There is no minimum age to go to the festival, but the organization of the festival thinks it’s not suitable for those that are younger than 16 years old.
About the festival: Lowlands is a festival that lasts for 3 days and is all about music, theater, film, literature, science and much more. You can camp on one of the campings with your own tent, caravan or RV and stay for the full duration of the event. Furthermore, this is one of the largest festivals of the Netherlands and there are many famous and up-and-coming artists that go here.
Why to visit: What’s great about Lowlands is that there is so much variety. Whatever you like, you’ll probably find it at Lowlands. From dancing to listening to philosophical thoughts to experiencing a play, there is so much to do. It’s a great combination of both culture and music. Also, because you can camp at the festival, you have so much more time to experience all of it. Another thing that’s amazing about Lowlands is that there are many up-and-coming artists. This means that you can be one of the first people that have seen someone before he or she became famous!”
Dickens Festival, Netherlands
Attended by Cosette from KarsTravels
When: 11 and 12 December 2021.
Where: Deventer, The Netherlands.
Age group: It’s for all ages. It’s also fun for small kids. Just keep in mind that the waiting line can take up to an hour and a half.
About the festival: The festival is about the stories of Dickens. For 2 days the medieval old town of Deventer turns into a 19th Century English town right out of one of Charles Dickens’ books.
Why visit: During the Dickens Festival some 950 actors and residents take the honors of playing Scrooge, Queen Victoria, and all the other characters that roam the streets. There’s no entrance fee, but you wait in line until you can follow a route from the entrance to the exit, a dozen or so streets further and some 2 to 3 hours later. The atmosphere is perfect with the medieval surroundings and the characters that stay in character all the way. Watch the plays and sketches. Listen to the carol singers and choirs. It’s the best way to get into the festive mood.
Bali Spirit Festival, Indonesia
Attended by Marco Sison from Nomadic FIRE
When: March 29-April 4, 2021
Where: Ubud, Bali
Age group: All ages are allowed. It is a drug-free festival, including (despite the hippie-vibe) all medical marijuana, CBD, and THC products. Totally safe to bring the kiddos.
About: Bali Spirit Festival targets the spiritually-inclined crowd. I went for the fitness, yoga, and dance aspects, but hippie-types will find plenty of holistic health, meditation, and artsy activities.
Why visit: First is the location. Ubud in Bali is a fantastic arts and culture community. If you are into yoga and nature, Ubud is the mecca. Bali Spirit is unlike any festival I have ever been involved with.
Second, the festival is a unique mix of spirituality, dance music, and yoga. Each day, I would do 2-3 different yoga classes (Ashtanga, Yin, Vinyasa). At night, I would dance the night away to different world artists, including Dub FX (rapcore), Ririe Dread (dub reggae), Giselle World (Tribal Electronic), and about 20 others.
In between yoga and dance are various workshops. You can close from roughly 100 different classes. The workshops range from fitness-oriented (Muay Thai, Capoeira, Acroyoga), performance (Fire Hoops, Poi), meditation (shamanic breathing, sound healing), or educational (how to make a mala, raw food diet). There were so many classes that I couldn’t go to everything I wanted to. I had to prioritize topics I was passionate about because so many workshops overlapped.
I don’t have kids, so I never went, but there was even a family area to teach kids magic, children’s yoga, and other art projects.
Havana Biennial, Cuba
Attended by Carley Rojas Avila of Home to Havana
When: The Biennial starts on 21 November 2021, with exhibitions and events programmed for a month after the opening.
Where: Havana, Cuba
Age Group: Kids are allowed in all Biennial exhibits. They will have the most fun interacting with 3D installations that take over the city, like massive sculptures that appear on the Malecón sea wall, as well as spotting new murals that pop up across the city.
About: Founded in 1984, the Havana Biennial is a multi-venue arts celebration that takes over the city’s art and cultural institutions with fine arts displays from artists around the world for over a month every two years. While art is featured from artists around the world, there is a strong emphasis on artists from Cuba and Latin America, as well as Africa and Asia. Installations are accompanied by events, artists talks, and live music in cultural spaces with Biennial exhibits.
Why Visit: Visiting the art-centric city of Havana during the Biennial makes for an even greater travel experience with even more ways to engage with Cuban people while having a meaningful cultural exchange. This is the perfect opportunity to get in touch with Havana’s history while also seeing its modern side through its art. Make sure to stay in a colonial home turned rental property during your visit – like a casa particular in Vedado, one of Havana’s most beautiful neighborhoods to experience the city’s history from the inside.
Bloomsday, Ireland
Attended by Cath from Travel Around Ireland
When : 16th June, 2021
Where: Dublin, Ireland
Age group: Yes, but the best age range is over 12 years of age as some of the events and readings might be boring for younger kids.
About: Bloomsday festival is a literary festival held in commemoration of the life and works of James Joyce and is one of the best festivals in Ireland. It is held on the 16th of June annually in Dublin City Centre, and it is held on this day as it is this date that his novel “Ulysses” takes place in 1904. The festival is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character in the novel.
Why to visit: The Bloomsday festival follows the life and thoughts of Leopold Bloom, as well as a host of other characters from the book. Literary fans from across the world come to take place in readings, performances and to visit the places referenced in the book, all while dressed in clothes from the era. The hallmark fancy dress item is a straw boater hat.
Other cultural activities and events that occur throughout the day include pub crawls as participants move around the city in their Edwardian attire. There is a Bloomsday breakfast of the ‘inner organs of beast and fowl’ which is also a popular event.
Athens Epidaurus Festival
Attended by Chrysoula Manika from Athens and Beyond
When: June – August 2021
Where: Athens and Epidaurus in Greece
Age Group: Everyone including kids are allowed
About: The Athens Epidaurus Festival is the most important festival in Greece and one of the oldest festivals in Europe as it began in 1954. The festival is held every year and mainly takes place in the ancient theatre of Epidaurus. This theatre is part of the Sanctuary of Asclepius which was the most important healing center in the ancient world.
A number of the events are held in Athens in the wonderful setting of the ancient Odeon Herodes Atticus. There are theatrical, dance and musical performances which are enjoyed by large audiences from around the world. The first production of the festival was of Euripides’ Hippolytus. Today, the festival reflects different historical and social events and performances are with English subtitles for international visitors.
Why visit: To experience the rich and historical culture of Greece.
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF)
Attended by Stuti Shrimali from Me and My Suitcase
When: 6th to 14th February 2021
Where: Mumbai, India (This time it’s going digital owing to pandemic)
Age group: Yes, kids are allowed, any age.
About: The Kala Ghoda Arts festival is organised by Kala Ghoda Association (a non-profit organization since 1998). With the objective of maintaining and preserving the heritage and art district of South Mumbai, the KGA has been doing an amazing job since its formation and now by showcasing art and culture through the fest (KGAF) since 1999.
Why to visit: It’s a 9 day cultural festival, celebrated in Mumbai around January/February and the entry cost is free. The main highlight of the festival is its many exhibitions, the lighting, art and culture, spread across the streets of South Mumbai in and around the Kala Ghoda area.
The fest attracts people of diverse interests, from food to movies, art to writing workshops, music, theatre, dance, visual arts, comedy etc. In short, there is something for everyone.
You can also buy amazing art, handicrafts etc from the stalls put up by urban sellers and village artists from across India.
KGAF also organizes city tours mostly in South Mumbai, which is mainly to get one acquainted with the history of the city. Don’t forget to visit it given a chance.
Electric Castle, Romania
Attended by Jade, The Migrant Yogi
When : July 2021
Where: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Age group: All ages are allowed, however, some performances may contain explicit language or performances.
About: Electric Castle is an annual music festival held at Bánffy Castle just outside of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. EC, as it is affectionately known, features numerous genres of music including rock, indie, hip hop, electronic, techno, and drum and bass as well as art installations, similar to many US-based festivals.
In 2019 it won the ‘Best Medium Sized Festival’ award in Europe. An eclectic line-up of artists combined with unique media installations & displays, otherworldly scenery and historical surroundings create a different kind of world where the creators say you can “lose yourself to find yourself”.
Why to visit: The entire event lasts five days and is one of Europe’s only 24-hour festivals. A 5-day event, the festival established itself as a reference model for high quality production and impressive, internationally acclaimed festival architecture. 24-hour entertainment, musical performances, immersive installations, comedy shows, other creative endeavors, elite food & drinks vendors and a variety of daytime activities to experience that entertain everyone throughout all five days of the festival.
Headliners were just released for 2021 and include Deftones, Gorillaz, and Twenty-One Pilots!
Rock en Seine, Paris
Attended by Lena from Salut from Paris
When: 27. – 29. Of August 2021
Where: Paris, France
Age group: Rock en Seine is for everyone, Kids included. Toddlers are allowed on the festival grounds from 3 years on. However, there is a free kid festival on site dedicated to kids only from 6 years on.
About: Rock en Seine is a 3 day Rock and Pop Festival in Paris that features a wide range of internationally known and French groups, but also many Newcomers.
As this is a French festival, it is not surprising that food plays an important role as well. Rock en Seine is probably the only Rock Festival that serves Fois Gras, Champagne and of course a selection of good wine.
The festival takes place on the last weekend of the annual summer vacation and for most Parisians it’s the last highlight before they get back to work in September. Hence, you can expect an extremely laid back vibe and a very mixed crowd: students, families, and music lovers of all ages.
If you are traveling to Paris with kids, don’t hesitate to bring them along! They can do plenty of activities at “Kids Rock en Seine” while the parents enjoy the festival.
Why to visit: If you are in for live music, good food, a relaxed atmosphere, and some easy going last days of summer, Rock en Seine is the place for you! Enjoy concerts on 5 stages, see internationally known artists like The Cure or The Foo Fighters, but also get to know popular French bands and discover interesting newcomers.
If the pit is not your favorite place, just pack a picnic cover and relax in the grass. The festival area is a wide stretched park, complete with fountains, shady trees and plenty of space to relax.
Good to know: Kids under 11 have free access and you can borrow hearing protection for children on site, for free!
How did you like our round-up of some of the World’s best music & arts festivals ? Have you visited any music festivals around the world or any World famous art festival? Which Art & Music festival is your favorite?
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The post 15 Best Art and Music Festivals in the World [for 2021] appeared first on Travel Melodies.
