Also this summer Europe is waiting for the annual edition of the Sziget Festival to come. Among the largest European music and cultural festivals, Sziget Festival is held annually in August in Budapest, Hungary’s capital, at Obuda Island on the Danube River.

For an entire week, from 8^th to 15^th of August, more than 1000 shows and performances will be held on this party island not far from the city center. A blend of music, theater, dance, visual arts, and much more will welcome almost 400.000 visitors coming from all around Europe.

From pop to rock, from folk to electro, and then metal, blues, world music, techno, hip hop, afro, reggae, alternative, jazz as well as other genres will alternate and mix over seven days of uninterrupted music and partying, delighting around 80.000 visitors per day.

Since the first edition in 1993, the Sziget Festival has become one of the favourite destinations for music and festival lovers of Europe and it also managed to attain a worldwide popularity which is constantly increasing. Over the past 18 years, the world’s greatest artists performed at the festival attracting fans that came throughout the European continent.

Among the bands we can mention Iron Maiden, Buena Vista Social Club, Sonic Youth, Korn, Faith No More, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Rammstein, Faithless, Placebo, Morcheeba, Massive Attack, The Cardigans, Franz Ferdinand, Radiohead, The Prodigy, R.E.M, Sex Pistols, Fatboy Slim, Gorillaz Sound System, Muse, Oasis and many others.

Among the singers David Bowie, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Coolio, Nick Cave, Alanis Morissette, Robert Plant , Eagle Eye Cherry, Omara Portuondo, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Manu Chao, Sinéad O’Connor, Natalie Imbruglia, Pink, Lilly Allen, Nouvelle Vague, and Tricky.

This year will be the 19^th edition of the festival and other great performances are awaited from thousands of fans. Some of the most resonant names of the world’s musical scene together with less-known and alternative artists from various countries will alternate on the several stages sited all around the 108 hectares island of Obuda. A collection of different stages from the Pop-Rock Main Stage to the World Music Main Stage, from the A38-WAN2 Stage to the Rock-Metal Stage, from the Party Arena to the Reggae Stage and World Village, and from the newest Europe Stage to many and many others.

Some of the main artists performing at the Sziget Festival 2011 will be Prince, Gotan Project, Skunk Anansie, The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Kate Nash, 30 Seconds to Mars, Kasabian, 2 Many DJ’s, Judas Priest, Good Charlotte, Interpol, The National, Dizzee Rascal, Richie Hawtin, Manic Street Preachers, Goran Bregovic and The Wedding and Funeral Band, Gogol Bordello, Hadounken!, and also Pulp.  Many others, the less popular ones, are just to be known and discovered by all music lovers.

Besides the music there is much more to enjoy, for example theater performances, visual performative and literary arts, outdoor activities and sports. It’s like an entire world within an island, a city in the city on the Danube, the largest river of Europe.

For the ones who don’t want to miss even a minute of the festival and want to immerse themselves deeply  in its magical atmosphere, it’s possible to buy a camping ticket and camp on the island for the whole week. You just need to bring a tent and you may take advantage of the camping facilities. For the ones who want to enjoy the city as well there is the non-camping ticket which enable you to join all the concerts and shows and to freely go around the island. For those who want only to follow their favourite artist there is the day ticket that gives you access to the festival only for one day.

Are you craving for an unforgettable experience? Just go to Sziget Festival!

Image Courtesy of http://musica.tuttogratis.it/

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About the author

Francesca Biggio
I'm an Italian "Islander" from Sardinia.I love languages and I'm very interested in all concerning communication strategies,journalism,politics,history and social issues. I love travelling and coming into contact with different cultures and universes.