Glasto alternatives next year?

[sisterofmercy]

Shambala, Bestival or Dour in Belgium methinks. To be honest I'll just pick whatever one my friends are up for, it'll be nice to get my friends together somewhere that isn't as expensive as Glasto.

[goldfishboy]

gonna give sonar a go next year - i've always ruled it out due to it being the weekend before glasto...

[michael eavis' beard]

Can't we at least wait until next week before the depression sets in about there not being a festival next year?!

In response to the original question: Roskilde is high up on our list. Giving Beni a go for the first time this year too - will see how that goes. Plus Secret Garden Party, Sziget and Bestival I think are all going to be popular.

None of the other 'big' festivals appeal - Reading, V, IoW, TITP etc ...no thanks.

[Zacko]

Going to Bestival this year and if it's good (I can't see how it wont be, The bloody Cure are playing!) I'll go next year as well. Might try Secret Garden Party or Green Man as well. I'd love to Coachella but I don't think it's feasible for me.

[clockworkpurple]

I'm going to New York Pride next year instead of a big music festival...buggers have the cheek to put in on the last weekend in June so I can't usually go!

Will probably go to End of the Road again too as it's a lovely little fest.

[HurrahBrother]

Going to Bestival this year and if it's good (I can't see how it wont be, The bloody Cure are playing!) I'll go next year as well. Might try Secret Garden Party or Green Man as well. I'd love to Coachella but I don't think it's feasible for me.

[philly_eds]

Will wait and decide after some of the lineups get announced - but most likely one of: Beni, Sziget or Roskilde

[Paadzer]

Bestival looks good,not been before but am working at it this year.

Secret Garden Party is fun but don't go if you're not into dance music and alternative performing arts.

Trying Lattitude for the first time this year (working at it) have heard it's a bit middle class but the line up is good and it's not far for me.

Cambridge Folk Festival - avoid unless the line up is really good as there is bugger all to do and it's very middle class.

Isle of Wight - I really disliked, it was mainly full of male University students and there is bugger all to do when the music stops and not many stages. Not family or hippy friendly and no random performances like Glasto and Secret Garden Party. It's just the the Wireless festival with camping.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Paadzer

[CiderFiend]

Had a ticket for Bestival this year but had to sell it, so I will probably get one again next year. Would love to do a festival abroad too - maybe even Coachella if I save up...

[Roo_85]

the burning man looks mental i would love to try that out..

the best festival i have been to before would be monegros in spain.

ive also been to global gathering 3 times

oxegen once

and a few other silly festivals..

electric picnic here in ireland is supposed to be good altho i have never been.

[eFestivals]

there are no alternatives, only lesser festivals.

But there's other places to go where you can have just as good a time - life is what you make it.

[Kizzie]

there are no alternatives, only lesser festivals.

But there's other places to go where you can have just as good a time - life is what you make it.

[When Jokers Attack]

Primavera Sound for me.

[John K]

Apparently the crew responsible for Shangri-la have interesting plans for something in London next year. I don't think it's going to be a music festival as such, but should be exciting.

[Tenner Huey]

I'm organising a festival next year in the village I live in as a fund raiser for our pavillion, it's going to be called Horrastock, cos the village I called Horrabridge. Just a small one for about 500 people for one day with local bands. Bit nervous about it actually.

[lord stradmor]

Going to try Wilderness later this year.

And the Sunrise Celebration is on the Glastonbury weekend next year, So I'll just pretend I couldn't find my way out of the greenfields...

[pilton digger]

Bestival is AMAZING. That will probably be my choice next year.

[Homer]

Bestival - like a smaller Glasto, only drawback is it's a b$gger to get to.

Truck - v recommended: small, friendly, no arena and usually a good, fairly eclectic line-up with some classic indie bands thrown in.

[jimmyrabbite]

I've been to a few of these over the years:

Werchter +ve strong line-up, nice Belgium beer, good beer tents to stay out of the sun, runs until late at night

-ve only 2 stages, a bit on the boring side in the campsite, slightly over commercial

Hurricane is pretty much as Werchter except it has nice German beer and about 4/5 stages

Roskilde +ve week long, very friendly international crowd, wide range in music, most similar to Glastonbury that I've been to

-ve line up for past couple of years hasn't been as strong, expensive with the weak £

Open'er +ve very cheap ticket/food/beer price, can into Gdansk or to beach during daytime, huge uncramped site

-ve very small campsite, not much to do on site in day, often lack of depth to lineup

Lattitude +ve beautiful site, lots of non-music stuff such as literature, comedy, film

-ve can't think of much as I like this place. Seems crowded. Some may consider it a bit twee.

[TheBigJT]

Burning man is more of an art installation than a festival like Glastonbury.

Basically, it's camping out in the desert with a bunch of folks who love to create art.

(My niece went last year and really loved it)

But, be aware there are no stages, no headliners and nothing scheduled in the sense of festivals that you have over there.

http://www.burningman.com/

Coachella is more along the lines of Glastonbury in the musical sense....a lot less stages, but thematically closer to something between Glastonbury and Hop Farm (my points of reference from seeing both last year.)

Coachella has expanded into two weekends next year to try and meet the demand for tickets. In theory, they will have the same acts two weeks in a row. The capacity is maxed at 80,000 per weekend.

It has camping, but there are shuttles and hotels available as well. It's also held in the desert, but not in the middle of nowhere like Burning Man. Close to Palm Springs (15 miles or so) and all of the resort facilities there. Someone for example could try to take in both weekends and have some time in the middle to tan by the pool, or maybe tour around Southern California and sightsee.

I decided to go ahead and give Coachella a shot next year. Because despite living here, I've never attended it before, and only have talked with friends who have as well as watched the news local coverage.

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

Would love to do snowbombing if my budget allowed. I can't really plan my next summer until i've sorted out a work placement as I could be working then but Exit, Outlook and Sziget tickle my fancy

[harriet]

Blimey, how random; my girlfriend used to live in Horrabridge

Edited June 21, 2011 by harriet

[SamIrvs]

Would love to do snowbombing if my budget allowed. I can't really plan my next summer until i've sorted out a work placement as I could be working then but Exit, Outlook and Sziget tickle my fancy

[desperateicon]

Greenman, end of the road or ATP NY. Wouldn't mind Coachella also.

[Tuska]

Which i will mostly going to Beautiful Days.

Exceptional pocket sized festie. (10,000) Owned, managed and run by The Levellers. No corporate sponsorship allowed.

Superb stage in a very atmospheric amplitheatre.

Highly recommended.