Belgium’s Awesome Summer Music Festivals

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There are some awesome music festivals happening this summer in Belgium, after an exhaustive research here are the best ones.

Belgians have festivals down to a fine art, from the organization to the all-night party. The big events typically take place over four days that provide a nearby campground for 20 €/4-days with amenities such as toilets, showers, and water. It’s a short walk to the “Wei”, Flemish for festival grounds, to enjoy the amazing performers that make a point to come to Belgium for the amazing atmosphere. With such a wide variety, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy.

Here is a top five list to help you plan for next year’s festival season!

Pukkelpop

Pukkelpop has been described as “the European Coachella,” which is an accurate comparison for this lively festival. This summer, Pukkelpop successfully recovered from last year’s stage collapse tragedy by increasing safety and reorganizing the festival grounds. The result is parties from dusk ‘till dawn and a solid line-up of performers, which makes Pukkelpop a favorite among young Belgians.

Location: Hasselt, Limburg, Flanders

Music Genre: Rock, Pop, Techno/House, Indie, Hip-Hop
Past Performers: Foo Fighters, The Black Keys, Eminem, 2 Many DJs, Calvin Harris, Daft Punk, The Flaming Lips, PJ Harvey, Netsky, Nick Cave, Massive Attack.
Ticket Price: Combi Ticket (entire festival) 155 €, Day Ticket 79 €
Date: August 15-17, 2013

Rock Werchter

Rock Werchter began in 1975 and has grown to be one of the biggest festivals in Europe winning several international awards along the way. Their ticket prices are high for only three stages but it showcases more internationally renowned acts compared to Pukkelpop.

Location: Werchter, Vlaams-Brabant, Flanders
Music Genre: Rock, Techno/House, Indie, & HipHop
Past Performers: Queens of the Stone Age, Metallica, Deadmau5, Moby, The Cure, Muse, The Who, Florence + the Machine, Jack White, Editors.
Ticket Price: Combi 200 €, Day ticket € 79
Date: 1st weekend of July

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is an electronic-dance music extravaganza. The grounds are elaborately decorated as a garden of fantasy, complete with fireworks and a colorful crowd. Tomorrowland’s mantra “Yesterday is history, today is a gift, and tomorrow is mystery” encourages its patrons to live for the moment.

Location: Boom, Antwerp province, Flanders
Music Genre: Electronic, House, Progressive
Past Performers: Avicii, Bloody Beetroots, Fatboy Slim, Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, Afrojack, Steve Aoki.
Ticket Price: Combi 170€, Day pass 72 €, can upgrade to Comfort. Tickets typically sell-out in two hours!
Date: September 27-29, 2013

Dour

Dour is a huge alternative music festival in Wallonia, Belgium’s French region. Dour has a reputation of a wild, party festival sometimes prone to some last minute line-up changes, but its massive line-up is a great opportunity to find new bands.

Location: Mons, Hainaut, Wallonia
Music Genre: Alternative, Reggae, Dub Step, Electronic
Past Performers: Black Mountain, Against Me!, Chromeo, The Futureheads, Tiga, Datsik, The Horrors.
Ticket Price: Combi Ticket 110 €, Day Tickets 60 €
Date: July 18-21, 2013

Graspop Metal Meeting

Graspop Metal Meeting is an acclaimed Metal festival that provides a change of scenery to the bevy of pop music festivals throughout Belgium. Graspop celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2010. They consistently book huge metal acts from past and present, attracting metalheads worldwide.

Location: Dessel, Antwerp province, Flanders
Music Genre: Metal
Past Performers: Mötorhead, Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Killswitch Engage, Bad Religion, Cradle of Filth, Marilyn Manson, Mastodon.
Ticket Price: Combi Ticket 150€, Day Ticket 80€
Date: June 28, 29, 30 of 2013

Have you been to a music festival in another country? Which one? How was it?

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About Author

Meredith was bit by travel bug in 2009 and has been on the move since then. Her adventures started in Finland where she visited a Sami reindeer farm in Lapland, dogsled and ran in the forests of Finland, and then backpacked around western Europe. Later, she moved to Kenya for a Communications internship. She took advantage of her good fortune and went on safari in the Maasai Mara as well as explored beach paradise on a motorcycle. No matter where she goes, she never forgets about her home in Canada and greatly enjoys road trips across the Rocky Mountains and along coast of British Columbia. She is currently living in Canada working as a freelance writer and a communications specialist. You can follow her adventures and discoveries on curiousmeredith or get your tweet on with her @MeredithBratlan

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