20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer
seaside festivals introPick an interest, whether it’s music, food, culture, water sports, kite-flying or just plain chilling out. Step 2: Pick a festival. Step 3: Enjoy.
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
arubaSoul Beach, Aruba, May: Sway to Fantasia’s soulful tunes, twist and shout with the Isley Brothers, and bust a gut over Tony Rock’s latest stand-up act – Soul Beach brings together top R&B, soul and rap musicians, along with DJs and comedians, to keep the good times rolling with the waves on Aruba’s Palm Beach. soulbeach.net [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
carolinaCarolina Beach Music Festival, Carolina Beach (USA), June: In the ‘50s and ‘60s, the shores of North and South Carolina were awash with a new craze: beach music. Breezy, upbeat R&B tunes like “How Sweet It Is”, “Hey! Baby” and “My Girl” had youngsters on the boardwalk pairing up for a swing-like dance called the shag – now a beloved tradition and proud piece of local heritage. Grab a dance partner and learn some new moves at this annual beach blowout. visitcarolinabeachnc.com [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
brightonPaddle Round The Pier, Brighton (UK), June: Europe’s largest beach festival invites aquaphiles to play and compete at everything from open-water swims to paddle board races, with a side programme of music, food and all-around fun – both in the surf and on the turf. Not to be missed are the main event – a charity race in which competitors can use any watercraft available to race around the pier – and Paddle Something Unusual, in which participants build their own off-the-wall boats and put them to the test. paddleroundthepier.com
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
primaveraPrimavera Sound, Barcelona, June: What started as a small forum for independent Spanish musicians has swollen to dramatic proportions, drawing tens of thousands of music lovers to Barcelona for an ever-eclectic lineup. Catch performances (some for free) throughout the city in the weeks ahead of the festival, then make a beeline to the coastal venue for the headlining acts – including Radiohead and Tame Impala in 2016. primaverasound.es
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
white nightWhite Night, Tel Aviv, June: Usually a “white night” (aka a sleepless night) is no fun at all, but in the White City, it’s nothing but fun and games. The last Thursday in June plays host to countless events –most either free or practically free – running the gamut from theatre and dance performances to philosophical talks, poetry readings, art fairs, street parades and yoga lessons. Restaurants roll out special menus, Bauhaus landmarks are strung with lights, and dance parties break out all over town, not mention by the sea. touristisrael.com
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
isle of wightIsle of Wight Festival of the Sea, Isle of Wight, Late June: As the summer gets underway, hoist your sails and head for one of the UK’s most popular islands for holidaymakers. From 18 June to 3 July, the Isle of Wight is abuzz with events on and around the sea, including the high-stakes Solitaire du Figaro sailing race and the Round the Island Yacht Race. A special Shipwreck Isle pops up on Ryde Beach with a pop-up cinema, food stalls and activities inspired by swashbuckling 18th-century pirates. visitisleofwight.co.uk
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
darwinDarwin Lions Beer Can Regatta, Darwin (Australia), July: Beer-drinking and boat-building are a disastrous combination, unless you’re talking about this particular event. Crafty contestants have been racing their handmade vessels – built mostly from empty beer cans – at Mindil beach for over 40 years, displaying creativity, ingenuity and a touch of tomfoolery. Bonus: Family-friendly beach activities abound, and the proceeds are donated to various worthy causes. beercanregatta.org.au [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
saniSani Festival, Halkidiki (Greece), July: The star lineup of jazz, classical and Greek folk music at this annual outdoor concert isn’t the only thing that’s kept it alive for more than 20 iterations – we’re sure the spectacular seaside setting, complete with tower ruins overlooking the Mediterranean, has something to do with it. This year’s event will host violinist Daniel Hope, jazz pianist Yaron Herman and soulful songstress Joss Stone, among others. sanifestival.gr
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
whalesWhales Festival, Sainte-Marie Island (Madagascar), July: Be there when pods of humpback whales arrive in the channel of Sainte-Marie for their breeding period – and get a taste of local flavour while you’re at it. Celebrating the whales’ annual arrival and raising awareness for their protection, islanders also take the opportunity to share their culture and hospitality through concerts, exhibitions and grand parades across the isle. madagascar-tourisme.com [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
fresh islandFresh Island, Pag (Croatia), July: Hip hop and R&B fans have nowhere else to be this July – not if they want to see names like Wiz Khalifa, The Game and Kehlani perform on a stunning Croatian island. Expect hordes of tanned young things shaking their moneymakers at every kind of summer fete imaginable, from boat bashes to pool parties and seaside soirées. fresh-island.org
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
seteWorldwide Festival, Sète (France), July: The Mediterranean resort town of Sète is defined by its magnificent location – an asset it makes full use of during this annual music festival. Founded and directed by London DJ Gilles Peterson, the event draws an eclectic range of headliners like Anderson .Paak (rap), Mbongwana Star (world/soul), Kamasi Washington (jazz) and Roni Size (electro), who rock out at open-air venues by the sea. worldwidefestival.com
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
music by the seaMusic By The Sea, Vancouver Island (Canada), July: That this festival is difficult to reach makes it all the more rewarding once you’ve arrived – first, there’s the unique programming, combining renowned artists (like Renee Rosiness and PJ Perry) from various jazz and classical subgenres into each thoughtfully curated concert. Then there’s the setting, in a remote community on the western coast of Vancouver Island. And finally there’s the venue, with its towering glass wall that sets Bamfield Inlet as the serene backdrop for performances. musicbythesea.ca
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
icelandÞjóðhátíð, Vestmannaeyjar (Iceland), July: Another event that rewards those with an adventurous spirit – it takes as long to reach Vestmannaeyjar island as it does to learn to pronounce the festival name correctly – but tenacity is rewarded with windswept cliffs, epic bonfire parties, DJ-ed dance parties under dramatic skies, and a finale that sees thousands of torch-bearing festival-goers gather on the rim of the Eldfell volcano to re-enact its infamous 1973 eruption. dalurinn.is [Photo: der Dominik/Flickr]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
fiestasLas Fiestas del Mar, Santa Marta (Colombia), August: Join the revelry at this midyear festival on the Caribbean coast, mixing culture – think music, dancing, street parades and local delicacies – with every water sport imaginable. The main festivities take place along the popular El Rodadero beach, but the festival atmosphere sweeps the entire city away in a wave of merriment. colombia.travel [Photo: J P/Flickr]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
key westKey West Lobsterfest, Key West (USA), August: Maine isn’t the only lobster-loving state on the eastern seaboard. For a bit of Caribbean breeze with your crustacean – and more margaritas than a Jimmy Buffett convention – head for Key West and this 4-day celebration that features free live concerts, a street fair, an epic pub crawl and plenty of opportunities for lobster gobbling. keywestlobsterfest.com
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
board mastersBoardmasters Festival, Cornwall, August: Surfer or skater, BMX rider or beach bum – this seaside celebration is for you. While surfers are hanging ten at Fistral Beach, skaters are catching big air over at Watergate Bay and music lovers are shakin’ it at one of several outdoor stages (James Bay and Deadmau5 will see you there). Too much excitement for you? Take a seat with your feet in the sand at the Beach Bar which, hosting DJs and serving cocktails, is your one-stop-shop for simply chilling out. boardmasters.co.uk [Photo: Mo Samuels]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
kitesWashington State International Kite Festival, Long Beach, August: Thousands of colourful kites taking to the skies along a stretch of Pacific Coast – it’s a sight to behold. Take in kite-flying competitions, choreographed kite flights and kite-themed exhibitions, as well as activities for all ages along the boardwalk. kitefestival.com [Photo: Narisa Spaulding/Flickr]
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
sunsplashSunSplash, Bodrum (Turkey), September: Join just 500 fellow festival-goers for an intimate 3-day seaside party in stunning Bodrum. By day, you’ll hang out near the beach stage or participate in yoga sessions and raw food workshops; by night, you’ll be knee-deep in pulsating club beats that go on until the sun rises. sunsplash-festival.com
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
groovefestGroovefest, Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), September: Groovefest wants to hook you up with a cocktail, a lounger on a tropical beach, and a lineup of DJs that’ll satisfy even the pickiest of house and techno fans. The best part? An all-inclusive formula gets you room, board and all the beats you can handle with one fell swipe of your card – meaning no ugly overpriced surprises to harsh your vibe. groovefestevents.com
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
sandUS Sand Sculpting Challenge, San Diego, September: Summer is lousy with sandcastle contests, but this is one you won’t want to miss. Sand-sculpting savants come from far and wide to compete, lining the San Diego coast with magnificent feats of beach-bound art. When they’re not watching the masters at work, visitors can check out stalls selling handmade crafts, storytellers spinning tales, magicians wowing audiences, and musicians giving live concerts. ussandsculpting.com
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20 Perfect Seaside Festivals For Summer.
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