Photo: Shutterstock/Melinda Nagy

6 Wildest Electronic Music Festivals Worldwide

Travel
by Sejal Saraiya May 5, 2016
1. kaZantip: The Hidden Paradise

kaZantip Republic (or simply Z) is the name of the biggest, longest, craziest, liveliest, and most unusual techno, trance, and house music event in the world. It lasts for 5-6 weeks of summer in the Ukraine, and over 150,000 “paradiZers” attend each year.

It is known as the “Woodstock of the East.” The lineup of artists performing each year is released just before the festival, but some who have performed in the past include Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Carl Cox, and Above & Beyond.

Where: TBD
When: TBD Winter 2016

2. Boom Festival

Boom International Trance Psychedelic Music Festival is a biennial week-long festival held near the Ponsul River in Portugal. The festival is much like Burning Man, and features music, paint, sculpture, art, yoga, theater, and cinema. It does not rely on any commercial sponsor and attracts over 30,000 people from all over the world.

Although no world-famous artist ever makes it to this festival, over a hundred independent artists perform each year. For a complete list of those who performed in 2010, check out the Boom Festival page.

Where: Idanha-a-Nova Lake, Portugal
When: Aug 11-18, 2016

3. Electric Daisy Carnival

Electric Daisy Carnival is an annual 2-day festival with rides, top-tier electronic music, and attendees partying day and night. It is the biggest electronic festival outside of Europe. In 2010, EDC pulled in a crowd of 185,000 people.

It was held at the Los Angeles Coliseum until 2010, when a 15-year-old died of a drug overdose. As a result, starting 2011, the festival moved to Las Vegas.

NYC:May 14-15, 2016
Las Vegas: June 17-19, 2016
UK: July 9, 2016

4. Ultra Music Festival

The Ultra Music Festival is an outdoor electronic music event held annually in Miami, Florida, during the Winter Music Conference in the month of March.

It’s a e-day event with performances by 200 artists and a crowd of over 50,000. Some of the artists that have performed include Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren, Deadmau5, Tiesto, and Ferry Corsten.

Where: Miami, Florida
When: March 24-26, 2017

5. Dance Valley, “The Woodstock of Dance”

Dance Valley is an annual 1-day dance music festival held in the summer in Spaarnwoude, Netherlands, attracting over 50,000 people each year. As with most Dutch events, its heart is trance music, but smaller stages are dedicated to hardstyle, dance, and electronic. It’s famous for its after parties. It’s got four stages and has dedicated entertainment all day, every day. The festival is marketed on the website as a “magical museum.”

Around 150 artists perform annually, including Steve Angello, Cosmic Gate, Above & Beyond, John O’ Callaghan, and Yoji.

Where: Velsen Valley, Spaarnwoude, Netherlands
When: Aug 13, 2016

6. Nature One

Nature One is one of the largest open-air electronic festivals in Europe, held annually during the first week of August in Germany. It takes place over three days and attracts over 60,000 visitors each year. Past lineups have included artists like Paul Van Dyk, Markus Schulz, Alex Morph, Ferry Corsten, and many more.

Where: Kastellaun, Germany
When: August 5-7, 2016

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