Sziget Festival 2014: 10 Reasons To Go This Summer

Sziget Festival is one of the biggest multicultural events of Europe, attracting up to 400 000 fans from over 70 countries to a beautiful island in the heart of Budapest. Sziget provides the ultimate festival-holiday experience with a week long non-stop party, great live acts and activities plus all the tourist attractions the city of Budapest has to offer.

Taking place from 11-18 August, Sziget is hosted on the Island of Freedom that could also be regarded as an independent state. It’s many festivals in one, with approx. 50 program venues and around 200 programs daily. Performing bands range from the biggest names of the international pop/rock scene to stars of world and electronic music, but you will also find metal, folk, jazz, blues, alternative and even classical tunes, while you are wondering around the huge festival area.

Sziget is not just about music, it is a fun and colourful festival with cultural programs, including theatre and circus, plus exhibitions and numerous activities. It also has a beach section where fans can truly enjoy the summer and the Danube. And we shouldn’t forget about the fact that the festival is in the middle of Budapest, a touristic city with a lively cultural scene, beautiful historic buildings, Turkish spas and special ’ruin pubs’.

Sziget is the perfect mix of a summer holiday and an unforgettable festival experience. What more could you ask for!?!

Here’s 10 reasons to go to Sziget Festival…


1.The Island of Freedom
Sziget is hosted on a beautiful island located in the middle of the River Danube. It’s many festivals in one, with approx. 50 program venues and around 200 programs daily. The Island of Freedom that could also be regarded as an independent state. Anything is possible on the island of freedom! Watch the official 2013 aftermovie here

2.Amazing Line Up

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Queens of the Stone Age, Placebo, The Prodigy, Skrillex, Calvin Harris, Lily Allen, Bastille, Imagine Dragons, Jake Bugg, Die Fantastischen Vier, Stromae, London Grammar, La Roux, Ska-P, Tom Odell, Miles Kane, Klaxons, Michael Kiwanuka, Laidbake Luke, Darkside, Bonobo, Palnma Violets, The Big Pink, Fiunk, Kavinsky, Borgore, Jagwar Ma, Brody Dalle, Starlight Girls with many more tba. Full program info here

3.Beautiful Budapest
What better than a festival taking place in the beautiful city of Budapest? Take a dip in one of the city’s famous baths, savor the local cuisine, check out some of the cool, funky shops featuring homegrown designs, walk across the Chain Bridge or just sit, relax and people-watch at one of the great downtown cafés. Find out more about how to make the most out of your time in Budapest here

4.Sziget Beach
There is also a beach to chill out and relax on during the festival, located on the banks of the River Danube. Find out more about the beach here

5.Comtemporary Circus
As well as all the amazing acts and music at Sziget you can watch the Hungarian circus group perform each day. Think cirque du soleil with a twist. Watch the circus video from 2013

6.Art of Freedom
Your chance to design and create and amazing art installation at Sziget festival. Find out more and how to take part here

7.Endless Activities
There is always something fun going on at Sziget. Have fun with friends at the Eastern Europe Fun Fair with many activities as varieté and swinging bowling or enjoy games of bossaball, foot tennis, ping pong, badminton, soccer or beach ball in the sports and amusement park. There is also a street theatre, creative workshops and ferris wheel the Sziget Eye with views over the festival and the city of Budapest. Watch the colour party video here

8.Stay in a Wooden House or Caravan
At Sziget there are various camping options on the island from caravans and wooden houses. You can enjoy your festival experience in comfort at Sziget but still be in the middle of all the action. More about accommodation here

9.Easy Travel
Lots of flights from all over Europe to Budapest, special buses from Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Luxenbourg, The Netherlands and Switzerland and a train from Utrect, The Netherlands. More info on how to get to Sziget here



10.B.my.Lake –The Sziget Afterparty
Want to prolong your festival holiday and chill by Lake Balaton during the day, but party hard at night, right after Sziget? B.my.Lake is not only the official afterparty of this year’s Sziget Festival, but it is the ‘Best New Festival’ in Europe, awarded by the European Festival Awards. The 3-day electronic music festival hosts over 120 DJs and takes place right on the beach of the biggest lake of Central Europe, Lake Balaton, between 18-21 August in 2014.  More about B.my.Lake here

Tickets & Travel
Festival passes available from 169 EUR (actual price depending on time of purchase and camping options). More information and tickets: www.szigetfestival.com

Travel options to Sziget include all possible methods, so you can come by bus, train, airplane, car, or even boat. Accommodation is also very easy to choose. Many of the festival goers will stay at the festival area in tents or caravans, but if you are not the camper type, you will find a huge number of hotels and hostels nearby.

About Sziget – Island of Freedom
Proud winner of the ‘Best European Major Festival’ award in 2011, Sziget Festival is one of the biggest multicultural events of Europe, starting in 1993 and now celebrating its 22nd edition. The festival attracts almost 400 000 fans from over 70 countries to a beautiful island in the heart of Budapest, providing a complete festival-holiday experience with non-stop party, great live concerts, a widely international community and all the touristic features the city has to offer.

Sziget is the Island of Freedom that could also be regarded as an independent state. It’s many festivals in one, a week long non-stop event with approx. 50 program venues and around 200 programs daily. Performing bands range from the biggest names of the international pop/rock scene to stars of world and electronic music, but you will also find metal, folk, jazz, blues, alternative and even classical tunes, while you are wondering around the huge festival area.

Sziget is not just about music, as it offers several other cultural programs, like theatre, circus, or exhibitions. It also has a beach section where fans can truly enjoy the summer and the Danube. This is the only big festival where you will find authentic Roma music and even a gay-lesbian venue. And we shouldn’t forget about the fact that the festival is in the middle of Budapest, a touristic city with a lively cultural scene, beautiful historic buildings, Turkish spas and special ‘ruin pubs’.

The live coverage of the festival had a massive following of approx. 5 million viewers.