Island Music Festivals.

There are thousands of music festivals to choose from every year in just about every location covering a wide variety of music genres. For the adventurous music festival-goer who wants to try something a little different there are an appealing range of festivals that take place on islands around the world.

Many island-based music festivals have operated successfully for numerous years with great followings and reputations for professionally produced events. The ultimate island-based music festival known as ‘Fyre Festival’ which was a well-documented disaster hopefully did not tarnish the appeal of attending an event that can be challenging to get to.

Logistical Challenges. 
When organisers are selecting venues for music festivals, they need to consider the existing infrastructure and logistics challenges of hosting an event on an island that can be hard to get to. A larger island with decent infrastructure and an established ferry and flight service will make organisation easier. Choosing a deserted remote island location with no infrastructure would not be a wise decision unless the event is well funded and planning commences well in advance. Key considerations will be the availability of power and ease of access for all the materials needed for stage construction, vendor pitches and the supply of backline equipment for example.

Notable Island Music Festivals.
Here is a selection of more established music festivals that have a proven history of success that take place on islands large and small.

Thailand’s Koh Phangan full moon parties are legendary and attract more than 10,000 visitors every year. Rather than a dedicated festival the celebrations will be spread over numerous weeks in various venues under the control of different promoters. The parties take place between March and June every year and festival-goers experience a tropical paradise location.

The Caribbean has a reputation for hosting a number of music festivals in the summer months with most established and largest being the St. Kitts Music Festival which takes place in June every year.

Scotland has almost 800 islands and every year the larger inhabited locations host numerous music festivals. The most popular festival is probably the Hebridean Celtic Festival (HebCelt) which takes place in July on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Also worth a visit is the Shetland Folk Festival which takes place annually in April and is known as the UK’s most northerly festival.

One of Europe's largest music festivals is Sziget which is held every August on a 108-hectare island called Óbudai-sziget on the Danube near northern Budapest in Hungary. The event often features more than 1,000 artists.

The Traena Music Festival in Norway has reputation for taking place in one of the most stunning locations and is held every year in July. The event takes place on the islands of Husøya and Sanna.

Australia’s Island Vibe Music Festival takes place on North Stradbroke Island in Queensland and runs for 4 days in October every year. The event features artists from across the Pacific Islands including Polynesia Queensland.

Beaver Island Music Festival takes place on a small island in Lake Michigan in the United States and has been running successfully for 20 years. The festival usually runs every July. 

Festival-goers who want to try something a little different can head to any island festival and there are many to choose from. When considering an island festival location visitors should ensure that they have planned transportation and accommodation well in advance as there can be severe restrictions.

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Photo by Osvaldo Coelho Jr. via Pexels

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