Music Festivals Around the World

Love music and travelling? Why not combine your two passions and plan your next adventure around a music festival. Here is a list of some of the more renowned music festivals to check out.

Carnaval - Brazil
Annual festival held throughout Brazil 4 days before Ash Wednesday . The biggest one is in Rio, with over 500,000 foreign visitors a year. The 4-day party involves dancing, singing, parades, elaborate costumes, etc. The main type of music is Samba.

Montreux Jazz Festival - Switzerland
This 2-week festival is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva. It originated in 1967 as primarily a jazz festival, but now artists of almost every imaginable music style are invited to play.

Glastonbury Festival - England
Glastonbury is the largest music and performing arts festival in the world that is held in a field. It's best known for its contemporary music (rock, hip hop, electronica, folk, etc), but also features dance, theatre, comedy and many other varied acts.

Festival in the Desert - Mali
This 3-day annual concert is held in Essakane, Mali (near Timbuktu). It showcases traditional Tuareg music, as well as music from around the world.

Rainforest World Music Festival - Malaysia
This annual 3-day festival is held in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The festival celebrates the diversity of world music and includes cultural and craft displays, food stalls, evening concerts, and music workshops. The music ranges from traditional music to contemporary world music and world fusion, and emphasizes the use of traditional acoustic instruments.

Blues and Roots Music Festival -Australia
Also known as the Byron Bay Bluesfest, this annual outdoor music festival is held for 5 days over the Easter long weekend. It features a large selection of blues and roots performers from around the world.

Montreal International Jazz Festival - Quebec
This is the largest jazz festival in the world. It's held annually for 10 days in the summer months of June and July. Shows are held in a wide variety of venues including small jazz clubs, outdoor parks and large concert venues. Many of the shows are free.

Buenos Aires Tango Festival - Argentina
This 10-day festival is held in February celebrating the world's best tango musicians. Concerts are performed in parks, street corners and theaters. Tickets to several of the events are free and include dance lessons, art exhibits, music concerts, etc.

Austin City Limits - Texas
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is held over 3-days in early October. The line-up of approximately 130 bands includes a variety of music from folk and bluegrass to reggae and hip hop.

Salzburg Festival - Austria
Held each summer for 5 weeks starting in July, this festival showcases both music (mainly classical and opera) and theatre.

Happy Listening,
BikeHike