Your Next Summer Getaway: Sziget Festival, Budapest

Sziget (The Island of Freedom) Festival lives up to its name, offering world-class music to a population of approximately 4,5 lakh. Started in 1993 and held in August every year since, this is one of the largest music and cultural festivals of Europe. The lush green island of Obudai-Sziget along the banks of the Danube in northern Budapest plays host to it.

Spread across 266 acres, the island is capable of housing about 40,000 festival goers in the form of ‘green’ camping. Started as a low-profile student festival in 1993 formerly known as Diaksziget (Student Island), the musicians and artists showcased in this festival over the years have helped it to evolve into one of the major music festivals in the world almost equivalent to the Burning Man fest.

Sziget Festival began as an attempt to revamp the summer festival scene in Budapest while the country was emerging out of Communist rule in 1989. Though it was a struggle initially to come up with a realistic budget, the festival gathered sponsors (such as Pepsi) in due course. It took on its current name in 2001 by which time it could boast of high-profile line-ups and sponsors. Over 50% of the festival goers come from Western Europe and this year in particular saw a crowd from Asia, emphasising the festival’s worldwide popularity.   

When you step on the island you can see long arrays of decorations and national flags of more than 100 countries on display. The crowd includes festival goers, artists and staff. A full Sziget Festival ticket will cost you around 300€, but 1 day, 3 days and weekend tickets are more economical. One of the interesting aspects of the festival is that it does not just focus on different genres of music, but also brings you theatre shows, circus and a wide range of musical workshops from different parts of the world. This year, there were about 23 distinct venues, showcasing  mainstream music artists like Kylie Minogue, Rory Gallagher, Stormzy and many more. The DJ tower with a capacity of 3000, resembling a gigantic gladiator, is a highlight for electronic genres. At the main stage, explosive as ever, Martin Garrix entertained the crowd with a full-out DJ mix. 

The people converging at the Island of Freedom indulge in many of the 400-plus concerts and circus acts that are on offer, and mix the musical experience with the rich cultural life of Budapest, which has 19th century theatres, several iconic sites such as the Buda Castle and the Parliament building, 67 museums, ten thermal institutions and the most affordable and attractive night life one can find in Central Europe.

Born in the Roman Empire and located on the West bank (the city of Buda), which was dominated by the warrior tribes of Central Asia (Attila and the Huns), conquered by the Magyars 11 centuries ago, and partially by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, Budapest has a lot to offer from its past. It has also been shaped by the domination of the Soviet Empire until Hungarian society rejected it in 1989, a historical turn which was marked by the creation of many events by the youth like the Sziget Festival, celebrating freedom and independence.

The last two editions of the festival marked the presence of Indian artists: the Gypsies of Rajasthan by Dhoad led by Rahis Bharti and the band Dil Mastana with its traditional Langa music proving the interest of the global audience in Indian music. The vocal lead of the band, Bacchu Khan Langa, says, “I come from a small village in Rajasthan and this is my third time here. We have performed in many countries like the USA and Japan and in Europe. Indian audience always requests us for songs. But we have a very global audience and I feel very happy performing for them".

Indian festival goers too could also be spotted in the colourful alleys and at the venues of the festival. Most of them were students or business owners who had come from within Europe.  

Trevor who is from Bangalore had heard about the Sziget Festival through social media. He says,  "I stumbled upon the festival and got really excited by the line-up it offers. So I booked my tickets and landed here. It is an expensive affair if you think of both the flight tickets and the festival ticket prices, but on the flip side, what you are getting is a week of pure entertainment, a chance to unwind...Sziget was a full package--the beach, an array of food choices, and the chance to meet some incredible people. You never feel lost or out of place. I met a group here through the online app for the festival and we became friends here.  We also set up a camping space together and we call it the base camp." 

Marina Pommier, the French director of the Sziget Festival World stage, is passionate about India. During her last trip to New Delhi in September (when she attended the Soundscapes of India fest),  she promised that there will be more offerings the rich Indian musical scene at the festival. 

Whether enjoying the Sziget experience in one of the 40,000 tents or mixing it up with sightseeing in Budapest, this exciting music extravaganza may well be your next summer destination.