While the early summer festivals – from Sandbox in Egypt and Jazzablanca in Morocco, to Primavera in Spain and Bear Stone in Croatia – are done for the year, some of the season’s most distinctive music festivals still lie ahead. This month will see the return of major Arab gatherings, including Jerash Festival in Jordan and the International Festival of Carthage in Tunisia, while Mahrajan makes its debut in London as a showcase for regional stars and independent artists.
Beyond the usual festival circuit, these events offer compelling reasons to plan one more trip before the holiday season ends. Here are six late-summer music festivals worth travelling to.
1. International Festival of Carthage: July 16 to August 19
Where: Tunis, Tunisia
Headliners: Saber Rebai, Khaled, The Jacksons, Elissa, Majida El Roumi
Why go? The festival is one of the region's classiest events, and is held at the ancient Phoenician city that has ruins dating back to the 8th century. The festival is spread over a month and is held at an outdoor Roman amphitheatre.
2. Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts: July 23 to August 2
Where: Jerash, Jordan
Headliners: Majida El Roumi, Elissa, Ahmed Saad, George Wassouf, Marwan Khoury and Tamer Hosny
Why go? The ancient city of Jerash has hosted generations of revered singers in its historic amphitheatre, surrounded by breathtaking archaeological ruins, for almost four decades. This year’s headliners offer ample proof of their enduring place in the Arab world’s musical landscape.
3. Dekmantel Festival: July 29 to August 2
Where: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Headliners: Skrillex, Jeff Mills, Sampha, Juan Atkins
Why go? One of Europe’s leading electronic music festivals, this spreads more than 160 artists across concert halls, clubs and open-air parks. The programme is a deft mix of techno pioneers, experimental live sets and adventurous DJ pairings.
4. Mahrajan Festival: August 1
Where: London, UK
Headliners: Saint Levant, Dystinct, Khaled, Zeyne, Omar Souleyman
Why go? Making its debut at Crystal Palace Bowl, Mahrajan is shaping up to be the go-to event this summer for established Arab stars and independent acts from across the region. The line-up showcases the breadth of the scene, from the effervescent Algerian rai of Khaled and Omar Souleyman’s electro-dabke to the contemporary pop sounds of Palestinian artists Saint Levant and Zeyne, and Moroccan-Belgian singer Dystinct.
5. Panorama Festival: August 14 to August 16
Where: Lecce, Italy
Headliners: Peggy Gou, Solomun, Mochakk, Pawsa, Jamie Jones
Why go? An electronic music festival held at Cave del Duca near Lecce, Panorama brings leading house and techno artists to the southern Italian region of Puglia. Its open-air setting and three-night programme offer a chance to groove to sets by star EDM DJs with a scenic longer summer trip around Lecce and the Salento coast.
6. Sziget Festival: August 11 to August 15
Where: Budapest, Hungary
Headliners: Florence + The Machine, Twenty One Pilots, Lewis Capaldi, Bring Me The Horizon
Why go? Eastern Europe’s answer to Glastonbury, the mammoth festival takes place on Obuda Island in the Danube. With festival boats ferrying revellers to and from the mainland, Sziget features hundreds of artists ranging from pop stars to theatre troupes and acrobats.
