guest written by Olivia Poglianich
Music festival season is almost upon us – what’s better than dancing to some of the world’s best artists for a long weekend in the sunshine? Not much, but dancing in a 300 year-old-fortress could definitely make the cut. Petrovaradin Fortress in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia, sits right on the Daunbe river and just so happens to be the site of one of the best music festivals in Europe: Exit. The four day Serbian celebration is entering its 17th year this July, and this time the line-up is extra brag worthy.
Exit is taking place from July 5 to 9th and runs the gamut with heavy-hitting EDM acts, plus rock, hip-hop, reggae, punk and metal to name a few. Some key artists to look forward to on this year’s lineup are big time names like The Killers and Jason Derullo, plus a lot of leaders in the dance community from Duke Dumont to Solomon and Hot Since 82. In fact, dance music fans can look forward to the world renowned Dance Arena stage. It’s almost as popular as the main stage and you can expect to hear club sounds well into the early morning. Club-goers from around the world flock to Exit just for this stage, as it’s set in the moat surrounded by the castle walls.
If that’s not convincing enough, there’s over 15 other stages to choose from, including a karaoke stage and silent disco. You can’t get bored here. Some other key stages are Explosive Stage for harder music like metal and punk, Fusion Stage for up and comers, and Suba for experimental genres.
Not only does it showcase some of the world’s best DJs, but Exit has deep roots in activism and humanitarianism, true to its founding. It started in 2000 as a student protest, and to this day, the festival goes beyond a packed line-up to create a community of positive vibes, supporting humanitarian initiatives and encouraging positive education. Plus, its tickets are extremely affordable at £119 per person for all 5 days. It’s where hedonism meets activism – what’s not to like?
Check out their Facebook page and don’t forget to grab your tickets!