Written by Theo Stamatiou
Photos by Olivia Gottlieb
SXM Festival recently announced phase 2 of its already stellar lineup and we are starting to count the days to returning to Saint Martin! Heading into its sixth year, SXM Festival has evolved to become a whimsical getaway experience wrapped in the rich blended heritage and calming seduction of sunny Saint Martin in the Caribbean. The island is divided into two territories: the French Saint-Martin and the Dutch Sint Maarten. It is located southeast of Puerto Rico and is known for its stunning tropical scenery, beautiful beaches, and vibrant nightlife. The festival’s homebase, Happy Bay, is a secluded beach on the French side of the island with two magical stages: The Arc Stage and The Ocean Stage.
SXM has done a very nice job over the years marketing itself as a premier boutique destination festival. It’s a ticket to paradise and an escape from the cold for a unique 5-Day house and techno affair like no other – all while being on an island-wide adventure! Take off on an adventure through secluded beaches, stunning villas, boats and beach clubs while partying from sunset to sunrise with thousands of people from over 35 countries.
When it comes to the line-up, we have so many world-renowned and upcoming DJs that are a part of SXM that we can only touch on a handful. Apollonia will be returning to the island, a collaboration that started in 2012 between three of Paris’ hottest underground’s exports Shonky, Dan Ghenacia and Dyed Soundorom. They will be sure to bring the minimal house vibes to the island. Astra Club, a newly formed duo consisting of the brilliant Dj Tennis & Carlita, will be making their debut set together this year at the festival. Black Coffee, a Grammy Award winner for Best Dance/Electronic Album 2021 and the “Afropolitan House” creator, will be making his return to the island. Grammy-nominated, triple-platinum production duo CamelPhat, consisting of Dave Whelan and Mike Di Scala will also be there in addition to Grammy Award-winning Iranian-American producer and techno DJ, Dubfire. The “Music On” leader and global ambassador of techno from Napoli, Marco Carola, German tech house DJ and producer, Loco Dice, Swiss favorite Sonja Moonear, French DJ and producer Oxia, and techno veteran Rodriguez Jr will all grace the island with their presence for the weekend. A diversity of styles round out the lineup from the likes of Doc Martin, Moscow Records and Moss Co. label head Archie Hamilton, the “mystical melodic” sounds of Deer Jade, and psychedelic house producer Mita Gami.
When it comes to ticketing, you’ll have a wide variety of options to select from. You can buy general admission or VIP only for the weekend or purchase the whole experience for all 5 days. An important part of your decision should be that the VIP provides you with entrance to the exclusive Villa Party on Saturday and priority pre-sale access for the Satellite Parties, such as the Panorama Party and Boat Parties. For those that want to splurge on the ultimate experience, it’s worth mentioning SXM offers a travel package options that includes Villa accommodations, VIP tickets, airport pickup, a private host, and backstage access. Pretty much the whole 9 yards.
So if you are ready to dance all night at Happy Bay, splash into a full-fledged Boat Party, relive the Cercle event on the islands highest point, take a dip at the infamous Villa Party, and enjoy the beauty of St Martin from sunset to sunrise, then get your tickets now!