I have been attending festivals since I was 17, but in my opinion nothing tops 2017. In total I went to 7 festivals this year. Lost & found in Malta, We are festival in Upminster, Wildlife festival in Brighton, Hideout festival in Croatia, EE festival at Morden Park, Elrow at the Olympic Park and last but not least Abode in the park at Finsbury Park. Each was equally as amazing in its own way. I will be reviewing shortly each one, so let’s start where it all began…. Lost & Found Festival.

Before I went to Lost & Found I had never actually heard of the festival itself. But for me it is one of if not the best festival I have ever been to. The festival consisted of Wednesday through to Sunday day/night parties. For me the organisation of the festival was outstanding, there wasn’t a moment where I didn’t feel care free. Minus the sprint from the after party to our hotel at 4 in the morning, to make sure we didn’t miss our flight home. I was completely care free for my whole week spent on this beautiful island. Having been to a much larger scale festival abroad after Lost & Found (hideout) I am still surprised with how well Annie Mac’s festival was considering it was slightly smaller. In the day residents from Abode, Annie mac and MK hosted pool parties at the famous Café del Mar. In the night we was transported by shuttle bus to the festival site. After travelling through what seemed like miles of Malta rubble the festival site itself was everything I’d hoped. Divided between 3 different stages with bars intertwining for me the festival site was a dream, and where some of my favourite moments of this year took place. It’s hard to put into a few words how amazing this whole event was down to the music, site and even the people I met out there. They say you never top your first festival abroad and for me Lost & Found set the bar very high.

Lost & Found

We are was the second festival of the year I attended. For me it will always hold a place in my heart, it was the first festival I ever went to. I still remember being 17 with a fake ID at the entrance panicking about getting in. I also remember being carried out of a tent after downing a bottle of vodka before I got there, worried I wouldn’t get served. We are for me is on my door step and a 10 minute drive away, this is something I love and hate about it. Minus kissing about 40 people on the cheek and saying ‘omg hi babe how are you’ a ridiculous amount of times, I enjoy seeing everyone I know. Even though I have attended we are 3 years in a row this was my first year doing the full weekend, it’s safe to say it ruined me. This is coming from the girl who survived two week long festivals in Croatia and Malta. The line-up as always exceeds expectations and I feel I could go 5 or even 6 years in a row and each time would be just as crazy and exciting as the following year. For me We Are is up there with the international festivals from the vibe to the level of talent they provide, it is never a disappointment.

We are

For me Wildlife festival in Brighton was a weird but fun experience. I queued for over an hour which for most people would be enough to make them debate going home. But by the stories on my friends snapchat of me doing roly-poly’s on the grass outside the gates I enjoyed myself. Once I was inside, the festival was a mixture of teenagers just out of secondary school, 20 year olds like me and families with children. There’s nothing more strange than coming out of the elrow tent and having a 5 year old ask if she can play with your inflatable. Despite this the festival itself was good and they had some amazing acts, for me anywhere that has an elrow tent I’ll be content with. I’ll admit Wildlife was not on my list of go to festivals this year .The reason I chose this festival was because my childhood best friend lives in Brighton and it seemed the perfect place to celebrate leaving my teens behind. I’d recommend this festival to anyone that loves crazy people because Brighton’s full of them, and you’re never denied of a good time.

Wildlife

Hideout festival in Croatia one of the most weird and wonderful places I have ever been. Although the festival itself was only 5 days long, as soon as I got to Croatia it consisted of a full week of partying. As everyone burst off the plane and despite being a 3 hour coach journey away from Zcre beach, the whole of my easy jet flight gathered around this small independent bar next to the airport. Throwing their kunas at the nearest waitress in return for a Blue Lagoon cocktail. For me music wise this was the best festival I went to this year. It will always be hard musically for a one day festival to compete with something as big as Hideout. The boat parties the beach parties and the night to sunrise raves, it is clubbing heaven. I am still recommending people to go there for me you have to experience Hideout, it is unlike anything I have ever been to. Every rave I got to the UK now I am comparing to the super clubs in Hideout. Even though I remember one of the first things coming out my mouth as I stepped foot off the plane into the UK was, ‘Never again’. When my friends write ‘Hideout 2018?’ in the group chat, a small part of me would do anything to get back to Zcre beach with a jumbo cocktail in my hand.

Hideout

Going to a UK festival after Hideout is like going to McDonalds after a 5 star meal at Gauchos, for me Eastern Electrics broke this mould. EE was one of the first ever festivals I went to back in 2015. Despite buying my ticket about a week in advance and paying the maximum fee to then queue for 2 hours to get in, EE did not disappoint overall. The day itself was sunny and vibrant, with the festival split over several stages across Modern Park. Seeing some of the DJs whose events I first went to when I started raving was nostalgic. The likes of Carl Cox, Solardo and Sonny Fodera took centre stage in providing a variety of feel good tunes throughout the day. Despite losing all of my friends and ending up with just one other person, EE will always guarantee you a good day. And just like 2015 Eastern Electrics is a festival that just keeps getting better. Personally next year I’d love to see it back where it started for me on that little field at Hatfield House.

Eastern Electrics

If you have ever stepped foot in Elrow you will know how weird and wonderful it is. I remember my first Elrow event being completely taken by surprise at how amazing it was. I always consider myself to be quirky from the way I dress to the way I act. Elrow was just full of weird, funny and amazing people, people from all over the world. And this is exactly what Elrow at the Olympic park was for me. The event itself was well set out with their only being two main stages, therefore that festival terror of losing your friends seemed impossible. The music itself I can’t quite remember, I just know I love Jamie jones and I love Elrow, so for me it was a win-win. As usual I made friends with some of the craziest people I’ve ever met, people you would only find at an Elrow event. I even bumped into some friends I made at Lost & Found festival, which was amazing. Despite spending some of the first part of my day passed out on an inflatable duck, Elrow is up there with being one of the best festivals I’ve been to. It is hard to turn an event into a Festival but Elrow did not let us down. From the people I spent my day with to the happy vibes all around the Olympic park to me it was the perfect day.

Elrow

The festival I ended my summer on was Abode in the park. I bought my ticket for this event back in January 2017 when the tickets were only £20. As a huge abode fan any event they branch out and put on I’m always intrigued to attend. For me the amount of stages was impressive and meant there was music taste for everyone. The only problem is I lost 90% of the people I came with in the first 2 hours. Music ranged from resident DJ’s Ellie cocks and Andrew Kay to DJ’s such as Steve Lawler. With abode you never have to worry about the talent music wise they provide. Each time they put on an event they seem to outdo themselves with the amazing selection of DJ’s that play, abode in the park did just this. The only thing I would change would be to pre drink less but the excitement for Abode clearly took over me. As much as I love this festival for me Abode will always be the memories on the first terrace at Studio 338 where I first started raving, and that’s the place I’m excited to get back to.

Abode in the Park

Festivals aren’t for everyone and personally as much as I take peoples advice when they compare them, it’s all down to the person’s experience. Some festivals I’ve blacked out and had the worst day, yet my friends can’t stop bragging about it. Others I’ve had the most incredible day, and can’t explain to my friends why. For me what makes them amazing is the fashion, the vibe and the people. There’s nothing quite like getting out of your cab and walking through a field hearing that thumping music , knowing the day you have in store is about to be amazing. Somehow everything seems acceptable at a festival. Whether it’s abroad or in the UK, anything and everything goes, and that’s what I love. No one judges anyone, we’re all there to have the best time. So here’s to 2018 festival season being just as mad , just as crazy , and just as amazing as 2017. See you all at the next one.