The Best Beach Festivals

Sun, sand, and slapping tunes. Check out these unreal beach festivals that’ll leave you dying to hop on the next flight.

Skiddle Staff

Last updated: 1st May 2024

Few things go together quite as well as sun, sea, and live music; there's a reason there are festivals all over the globe that are crafted to deliver all three at once. The only problem for some is that there are very few that actually deliver on this in the UK. but for us, that isn't a problem, in fact, it's a solution, as you get to box off a sun-soaked holiday, and your annual festival in one.

Croatia and Portugal dominate this festival landscape, and with their crystal clear waters, white beaches, and guaranteed weather, it's easy to see why. However, the UK does provide some on its Cornish coats, and the likes of Greece, Hungary, the USA, and France all chime in with their fair too. So your options are pretty widespread.

So, scroll down and start planning your next trip away with these festivals in mind, they'll make memories for a lifetime, and you'll get a killer tan whilst you're at it as well.

(Click on the headers or images for FAQs and more information about each festival)

DnB Allstars Portugal

When: Friday 3rd May - Monday 6th May 2024

Where: Praia Da Rocha The Algarve Portimo in Portugal

2024 Lineup: Bou, Dimension, Hedex, Sub Focus, Wilkinson, Camo & Krooked, Kanine, Mozey, S.P.Y, Serum, Turno, A Little Sound, Benny L, Bladerunner, Charlie Tee, Disrupta, Kara, Sub Zero, Vibe Chemistry, and more

DnB Allstars, the UK's biggest bass-fuelled events brand, is taking their party abroad to Portugal this year, where they'll be descending onto the beaches of Portimão for 3 days and nights, bringing almost the whole UK DnB scene over with them, across a range of daily beach raves and boat parties that will set the Portuguese coast alive in a skank.

The area has one of the most popular beaches in The Algarve and is about an hour’s drive away from Faro International Airport. So you don't need to fear what the surroundings will be like, as we can assure you that you can skank away surrounded by beautiful shoreline vistas.

Find tickets, FAQs, and more information on DnB Allstars Portugal - HERE

Boardmasters

When: Wednesday 7th - Sunday 11th August 2024

Where: Newquay Fistral Beach And Watergate Bay in Cornwall

2024 lineup: Sam Fender, Stormzy, Courteeners, Bakar, Declan Mckenna, Soft Play, Kate Nash, Tom Odell, Chase and Status, Overmono, Becky Hill, Nia Archives, Bicep and more

Boardmasters is the UK's ultimate party by the beach. Taking place on Fistral Beach in Newquay, the festival has a strong ethos of sustainability and surfing. Offering you a place throughout the day to pick up a board yourself, a space where you can watch the pros, or one to take in the various entertainments on offer.

The festival boasts 11 different stages, and whilst the festival in recent years has adopted more Dance and Rap into its bill, the indie soul of its earlier years is still front and centre. With indie darling Sam Fender Headlining, and the likes of Courteeners, Declan Mckenna, Soft Play, Kate Nash, Tom Odell and more playing; alongside a huge range of sensational acts from other genres; This one is always a vibe, and arguably has the best campsite in all of the UK festival scene. Get your tickets and you’ll see exactly what we mean.

Whilst beach festivals are not as plenty in the UK, there are so many Indie and Alternative festivals like Boardmasters, which you can find - HERE

Find more information on Boardmasters - HERE

Sonus Festival

When: Sunday 18th - Thursday 22th August 2024

Where: Zrce Beach, Pag Island, Croatia

2024 Lineup: Adam Beyer, Marcel Detmann, Camelphat, Chris Stussy, Daria Kolosova, Kolsch, Loco Dice, Marco Carola, Pan-Pot, Seth Troxler, Sven Vath, and so so many more.

Held at Croatia's famous Zrce Beach, Sonus Festival is one of Europe’s very best coastal electronic music festivals. The festival is a sun-soaked marathon of raving, stretching across five glorious days and five epic nights in its stunning Adriatic setting. Ticketholders can enjoy plenty of boat and beach parties as well as club nights and an unreal selection of the finest in Dance music.

Let's be real, is there anything that sounds better than partying, taking a dip in the Adriatic Sea to cool off, and then heading over to check out your favourite artist's smash-out banger after banger on a stage with a stunning beach backdrop?

Find more information on Sonus Festival 2024 - HERE

Suncébeat

When: Thursday 20th - Thursday 27th July 2024

Where: The Garden Resort, Tisno, Croatia

2024 Lineup: David Rodigan, Kerri Chandler, Children of Zeus, Crazy P Soundsystem, Julie McKnight, and many more

It's no surprise that we've got yet another festival coming out of Croatia for this list. The country has abundant beaches with white sands and blue seas and Suncébeat, a festival found at The Garden Resort in Tisno, is an insanely popular option, and after a quick browse through Google images, it becomes immediately obvious why. The Garden Resort is absolutely stunning with crystal clear waters, lots of greenery and the golden sun beating down on it all.

Find more information on Suncébeat 2024 - HERE

Afro Nation

When: Wednesday 26th - Friday 28th June 2024

Where: Praia da Rocha Beach, Portimão, Portugal

2024 Lineup: Nicki Minaj, Asake, J Hus, Rema, Ninho, Tyla, Major League DJZ, Uncle Waffles, Flavour and more.

If you want to feel the heat of true afrobeat, amapiano, afro house, dance hall, and RnB from African artists, while being surrounded by beautiful scenery, then Afro Nation may be the one for you. After gaining attraction on social media for the lit vibes amongst the crowd, and sparkling lineups, Afro Nation is now one of the most in-demand Porugual festivals to this date.

With an average temperature of 25 degrees and red-rock cliffs towering over the golden sand and warm sea, Afro Nation Portugal is a fantastic choice. However, if you're uncertain about travelling to Portugal for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, don't worry too much as a majority of their audience is UK-born; including the odd influencer which will make you feel right at home.

Some of the names in the lineup this year are big from, Asake, J Hus, Rema, Ninho, Tyla, Major League DJZ, Uncle Waffles, Flavour and more.

Find more information on Afro Nation Portugal 2024 - here

Hideout Festival

When: Sunday 23rd - Thursday 27th June 2024

Where: Zrce Beach, Pag Island, Croatia

2024 Lineup: A Little Sound, Belters Only, Ben Hemsley, Bicep, BLK., Eliza Rose, Ewan McVicar, Hannah Laing, Hedex, Hybrid Minds, Joy Orbison, Mall Grab, Nia Archives, Skream, Solardo, and so much more

Fancy five days on a beach with house, drum and bass, garage, and techno blasting from the speakers as your favourite artists mash up the decks? Of course, you do. Set on the iconic grounds of Zrce Beach, the water is crystal clear, the sands are white, and the vibes are top-class; It has pretty much everything you could want from a beach. And we haven’t even looked at the massive lineup which is packed with some of the most in-demand artists right now.

Hideout is internationally known and attracts people from all over the world, and there's a reason, its quite simply one of the best parties about.

Find more information on Hideout Festival 2024 - here

Hangout Festival

When: Friday 19th - Sunday 21st May 2024

Where: Gulf Shores, Alabama, USA

2024 Lineup: Lana Del Ray, Zach Bryan, Odesza, The Chainsmokers, Dominic Fike, Renee Rapp, Dom Dolla, Cage The Elephant, and many more

As magical as European beaches are, insane beach fests are going down across the pond, too. Over in America, Hangout Fest has a star-studded lineup taking over the beaches of Gulf Shores with a wide range of genres, including hip hop, pop, rock, indie, reggae, EDM, and more. In between catching some of the world's biggest artists today, you can have a spin on the Ferris wheel, check out art installations, play beach volleyball, and swing by the puppy kissing booth that raises money for The Haven Animal Shelter.

Les Plages Électroniques

When: Friday 16th - Sunday 18th August 2024

Where: Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France

2024 Lineup: Boris Brejcha, Fisher, Kaytranada, Timmy Trumpet, Paul Kalkbrenner, Sch, Lost Frequencies, Gazo, Sara Landry, and more

Sand, sea and big fat electronic tunes from the likes of Boris Brejcha, Fisher, Kaytranada, Timmy Trumpet, Paul Kalkbrenner and more. It’s what dreams are made of. With an average temp of 22 degrees and eleven hours of fun in August, Les Plages Électroniques offers the perfect climate for a music festival - warm but not so hot you can’t handle the crowds. As well as being a few steps away from the sea, LPE is also only a short walk away from the streets of the vibrant, bustling city.

Plus, it's in France, not your typical spot for a beachside festival, but, we all know how beautiful the south coast of France is. Plus, your flights are a lot shorter, and you won't get knackered out from them, meaning there's a lot more energy to get your groove on.

Find more information on Les Plages Électroniques - here

Balaton Sound

When: Wednesday 3rd June - Saturday 6th July 2024

Where: Lake Balaton, Zamárdi, Hungary

2024 Lineup: Marshmello, Mind Against, Ben Nicky, James Hype, Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, Kölsch, Maceo Plex, Sara Landry, Purple Disco Machine, Timmy Trumpet, and so many more

Whilst not technically a beachside festival, Balaton Sound is very hard to ignore, and with the size of Lake Balaton, you'll struggle to find the difference. It's one of the biggest open-air electronic music festivals in Europe and invites around 140,000 music lovers to enjoy great tunes beside the deep blue Lake.

The 2024 edition looks to be one of its best too, with the likes of Marshmello, Mind Against, Ben Nicky, James Hype, Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, Kölsch, Maceo Plex, Sara Landry, and many more already announced, there are few better waterside spots to have a boogie this year.

Find more information on Balaton Sound - here

Neversea Festival

When: Thursday 4th - Sunday 7th July 2024

Where: Neversea Beach, Constana, Romania

2024 Lineup: TBA

There has never been a soul who has been to the Neversea Festival who hasn’t fallen madly in love with this enchanted place!

Whilst the lineup is not yet out for 2024, last year's edition saw the likes of J Balvin, Steve Aoki, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Pump, Don Diablo, Alok, Timmy Trumpet, and so much more, so you just know it's going to deliver once again.

If you are in search of love, and thirsty to explore the world while discovering yourself, then Neversea is your destination. It’s the well-deserved holiday you’ve been waiting for the whole year. And once you’ve experienced it, you already know you must come back to the Island.

Sun, sand, and slapping tunes. Can’t go wrong with such a combination, can you? That’s why beach festivals will always trump cold, cloudy gatherings in a massive field in the middle of nowhere. Go on, treat yourself this festival season. You’ve been through enough. You deserve it.

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.