The Month Ahead: Ibiza in July

Image: Ibiza Rocks / Credit: Luke Dyson

The temperature is rising on the White Isle and there are countless amazing events taking place across July. Whether you're a live gigs enthusiast or electronic music mad, Ibiza is famous for the best parties in the world. 

The island has a long history of supporting the gay community and July sees the return of the Ibiza Gay Pride festival, from Wednesday 8th until Sunday 12th July.  The festival features events at a variety of Ibiza locations and the organisers hope to attract an extra 50,000 visitors to the island.

The much anticipated opening party for Gay Pride will be held at Space on Wednesday 8th July and is hosted by Cafe Ole and Beyond.  Much of the festival activity will take place around the historic Port area, culminating in a spectacular parade on Sunday 12 July.  

Saturday’s in July are all about letting your inner animal out to play at the Zoo Project in Benimussa Park, just outside the centre of San Antonio (check out the video above).  The highly creative Zoo team really make the most of this unique outdoor setting that was indeed once a zoo. We highly recommend a sunset rave at the top of the amphitheatre-style former seal pit, as you watch the sun go down over the hills of San Antonio.

There’s a beast of a line-up at the Zoo Project on Saturday 4th July including a must see back to back set from Secretsundaze head honcho Giles Smith and Chicago Queen Miss Honey Dijon.  They’re joined by Harri and Domenic, two giants of the UK club scene who have been running their legendary Subculture party in Glasgow every Saturday for more than 20 years.  

Frederico Grazzini also tops the bill, as does Italian born Ibiza dweller, Tuccillo.  Having cut his teeth as a resident at DC10, this man is no stranger to the Ibiza dancefloor and his own hot productions have been going off like bombs. Completing the roster are Zoo residents Michael James and Milou alongside the Zoo Project’s new resident, the rising Parisian techno star, WHO.

Elsewhere on the island Sankey’s have got an impressive programme of events every night of the week across the entire season. The club just seems to go from strength to strength, boosted further by the arrival of We Love from it’s previous home at Space for a staggering 17 years.  

Etched in our diary is Sunday 26th July which is set to deliver a mammoth line-up from Steve Lawler’s VIVa Warriors party at Sankeys (watch below). Chicago house legend Derrick Carter headlines The Basement along with Lawler himself and Detlef.

However competing for our attention elsewhere in Sankeys that evening is a strong offering over in The Lab, which boasts some of the most talented new house music producers to surface in recent years including Miguel Campbell, Denney, Hauswerks and VIVa resident Anek.

Golden Ticket 

Finally, our Golden Ticket recommendation of the month is the Ibiza Rocks 10th Anniversary party at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel on Wednesday 22nd July.  

The Rocks crew have brought a musical breath of fresh air to the island over the last ten years with a steady stream of forward thinking line-ups delivering some much needed diversity to an island that was saturated with electronic music.  They have somehow managed to cater to both the kids and the old school rockers on the island and we are sure both will be out in full force to toast their success.

Headlining the celebrations are The Libertines. It will be a very special gig for the reformed band who have played separately with Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things when Ibiza Rocks was in its infancy. It was Pete Doherty’s decision to play what is now known as the Ibiza Rocks Bar, then dubbed Bar M, which transported performances from the dark back room to the open-air venue we know and love.

Supporting The Libertines are exciting new punk duo Slaves (read our review of their album Are You Satisfied?), and we also highly recommend following the party on to the legendary Pikes Hotel. Here Rock Nights deliver a proper after party for those wanting to power on through the night.

For more on the island including full line ups and tickets, visit out Ibiza guide. 

Tickets are no longer available for this event