The new year has begun. Which means it won’t be long before spring arrives and we can go out again and sweat our balls off at some of the hardest and slickest beats. As a true Hardstyle fan you want to be prepared. Since the tickets sales are starting left and right you want to be thoroughly informed on what festivals are worth your hard earned bucks. Luckily for you, we did just that. Here is a list of the 7 best festivals you just don’t want to miss this summer!
1. Rebirth festival
To kick it off we’ve got Rebirth festival on the 9th and 10th of April. The name says it all, after a whole winter we feel reborn and ready to rave until we drop. With a wide variety of music including Hardstyle, Rawstyle and Tekstyle, there is something for everyone.
The only downside to this festival is the absence of a camping, so make sure you plan your trip ahead and book a nice bungalow or camping spot nearby. Or in the case of real hard-disease, grab some speakers, a six-pack of beer and a couple of friends and party on till sunrise.
Check out the aftermovie of last year here: Rebirth Festival
2a. HARDFEST & 2b. Beat the Bridge
On the 26th and 27th of April we’ve got Beat the Bridge and HARDFEST on a tie. Although the sizes of these festivals aren’t too big, the orange vibes and atmosphere are just incomparable. Whether you’re Dutch or not is irrelevant, as the party is always raging on. There’s just a few rules before the madness commences:
• Dig up your only odd piece of orange underwear
• Smear your face with your little sisters orange make-up
• Make sure you know the words: “alle Duitsers zijn homo”
• Orange, orange & orange
If you still feel like someone is on to you, just say Willem Alexander, Robin van Persie, Hardstyle and all is well. Both Beat the Bridge and HARDFEST supply some delicious beats for our Hard and Rawstyle companions. This means there is absolutely no reason for you not to come. Seriously, come.
Check out the aftermovies of last year here: HARDFEST & Beat the Bridge
3. Intents Festival
Perhaps Intents Festival should change their name to intense festival. With three days and seven stages this festival puts up a challenge for even the most experienced raver. But we don’t care, when there’s a party, there’s passion and when there is passion there is an army of Hardstyle soldiers ready to overcome any challenge!
This is also the first festival on our list which has a camping. In my humble opinion I’m going to say that the camping life is the best life. It’s what makes a great party an insane one. It’s the place where your neighbors become your best friends and where the word sleep is as estranged as a midget in the Olympic high-jump.
If you decide to take on this challenge, keep the 3rd, 4th and 5th of June free in your schedule. Check out the aftermovie of last year here: Intents Festival
4. Defqon.1 Festival
This wouldn’t be the first time that Defqon.1 is being referred to as the Mecca of Hardstyle, but I’m going to do it anyway; Defqon.1 is the Mecca of Hardstyle. Not due to a high amount of Islamic people, but simply because it’s sacred.
If you don’t want to go to Defqon.1, I honestly have no clue why you’re even reading this. The vibe, the people, the music and the entire festival are unparalleled. With 14 stages and 80.000 visitors this festival is a true behemoth in the Hardstyle scene.
On the 24th, 25th and 26th of June this madness takes place. Just like Intents Festival, Defqon.1 has a great camping. Everybody is one big family and crazy is a term that really gets put into perspective. The amount of music that gets played at the camping is so high, that it could easily qualify for the 15th stage, making it an unforgettable and ‘unsleapable’ experience. A true must.
Check out the aftermovie of last year here: Defqon.1 Festival
5. The Qontinent
This Q-dance and Bass Events collaboration event is one that should definitely be crossed off your bucket list. With its vast surface of water, it truly feels like you’re a drift on a continent, far away from civilization with just one purpose… party hard!
With a wide variety of music, from Hardstyle to Terror, there is something available for every hardlover. On top of that you can truly stand on top of the world at the bungee jump, taking a leap of faith in the continent of madness and chaos.
The location of the Qontinent is in Wachtebeke, Belgium and takes place on the 7th, 8th and 9th of August. With its beautiful nature and big lake it really gives the camping a vibe that almost converts you to a new-age hippy. Almost…
Check out the aftermovie of last year here: The Qontinent
6. Decibel Outdoor
Decibel, the name says it all. Hard and loud beats are the motive for this festival and as the last all-weekender of the year, it really takes you to the edge of insanity. With 50.000+ visitors, decibel definitely falls under the category of big ass festivals and earned its spot on this list.
For me the Decibel anthems always seem to hit the spot. Hard beats, uplifting melodies and just the right amount of vocals makes me wetter than a teenage girl at a Justin Bieber concert. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love shouting “Decibel!” when that drop kicks in.
You can visit Decibel on the 19th and 20th of August, making it one of the last outdoor festivals of 2016. No worries though, the winter decided to quit this year so there is no need to bring your winter jacket. Just make sure you got a couple of flip-flops and a water gun at your disposal and all will be fine.
Check out the aftermovie of last year here: Decibel Outdoor
7. Q-BASE
A wide variety of music, an epic show and all-night festival and that’s not even the best…. This festival located in Germany takes place at an old army base near the airport of Weeze, how fucking cool is that?
Being the last outdoor festival of the year, the night time really displays the dark and cold times that are ahead of us again. But fear not, with its stunning 14-hour duration and 10+ stages there is no excuse to not squeeze out your last bit of energy and sanity. If you didn’t die somewhere along the summer yet and you do plan on visiting Q-BASE, you should reserve the 10th of September in your agenda. And the 11th, 12th , 13th, 14th and 15th. #HungOver’16
Check out the aftermovie of last year here: Q-BASE
Time for hibernation
There you have it, the 7 festivals you don’t want to miss in 2016. If your one of the die-hards that visits all of them, I first off want to pay you my sincerest respect. Second I want to introduce you to a friend of mine who is a great doctor and his wife who works as a funeral attendant.
I hope you all make it through the summer and tune back at Hard News to check out the best indoor-festivals to visit during the winter. Keep raving boys and girls.
