Culture, food, and exciting lineups lure festival-goers to beaches and fields all over the world, but for most, it’s the perfect excuse to spend a sunny weekend with a pint permanently glued to their hands. Grace Brewer narrows down the top ten booziest festivals.
If there’s one thing that seems to go hand in hand with sun-soaked revelry, it’s booze. From dancing the night away under a full moon and getting your groove on in the safety of international watrs, to joining in with traditional folk singing, a good drink or three can break down inhibitions and release our inner party animals.
Oktoberfest
If you’re a beer drinker, Oktoberfest, Munich’s 16-day celebration of the “liquid gold” (above) takes place this year from September 22 until October 7. Festivities involve chugging gigantic steins of beer whilst dressed in traditional Bavarian lederhosen, and feasting on bratwurst. You’ll be spoilt for choice as beer from Munich’s six breweries is served in 14 beer tents around the festival. Prost!
Full Moon Party
Haad Rin beach boasts Koh Phangan Island’s densest concentration of clubs. Backpackers flock there once a month to experience Thailand’s famous Full Moon Party, with roughly 5,000 people expected at each event. Different local DJs feature every month, providing sets right on the beach. Drink the iconic bucket cocktails, a concoction of alcohol mixed into a beach bucket, whilst watching fire dancers along Haad Rin beach and test how low you can go with limbo sticks set alight.
Bordeaux Wine Festival
Wine may be generally considered a more civilized tipple, but that doesn’t stop people from getting incredibly messed up on it at the bi-annual Bordeaux Wine Festival. From June 14-18, international wineries and half a million enthusiasts swarm to the French “wine trail” to sample vintages, enjoy live music and watch the fireworks at The Bordeaux Fête Le Vin village.
The Haro Wine Battle
This Spanish festival takes the phrase “alcohol-soaked” to a whole new level. Following an all-night party, the Haro Wine Battle takes place on the evening of June 28 in La Rioja. Thousands of locals hike up a nearby mountain with water guns, balloons, and anything they can fill with red wine. A lineup of bands rock out as the “water fight” commences and party-goers are stained burgundy. A week of drinking and music then follows in Haro, a small wine-producing town famous for its Rioja.
S2O Songkran Music Festival
Held in Bangkok during the Lunar New Year celebrations, S20 is a unique take on Thailand’s water festival, with participants dousing each other in water whilst international dance music DJs provide the soundtrack to dance under. Missed out on Songkran in Thailand? Tokyo Odaiba hosts S2O Japan from July 4-5.
Sunny Side Up
A tropical two-day music festival on the beautiful island of Bali may sound like a relaxing, cocktail-filled day out, but held at Potato Head’s Beach Club, with a huge stage foregrounded by the club’s fully-accessible infinity pool, Sunny Side Up is one big night out. Scheduled to take place from July 20-21 this year, previous performers have included the likes of Disclosure, Mark Ronson, and Azealia Banks.
Reading & Leeds Festival
This dual-site, three-day festival is as famous for its party atmosphere as it is its huge lineup. Staged in two cities at the same time, an hour west of London in Reading, and in Leeds, three hours north Reading & Leeds Festival-goers can camp between August 22 and 27 for a long weekend of port-a-loos, beer bongs and headliners Fall Out Boy, Kendrick Lamar and Kings of Leon.
Qingdao Beer Festival
The Qingdao Beer Festival is known as the “Asian Oktoberfest”, and lasts a total of 16 days during August. The opening ceremony is held at Golden Sands Beach in the Huangdao District and is followed by festivities across the Licang District, Pingdu, Jimo, and Jiaozhou. Whether you’re a true booze hound or a casual weekend enthusiast, taste pints from international and local breweries, and see the best of China’s drinking culture first hand.
Clockenflap
Early bird tickets are already on sale for Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s biggest annual music festival. From the November 9-11, a curated lineup of international acts will feature on a stage backdropped by the city’s impressive skyline. Head to one of the many bars and use the digital token system to buy a drink, check out Redbull’s YOURMUM stage, or go mad at the silent disco.
It’s The Ship
This wild four-day five-night booze cruise sets sail from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore and promises non-stop music and pool parties. It’s The Ship is Asia’s largest at-sea festival, and sails from Singapore to Phuket and back, although we doubt you’ll have time for sightseeing.
For more Events inspiration click here.
