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In recent years festivals have gotten bigger, bolder, wilder, brighter and further away. A field in drizzly England and a warm can of cider won't cut it for some when social media is awash with people partying in abandoned quarries and dancing on mountains overlooking the sunrise.
If you're looking for a jaw-dropping experience that you can't get from your average main stage and tent for one combo: these are the festivals for you. Don't worry we've we've omitted Fyre Festival from the list...
SEE ALSO: 10 Festivals Worth Hitting Up This Summer
Burning Man
The mother of all out-there festival experiences, the week-long desert rave in its own Black Rock City has been around since 1986. Rent a camper-van, get serious about fancy dress and make the pilgrimage to this insane visual and spiritual ride which culminates in the burning of a huge wooden man sculpture.
27 August - 4 September, Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Burningman.org
Meadows in the Mountain
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Set in the heart of the unspoiled Rhodope Mountains and overlooking miles of green splendour, this festival does back to basics in the best way possible. Meadows in the Mountain encompasses music and arts with a uniquely friendly atmosphere and guarantees the most insane sunrise views each day.
9 - 11 June, Bulgaria. Meadowsinthemountain.com
Terraforma
Set in the outskirts of Northern Milan, Terraforma is an environmental and sustainable festival with an earthly and wild feel to the set design and ethos. Steeped in trendy vibes, the three day experience offers music, workshops and lectures on subjects like environmental responsibility. Don't worry, the likes of Andrew Weatherall are on the decks to make sure it doesn't get too dry.
23 - 25 June, Milan. Terraformafestival.com
Envision
"Envision provides a platform for different cultures to co-exist in sustainable community, and inspire one another through art, spirituality, yoga, music, dance, sustainability and our fundamental connection with nature." Sound good? You'll need to travel to Costa Rica but it looks pretty worth it to us.
23 - 26 February, Costa Rica. Envisionfestival.com
Electric Forest
First place for the most awe-inspiring set-up goes to Electric Forest, the two-weekend electronic music festival held in the woodlands of Michigan. Big musical names include Flume, Claude Von Stroke and Banks and draws outside of music are charitable food collections, woodland craft sessions and sustainability workshops.
22 June - 2 July, Michigan, Electricforestfestival.com
Into The Valley
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Set in a sunken former prison in Estonia, the limestone quarry location also boasts sparkling blue water and a white beach, the perfect surrounding to see a huge dance and electronic music line-up. Best of all there's a 23 year age minimum, so you won't be made to feel old.
29 June - 1 July, Tallinn, Estonia, ResidentAdvisor.net
BOOM
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy
Bear Grylls//Digital Spy
As close to Burning Man as you'll get in Europe in terms of scale of sets and hippy experience, BOOM is a transformational festival which hosts music performances as well as visual art exhibitions. Though sadly you'll have to wait until 2018 as BOOM is a biennial festival, in other words: book now, enjoy later.
22 - 29 July, Portugal, Boomfestival.org
Freiluft
The open-air festival in Usedom in Germany boasts a tight but well curated line-up and plenty of lakeside revelry. Mind-bending visual effects are projected throughout the festival which is just the right size and place to get lost in. Enjoy whilst it's still small enough to be an underground gem.
14 - 16 July, Germany.Freiluftfestival.eu
