From jazz in Rotterdam and hip-hop in Paris to brass bands on the beach in Blackpool, the Guardian’s music editor chooses the best European festivals that can be reached by rail
Paris has some great festivals, such as Cercle (22-24 May), with dance music stars against the backdrop of planes and rockets in an outdoor aerospace museum, but the most accessible and democratic is Fête de la musique, which began in Paris in 1982 but is now popular across the country. It is a loose event encompassing dozens of free, semi-impromptu outdoor performances all over each host city, including plenty in Lille, which is even cheaper and quicker to get to than Paris on the Eurostar from London.
The airfield was the starting point for the first airline flights to Brussels and London in 1919 and witnessed Charles Lindbergh’s historic North Atlantic flight in 1927.
Now a historic monument, the site includes the first Paris air terminal built in 1937 and hosts the museum’s extensive collection of over 350 aircraft, satellites, rockets, and other aviation artifacts.
Through festivals, iconic Cercle Shows, a record label (Cercle Records) and newly introduced Cercle Odyssey, Cercle is an artistic movement that pushes the boundaries of immersive musical journeys, putting innovation, aesthetics, heritage and togetherness at its core.
We give unique stages to unique artists. Some of our most notable shows include Ben Böhmer in Cappadocia, Boris Brejcha at the Grand Palais, FKJ at Salar de Uyuni, as well as events in thirty UNESCO World Heritage sites.
At the heart of Cercle, visionary artists from across the globe, carefully selected to redefine the boundaries of electronic music and beyond. From new voices to established legends, talents have continuously showcased their creativity and artistry over the last decade.
Source: festival.cercle.io