Sziget 2024's eclectic approach creates a playful sense of discovery

Sziget is the sort of bewitching festival that'll steal your heart. Words: Ali Shutler. Photos: Frances Beach.

Sziget really does feel like a wonderland. Sure, it's not the only festival to feature gorgeous circus performances or immersive light installations, but on Budapest's island of freedom, it's all so intertwined with the music that it's impossible not to get caught up in the fantasy of it all. You're never far away from a K-pop dance workshop, a BMX stunt show or a communal drum circle while giant steam-punk dinosaurs freak out those who've had a little too much to drink, patrolling the site accompanied by blasts of industrial rock.

It's a world away from mundane reality, but the culture-rich city, the winding ruin bars and the relaxing home comforts of Ibis hotels are only a short trip across the Danube if getting lost in the wilderness starts to get a bit much.

For a lot of the artists on the bill, it's their first time playing a gig in Hungary. If that wasn't nervy enough, the festival plays host to one of the most eclectic main stage lineups in Europe, so there's a shared sense of uncertainty ahead of almost every performance. This is amplified by a shared understanding from the crowd that there's absolutely no need to stand in the blistering heat until the act actually takes to the stage.

You can imagine the nervous whispers that take place backstage before showtime, but the likes of Becky Hill, Sam Smith, RAYE, Louis Tomlinson and Bebe Rexha turn that prickly energy into fierce determination as they all hit the stage with something to prove. Their sets quickly become moments of triumph as the ever-growing crowds fall head over heels in real-time. Rather than an abridged version of their usual show, each performance feels genuinely special.

Even bonafide festival legends like Stormzy get caught up in the giddy unpredictability of it all. "It doesn't matter if you don't know who I am or if you're into this type of music or not; we're all here for the same reason," he says, promising an unforgettable night. "If you give me a little bit of energy, I'll give you everything I've got," which seems like a fair deal.

At times, Sziget can feel a little chaotic, but what else would you expect for a festival whose headliners range from Martin Garrix's overblown dance party to Liam Gallagher's gruff run-through of Oasis' timeless 'Definitely Maybe' by way of Kylie Minogue's career-spanning pop disco.

For those who fancy something a little less eclectic, the Bolt Party Arena and the Yettel Colosseum offer non-stop raves, while the Beach Chill Zone is all ethereal relax, complete with plastic flamingos and floating sunbeds. Then there's the IBIS X Buzz Stage, which plays host to the very best emerging and underground artists.

Sonically, the rowdy indie party of Royel Otis, the twitching rave of Might Delete Later and the soaring power of Néomí's folk-pop are all entirely different, but there's a shared fire as they tackle the stage, ready to flex. There are plenty of magic moments, but it's perhaps Future Static that feels the most marvellous.

For a festival that leans heavily into the world of dance and pop, their emo-drenched rock should be a tough sell, but they quickly conjure up mosh pits and crowdsurfers as they make themselves right at home.

The festival isn't afraid of booking acts that sit at the more alternative end of things either. From Halsey kickstarting a whole new era with a gloriously confident headline set through the spiky political rock of Grandson to AURORA's dreamy pop, there's a real hunger for bold newness across Sziget.

Teezo Touchdown's rock'n'boom feels warm and unifying, Tkay Maidza delivers swaggering, club-ready pop music while Fontaines D.C. dive headfirst into the grubby neon world of 'Romance' with stadiums clearly in their sights.

Janelle Monáe closes out her sprawling, celebrated European tour with a playful romp through rock, pop, funk, R&B, self-belief, empowerment, and community, aided with slick choreography and numerous costume changes before Yard Act's big-hearted post-punk+ taps into the communal freedom of Sziget.

The entire festival seems to be leading up to Fred Again..'s closing headline set, which perfectly straddles intimacy and gigantic euphoria as he plays to one of the biggest crowds the Island Of Freedom has ever seen.

From firetrucks hosing down crowds of people dancing under the blazing sun to ABBA, Queen and Linkin Park tribute acts kickstarting late-night karaoke, Sziget does things right.

The festival is getting very good at pulling together the sort of lineup that offers a little something for everyone, but rather than creating confusion, this eclectic approach creates a playful sense of discovery across the six-day event.

We're not going to start talking about vibes, but the crowd clearly gets caught up in the magic of it all with Sziget the sort of bewitching festival that'll steal your heart.

Travel and accommodation for this review were provided by Ibis.