Record 350,000 for Exit’s summer of love
Exit welcomed a record number of people to its 2017 festivals, with a combined 350,000 festivalgoers from more than 90 countries attending Sea Star in Croatia, Revolution in Romania, Sea Dance in Montenegro and Exit Festival proper in Serbia.
Exit’s ‘Summer of Love 2017’ – which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the original – kicked off on 25–28 May with Sea Star Festival, a new dance music event in Umag, Croatia, announced in December and headlined by The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim and Paul Kalkbrenner’s Back to the Future. More than 50,000 people attended, having to increase capacity three times to cope with the demand.
The next event, Revolution (1–3 June) in Timisoara, Romania, broke its own attendance record with 20,000 festivalgoers, while Exit itself (5–9 July) welcomed a record 215,000 people to the Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia. Highlights of Exit Festival included headline sets from The Killers, Liam Gallagher, Years & Years, Hardwell and Rag’n’Bone Man; an opening ceremony that included speeches from motivational speaker Nick Vujicic and the environmental movement Standing Rock; and a performance of iconic ’60s musical Hair.
There will be “another exciting theme” tying together next year’s festivals, says Exit
Summer of Love 2017 wrapped up on the shore of the Adriatic with the fourth Sea Dance Festival on 13, 14 and 15 July, headlined by Fatboy Slim, John Newman and Swan.
Those who wanted to visit more than one festival could invest in what Exit calls the “biggest holiday offer in its history”: The ‘1 ticket = 4 festivals’ deal, which offered early buyers of an Exit festival ticket (priced at €99) complimentary entry to one of the three other events.
There will be “another exciting theme” tying together next year’s festivals, says Exit. Exit Festival 2018 will take place from 12 to 15 July.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Exit launches Croatian festival Sea Star
Serbia’s Exit will launch its first event in Croatia in 2017, headlined by The Prodigy.
Beach festival Sea Star will run from 26 to 27 May at the Stella Maris resort in Umag, joining Exit festival proper, Revolution in Romania and Sea Dance in Montenegro in the promoter’s festival portfolio. Local acts Dubioza kolektiv and Urban&4 will also perform, with more acts due to be announced nearer the time.
The festival will kick off Exit’s ‘Summer of Love 2017’, celebrating 50 years since the original in 1967, a theme that will run across all four events.
‘1 ticket = 4 festivals’ offers early buyers of an Exit festival ticket complimentary entry to one of its three other events
To tie them together, Exit has introduced the “biggest holiday offer in its history”: Dubbed ‘1 ticket = 4 festivals’, the deal offers early buyers of an Exit festival ticket (priced at €99) complimentary entry to one of the three other events. Registration opens 1 February.
The first Croatia Music Event was held in London in June, with panellists concluding a lack of beds and direct flights is hurting the Croatian festival scene. “Currently the travel options into Croatia are still limited, as are the accommodation options once in the country,” said Hideout Festival’s Mark Newton. “It is still a struggle for UK customers to find affordable flights into the country – something that can only change with support from the top.”
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.