There are many ways to enjoy summer to its fullest. For those who are tired of sightseeing, exploring cultural spots, beaches and the countryside, the Kyiv Post has a guide to the best music festivals taking place in Ukraine.
Leopolis Jazz Fest
For those who enjoy live jazz music shows, the annual Leopolis Jazz Fest will be held in Lviv at the end of June, turning the western Ukrainian city into a jazz capital, at least for a couple of days.
Earlier known as Alfa Jazz, the Leopolis Jazz Fest will kick off on June 26 and will last until June 30.
This year, the festival`s lineup features Lisa Stansfield, the Adrien Brandeis Quintet, Etienne Mbappe & the Prophets, Peter Cincotti, Claudia Campagnol, Florian Favre Trio, Nils Wogram’s Nostalgia Trio and more.
Following tradition, the festival’s performances will be held on three stages. The main stage, where tickets are required, is named after jazz musician Eddie Rosner and is located at Lviv`s Bogdan Khmelnytsky Park.
The two other stages are at Lviv’s central Rynok Square and near Pototskykh Palace. Both are free and open to the public.
Even though some tickets for performances on the Eddie Rosner stage are sold out, entrance to the park where the stage is located is free, so anyone who wants to hear some live jazz still has a chance.
Apart from that, the festival’s organizers promise to set up some seats and screens in the park for those who don’t want to miss the jazz shows on the Eddie Rosner stage.
Alongside the live performances, the Leopolis Jazz Fest welcomes all to its workshops, film screenings, jams, and autograph sessions. Lviv, a city of 721,000 people, is located 539 kilometers west of Kyiv.
Leopolis Jazz Fest. Lviv. Eddie Rosner stage (4 Bolharska St.), Rynok Square, Pototskykh Palace (15 Mykoly Kopernyka St.) June 26–30. One-day pass — Hr 450–5,000.
Buy tickets at www.leopolisjazz.com/en/tickets.
Atlas Weekend
This summer, music legends the Black Eyed Peas, along with The Chainsmokers, Tom Odell, Liam Gallagher, Michael Kiwanuka, and many other world-renowned musicians will hit the stage of Ukraine’s biggest music festival — Atlas Weekend.
The festival, which has been held annually in Kyiv since 2015, features musical performances in genres like pop, electronic, rock, rap and hip-hop.
This year, the six-day festival’s lineup will feature over 80 musicians, including British indie-rock star Tom Walker, U.S. electronic duo Slander, Dutch DJ Cesqeaux, British trip-hop band Unkle and the winner of 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, Israeli singer Netta.
Other than that, Atlas Weekend will host not only foreign musicians but also Ukrainian ones like The Hardkiss, O. Torvald, Druga Rika, Odyn v Kanoe, as well as Ukraine’s new star rapper Alyona Alyona.
People attend the Atlas Weekend music festival in Kyiv on July 3, 2018. (Volodymyr Petrov)
The festival will kick off in Kyiv on July 9 with performances by Ukrainian musicians only. The entrance to the first day of the festival is free.
For those who have to travel to the capital to hear some great music, Atlas Weekend will also set up a camping area where festival guests can stay and enjoy the summer to its fullest.
Atlas Weekend. VDNH (1 Akademika Hlushkova Ave.) July 9–14. Festival pass — Hr 2,600, camping — Hr 500.
Buy tickets at www.atlasweekend.com/en/tickets.
UPark Festival
The UPark Festival will definitely rock the capital this summer, as the lineup of this three-day festival includes such iconic bands like U.S. rock group Thirty Seconds to Mars, South African hip-hop duo Die Antwoord, British rock bands Bring Me The Horizon and Nothing But Thieves, Danish pop singer MØ and many others.
The Ukrainian singer and DJ Ivan Dorn will also perform at the UPark Festival. But the festival’s full lineup has yet to be announced.
This year, UPark will take place at Kyiv’s Sky Family Park. Apart from music shows by top bands, the UPark Festival will also feature a 1,500 square meters swimming pool where the festival’s guests can cool down from the summer heat, as well as food courts, a fair, and various entertainment programs.
British hip-hop band Young Fathers perform at the UPark music festival in Kyiv on July 26, 2018. ( Courtesy of UPark)
UPark Festival. Sky Family Park (2 Henerala Vatutina Ave.) July 16–18. One-day pass — Hr 1,499–2,299. Festival pass — Hr 3,499–6,099.
Buy tickets at www.uparkfestival.com/dates.
Faine Misto
This four-day festival annually brings together thousands of people from all over Ukraine, who are looking for good music and some fun.
The festival is named after its location: Ternopil, a city of 212,000 people located more than 400 kilometers west of Kyiv. Ukrainians often refer to Ternopil as “faine misto” (meaning the fine city).
Founded in 2013, the Faine Misto festival became known for diverse musical genres, as well as the number of its participants. Last year, the festival brought together nearly 80 bands and musicians from all over the world.
This summer, Faine Misto will feature German metal band Powerwolf, Swedish rock band Avatar, Swiss folk metal band Eluveitie, German rock band Eskimo Callboy, and Kadebostany, a DJ from Switzerland.
Apart from the foreign musicians, the festival will also feature local performers, including The Hardkiss, Boombox, Latexfauna, Yuko, Qarpa and many others.
A tent camp with food courts is also available at the festival.
Faine Misto. Ternopil Oblast. Ternopil racetrack (7 kilometers from Ternopil along the H02 road). July 25–28. Festival pass — Hr 1,240, two-day pass — Hr 1,040, one-day pass — 810, camping — Hr 350.
Buy tickets at www.fainemisto.com.ua/tickets.
ZaxidFest
For those who are tired of big cities and dream of escaping loud urban areas to enjoy some good music in a calm atmosphere, ZaxidFest is the perfect choice.
The annual music festival will kick off on Aug. 16 and will last until Aug. 18. It will feature some great foreign and Ukrainian musicians.
This summer, the festival’s three stages will host such groups as British rock bands You Me At Six and Cradle Of Filth, Finnish metal band Apocalyptica, Italian rock band Lacuna Coil, as well as the U.S. bands After the Burial, Caspian and Eyes Set To Kill.
ZaxidFest’s full lineup has yet to be announced.
As usual, the festival will take place at a picturesque spot near the Rodytychi village, some 40 kilometers from Lviv. Although the festival’s venue is surrounded by nature, for an additional cost its guests will be provided with everything needed for a comfortable rest.
The festival’s organizers will set up a camping area with food courts, a parking zone, showers, and some spots to charge gadgets — which all makes ZaxidFest the perfect place to escape the summer heat.
ZaxidFest. Lviv Oblast, Rodytychi Village. Aug. 16–18. Festival pass — Hr 1,100, camping — Hr 500–750.
Buy tickets at www.concert.ua/en/booking/zaxidfest.
Brave Factory Festival
Since people keep comparing Kyiv to Berlin, the world’s biggest stage for electronic music, Ukraine’s capital has taken a step forward and now hosts not only techno parties but also festivals of electronic music.
Brave Factory Festival was launched in 2017 and is one of Ukraine’s youngest music festivals. The first event took place at an old factory decorated with street art.
As in the last two years, the festival’s venue is still a secret and has yet to be announced by the organizer. Unlike the venue, Brave Factory’s lineup is already known. The festival will feature such foreign electronic music artists as the American performers Dubfire, Solar, and Model 500; British artists Jane Fitz & Carl H and Neil Landstrumm; French artist dOP; German performers Anthony Rother and Oscar Offermann & Edward, and many more.
Along with foreign musicians, local performers like DJ Nastia, Spekulant, Youra and hip-hop singer Alina Pash will also perform at Brave Factory, making a festival a great place to spend the last days of summer.
Brave Factory Festival. Location to be announced. Aug. 24–25. Festival pass — Hr 1,545.
Buy tickets at www.brave2019.ticketforevent.com.
