Festivals! Festivals! Festivals!

As the days get longer and sunshine becomes that little bit more frequent, it means that festival season isn't too far away.

But there's more to festivals than flipping Portaloos in Reading or freaking out in a tent in Glastonbury after too much...err, 'sunburn'.

In this spirit, HUCK takes a look at some of the less well-known outdoor gatherings you may want to check out.

Exit Festival
July 8 -11, Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia
Ticket: £105 for weekend pass
Now in its 10th year, Serbia’s premier music festival returns to the iconic Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad. The event started off as a rebellion against the restrictive regime of former Serbian President, Slobodan Milošević and has subsequently snowballed into one of the top festival destinations in the world.

This year’s event will be headlined by indie icons Placebo, hip hop royalty Missy Elliot and alternative rock legends, Faith No More. For those who like nothing more than to get in the pit and cause some damage, Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Brains and Pendulum will be on hand to give you the motivation you need. If you prefer to embrace your hedonistic tendencies, Boys Noize, Crookers and Busy P will be dishing out enough delicious house and funky techno to keep you dancing into the early hours.

Just don’t get caught with anything illegal or a weekend abroad could turn into several years’ incarceration. DM

Sonar Festival
June 17 – 19, Barcelona, Spain
Ticket: €165 for weekend pass
What better way to spend your weekend than experiencing groundbreaking electronic music in one of Europe’s most culturally exciting cities with good weather almost guaranteed? Taking place at a number of venues across the city, Sonar Festival has been going strong for over 16 years.

This year's line-up lives up to its pedigree with The Chemical Brothers, festival favourite Dizzee Rascal and electro pop stalwarts Hot Chip taking to the stage to entertain the masses. Fans of cutting edge electronic music will find satisfaction in the exceptional talents of Daedelus, Hudson Mohawke and the mighty Flying Lotus. Other must see acts include Booka Shade, Fuck Buttons and Joy Orbison.

If all that dancing gets too much, there will also be a whole host of multimedia art installations and independent film screenings to keep you indoors and out of the sun! DM

Sonisphere
June - August, venues across Europe
Ticket: Approximately £130 for a weekend pass
Thrash is back. And in a big way this summer thanks to Sonisphere – a mobile festival that takes a roster of guitar-shredding mercenaries across Europe.

The headline acts include Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Iron Maiden and Motörhead. There’s also appearances from ‘new German hardness’ advocates Rammstein and everyone’s favourite corpse-paint dude, Alice Cooper.

And if you need a break from the studs-and-leather metal music onslaught there are fairground rides and a 24-hour entertainment area called Bohemia that includes arcades, comedy, massage, bars, market stalls and cafés as well as enough site capacity for every festival-goer to set up camp for the weekend.

In honour of Mr Cooper’s performance on the opening night of the UK leg of the tour, there will be a Rocky Horror Show themed fancy dress code. A theme that will, no doubt, be embraced in all pit stops as part of the presiding ethos of fun and rocked-out revelry.

As Anthrax once said: “Bring the noise!” SLJ

The Secret Garden Party
July 25 – 29, Cambridge, UK
Ticket: £149.50 for weekend pass
This majestic melting pot of trippy hippie fantasy has long been known as the playground of inner-city London dwellers desperate for escape, estrangement and euphoria. But as the festival has grown in recent years to include an even more eclectic selection of artists and events, so too has its outreach and appeal.

Part of The Secret Garden Party’s charm is its commitment to a different themed aesthetic every year, which will be Fact or Fiction in 2010. Not only must attendees choose their vice and fancy dress accordingly but everything from the site's décor to activities and workshops will hang on this elemental dichotomy.

Says the festival team: “We will explore the theories, fantasies, mysteries, legends, visions and illusions that create a rich world between reality and fiction. With inspiration taken from Heath Robinson, Escher and Dali, as well as inventors and scientists who changed the way we view the world.”

That’s not all. The festival is set around a lake and as well as floating restaurants and stages, organisers are known to set a pirate ship on fire in the middle of the lake on the last night.

Headliners this year include artists as diverse as the Gorillaz Sound System, Marina and the Diamonds and The Whip – all selected for their party-friendly sound. SLJ

Latitude Festival
July 15 – 18, Henham Park, Suffolk, UK
Ticket: £155 for weekend pass
Now in its fifth year, the UK’s ultimate boutique festival returns to the glorious grounds of Henham Park in the East Anglian countryside. And nothing says high-brow like this family-friendly festival intended to engage your brain for the weekend instead of destroying it!

Acts such as Belle and Sebastian, Vampire Weekend, Florence and the Machine and Grizzly Bear will be providing the soundtrack with a little help from The Coral, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Spoon.

But the music is only a small part of it. Richard Herring, Jeremy Hardy and Phil Jupitus will grace the Comedy Arena with their ready quips and the Literary Arena will see appearances from the likes of Brett Easton Ellis and Sebastian Faulks. There’s also live poetry, theatre, film and even opera in the forest - all accompanied by organic, fair-trade and free range drinks and snacks!

If you don’t fancy roughing it in a tent, you can also choose from a range of luxury cardboard boxes called myhabs , eco-friendly podpads and king-sized Belle tents. EA

End of the Road Festival
September 10 – 12, Larmer Tree Gardens, Dorset, UK
Ticket: £130 for weekend pass
The clue is in the name with this late summer folk festival intending to see the summer season off with a cosy little bang. Set in the beautiful Larmer Tree Gardens in the idyllic Dorset countryside and with just over 5000 visitors, End of the Road is as intimate and relaxed as it gets.

The music is strictly low key and lo-fi with bands such as Wilco, Yo La Tengo, The Mountain Goats and Wolf Parade all putting in an appearance. They will also be flanked by a comedy tent, healing field and the finest organic pizza stall around! If you're after something a little bit different, you can try your hand at many of the circus, animation and music workshops

But most importantly, be sure to visit the cinema tent that's curated by HUCK’s sister film magazine Little White Lies showing the best new independent films as well as some crowd-pleasing classics. EA

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