10 reasons to get excited for Iceland’s Secret Solstice Festival
Photo courtesy of Secret Solstice
Iceland’s Secret Solstice joined the likes of Shambhala and, Lightning in a Bottle and DGTL as one of the most environmentally friendly festivals in the world five years ago. A longtime leader of using clean energy to power its grounds, Secret Solstice’s green ethos is just one of many qualities that makes it a standout.
This year, Secret Solstice’s fifth season will feature Slayer, Gucci Mane, Clean Bandit and The Egyptian Lover, with a breadth of electronic music acts to amplify its 2018 roster. Ahead of the festival, we’ve put together 10 reasons to get excited for Secret Solstice, which will take place in Reykjavik June 21-24, 2018.
Ahead of the festival, listen to YokoO’s exclusive Dancing Astronaut mix here and be sure to catch him at All Day I Dream’s Iceland debut.
Photo courtesy of Secret Solstice
1. For a mere seven digits, one well-endowed music enthusiast seeking the crème de la crème festival experience can purchase Secret Solstice’s $1M festival ticket – arguably the most lavish festival pass on earth. The golden ticket includes a laundry list of perks, including roundtrip transportation via a private, chartered business jet for six people, as well as luxury accommodations during the festival and an exclusive, private party with one of the festival headliners. Additional amenities include: daily pampering with luxury spa access, a personalized glam sl,lquad, private meals prepared by leading Icelandic chefs, a helicopter tour of southern Iceland, horseback riding, catered World Cup viewing parties, 24/7 access to personal drivers, sledding across the Langjökull glacier and backstage access at the festival. Learn more about the $1 Million festival ticket here.
Photo courtesy of All Day I Dream
2. Lee Burridge’s storied daytime celebration, All Day I Dream, is slated to make its Icelandic debut during the 2018 edition of Secret Solstice. A pioneer of deep tech, house, and progressive, Burridge’s formula is a superlative blend of magic, color and powerful music. What makes All Day I Dream a standout in the modern-day music scene, though, is its people: bona fide music fans who capitalize on the collective experience, and are deeply ingrained in electronic music culture.
Photo courtesy of Ásgeir Helgi
3. Introduced in 2017, The Lava Tunnel debuted as a brand new side event for Secret Solstice where a select number of attendees could explore the 52,000-year-old Raufarholshellir lava tunnel system in a way that’s never been done before. This year, a series of intimate concerts will be held inside the cave system, capped at 50 guests per event.
Photo courtesy of Secret Solstice
4. In 2015, Secret Solstice made history as the first event to host a party inside a glacier. Now a staple of the annual festival, only 120 guests will have the chance to enjoy a DJ set from Dubfire inside of Langjökull, Europe’s second largest glacier.
Photo courtesy of Ross Silcocks
5. To date, Secret Solstice is the only large scale music festival to take place during the peak of Iceland’s Midnight Sun. Here, fans will have the opportunity to experience one of the festival’s signature attractions: nearly 96 hours of non-stop daylight. With non-stop sunlight ahead, the celebrations will never truly end.
Photo courtesy of SOLOVOV.be
6. One of Secret Solstice’s main highlights is its crossover lineup, which boasts a handful of acts including Slayer, Stormzy, Gucci Mane and Bonnie Tyler. Among the festival’s dance acts are Steve Aoki, Skream, Charlotte de Witte and Dubfire, to name a few. From hip-hop to metal to house and techno, Secret Solstice’s diverse musical offerings are sure to satisfy the needs of any music fan, while leaving ample room for discovery and sharing.
Photo courtesy of Robert Knight Archive / Redferns / Getty
7. Funk and soul trailblazer, George Clinton, has set off on his final tour with Parliament-Funkadelic before bidding farewell to touring in May 2019. Fans will be invited to take part in musical history and celebrate one of the group’s final performances together at Secret Solstice, before the band’s frontrunner bows out of live performances for good.
Photo courtesy of Secret Solstice
8. A green festival means more wholesome celebrations. Because Secret Solstice is naturally lit during nearly all hours of the day, the festival requires minimal artificial light. Any power the festival does use is sourced from Iceland’s sweeping geothermal energy and hydropower reserves. Not only does the festival site boast a plethora of trees, but it also refrains from using diesel generators and has a dedicated on-site clean-up team to ensure proper trash disposal and recycling. Straws are also not allowed, making Secret Solstice one of the most eco-friendly events of its size in the world.
Photo courtesy of SOLOVOV.be
9. New to the 2018 edition of Secret Solstice are a Silent Disco hosted by Red Bull, as well as a special FIFA World Cup live viewing party on June 22 at the Main Stage as Iceland takes on Nigeria. The Silent Disco, which will take place June 22 and 23, will feature music from Carl Rose B2B Elsa, Colin Perkins, Oculas, SURA and countless others.
10. A nation brimming with culture, it’s only fitting Secret Solstice will showcase talent of its very own. Local musicians like Reykjavíkurdætur, Teitur Magnússon, JóiPé x Króli and Between Mountains, hailing from genres like hip-hop, indie-folk and indie-pop, will show off their production chops during this year’s fest. For those consistently on the lookout for new music, look no further.