Tamás Kádár, the chief organizer of Sziget, expressed his satisfaction with this milestone event: “We wanted to close our first 30 years with a spectacular, vibrant, and diverse festival that pleased everyone, and based on the feedback, it seems we succeeded.”
The festival’s 30-year legacy is rooted in a dream that began over three decades ago: to create a place where people could come together for a week, experience personal freedom, and immerse themselves in the atmosphere and flow that a vibrant festival provides. According to Kádár, “Sziget quickly became a symbol, an ideal world where we could leave behind the worries of everyday life.”
This year’s event built on the significant improvements made last year to enhance the visitor experience, offering many new features both in terms of services and the program structure. Kádár noted that while the festival attracted an average of 60,000 to 70,000 visitors per day, the focus was not on surpassing previous attendance numbers. The most attended days were when Martin Garrix and Fred Again.. took the stage, with 50,000 to 60,000 people gathering in front of the Main Stage on each of those nights.
International interest in Sziget remains strong, with visitors from around the globe, and this year saw an increase in Hungarian attendees as well. “Our goal is to further strengthen this appealing ‘Sziget vibe’ for both domestic and international visitors,” Kádár added.
The festival’s vibrant atmosphere also caught the attention of the performers, many of whom extended their stay. Backstage, spontaneous parties broke out, with artists celebrating together. Despite a brief technical hiccup during his set, Martin Garrix extended his performance on the Main Stage and then kept the crowd dancing at the Bolt Party Arena until 1 a.m. Skrillex incorporated a Hungarian pop ballad into his show, while Fred Again.. requested Hungarian-language captions for the Main Stage’s screens.
This year’s festival also saw the return of the Grand Street Theater, with the French troupe Cie Gratte Ciel bringing a spectacular performance fresh from the Paris Olympic opening ceremony. The Sziget Beach Chill Zone’s morning Tai Chi sessions were so popular that additional sound equipment had to be installed to accommodate the large crowds. Additionally, a new (though unofficial) record was set when one performer’s team arrived at the festival with 33 drivers for the 30th Sziget.
Sam Smith delivered a show-stopping performance on the Main Stage on Sunday night, expressing his love for both the festival and the city of Budapest: “I’ve wanted to come here since I was a child, and as I walked around the city today, I realized that what I want to say is thank you for having me here.”
For those eager to secure their spot at next year’s festival, Sziget has announced a 48-hour Super Early Bird sale starting today. The 2025 festival is scheduled for August 6-11.
