The festival?s opening acts will include Scottish pop sensation Franz Ferdinand, performing on the island for the second time, and former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant, playing with his band The Strange Sensation. Also performing on Wednesday will be Marseilles?s National Ballet, a troupe which places special emphasis on innovation while maintaining its classical roots.
From August 9 to 16, the festival will host 252 acts from 44 countries. In addition to music, the programme will include theatre, dance, acrobatics and puppet performances.
The Sziget festival?s organisers say this year?s event will offer more services and comforts to festival goers than ever before. Catering areas have been expanded and there will be 52 pubs, five cafes and one tea house on offer. Guests will also be happy to know the organisers have capped the price of drinks at the concessions: a pint of beer will sell for no more than HUF 320 (EUR 1.2).
Campers should welcome the island?s ten new shower facilities and 125 water tanks. Visitors will also appreciate the increased number of portable toilets.
In an effort to reduce dust, temporary artificial pavement has been placed in the island?s most popular areas. And in the events tents, 24,000 square metres of wooden planks have been laid.
The Budapest Public Transportation Company (BKV) is offering discount week-long travel passes for festival-goers. Additionally, the festival organisers will operate a special bus service between 10pm and 6am, running between the entrance to the island and Móricz Zsigmond Square in Budapest?s District XI. Festival-goers may also avail of special rates offered by taxi company City Taxi, or take a boat to the island. The boats, operating between 2pm and 1am daily, depart from Batthyány Square on the Buda side of the capital and Jászai Mari Square on the Pest side.
