# Balaton Sound

46°53′2.55″N 17°55′31.43″E﻿ / ﻿46.8840417°N 17.9253972°E﻿ / 46.8840417; 17.9253972
Balaton Sound (also known as Heineken Balaton Sound between 2007 and 2012 and as MasterCard Balaton Sound since 2013 for sponsorship reasons) is one of Europe's largest open air electronic music festivals. Held annually since 2007 on the southern bank of Lake Balaton, Hungary, it features live acts and DJs from all around the world, from established artists to new names. The event was co-created by the organizers of Sziget Festival.

## Background

As the festival gets more famous and popular each year, tickets are usually sold out before they go on sale at the official ticket vendors; this event sets new attendance records yearly.
The first Balaton Sound festival was held between 12 July and 15 July 2007. The fact that the event was held on the shore of the largest lake in Central Europe in mid-summer, its twenty-hour music schedule, and the line-up gained it significant public interest.
The festival is located on the west part of Zamárdi at the crossing of Panoráma and Zöldfa utca (street).
Inside the festival area variable stages, lounges, and tents are established for the performances. The sponsors of the festival create luxurious chill-out facilities with hammocks, bean bags, and easy chairs. Visitors to Balaton Sound can stay at a special campsite with several pubs, cocktail bars and restaurants equipped with accoutrements absent from Hungary's other summer music festivals. The Main Stage area has a capacity of about 50,000.
According to a KPMG study over the four days of the event in 2008, 88,000 attendants visited the festival while the daily average reached 22,000. Over 1.6 billion HUF was spent by visitors in total, 41,000 HUF per person, mostly spent on entrance fees, food and accommodation. In 2009, the number of festival visitors reached 94,000. In 2012 it became the second largest music festival in Hungary (after the Sziget Festival), and one of the most populated electronic music festivals in Europe.
The 2012 festival won the European Festivals Award in the category Best Medium-Sized European Festival in early 2013.
In 2018 the festival headliners included (amongst others) David Guetta, Alesso, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and The Chainsmokers. A statement by the festival producers confirmed that the 2018 festival broke its previous attendance record, with 165,000 attending, 8000 more than the previous record.
Balaton Sound 2019 will start on 3 July and will end on 7 July, featuring headliner performances by J Balvin, Future and DJs Armin Van Buuran, Tiesto and Marshmello.
Pre-sale ticket prices:
| | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Daily ticket | 6000HUF | 28EUR/ 6990HUF | 39EUR/ 9900HUF | 50EUR/ 12500HUF | 46EUR/ 12500HUF | 45EUR/ 13000HUF | 55EUR/ 15000HUF | 50EUR/ 15000HUF | 55EUR/ 16000HUF |
| Festival pass (4/5 days) | 14900HUF | 69EUR/ 16900HUF | 100EUR/ 25000HUF | 110EUR/ 29900HUF | 111EUR/ 29900HUF | 110EUR/ 31000HUF | 135EUR/ 39000HUF | 150EUR/ 44000HUF | 165EUR/ 49990HUF |

## Line-ups

The following are the festival line-ups for 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2013.
2007:
| | July 12 | July 13 | July 14 | July 15 |
| Stage Fever Arena | Junkie & Hawkie Kühl Darren Emerson Eric Prydz Sterbinszky | Junkie & Hawkie Client Muzzaik Roger Sanchez Ferry Corsten Shane 54 | Junkie & Hawkie Pöli Junkie XL Hernan Cattaneo Slam Jr | |
| Main Stage | | Belga Hiperkarma,Patrice Anima Sound System Basement Jaxx | Emil.RuleZ! Leeroy (Saian Supa Crew) Oi Va Oi The Brand New Heavies Kruder & Dorfmeister | PASO Beastie Boys |
| T-Mobile- LG Stage | DJ Viki Mitsura Quimby Kispál és a Borz Bauchklang Yonderboi DJ Cadik | DJ Viki Keyser & Shuriken Bootsie Quartet Barabás Lőrinc Eklektric Zagar Madrid De Los Austrias Nouvelle Vague Adam Freeland Palotai | DJ Viki Dave Tipper Colorstar José Padilla Fine Cut Bodies DJ Storm Bal & Size9 | DJ Viki Dj Shuriken Singas Projekt Irie Maffia Zagastic Brains Neo Tiga Hot X |
2008:
| | July 10 | July 11 | July 12 | July 13 |
| T-Mobile Stage | Andre, Naga, Beta M.A.N.D.Y. Polymorphin | URBS DJ set Re: Jazz Federico Aubele ft. Natalie Clavier Koop Hot X Richie Hawtin Igor Do Urden | Nicola Conte DJ set José Padilla Nicola Conte Jazz Combo Erik Sumo Band Ricardo Tobar live James Holden Coyote | Negro @ The Uptown Felaz Karányi Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu Los De Abajo |
| Heineken Main Stage | | Goldfrapp Quimby, Massive Attack | Orishas Gentleman The B-52's | Sergent Garcia Zagar feat. Underground Divas Fatboy Slim |
| Red Lounge | Irie Maffia Péterfy Bori & Love Band Colorstar Rewind - Palotai Cadik,Mc Zeek,Publo,Chiburi,Lee | Mike_Rosoft&DJ Mesterházy Bootsie Quartet Beat Dis Barabás Lőrinc Eklektric Deladap! Russkaja Ltj Bukem & MC Conrad Anima DJ set | The Transform Quintet Tape Underground Singas Project Varga Zsuzsa Buscemi Neo Krafty Kuts DJ Marka | Rozsnyói Trió Anselmo Crew Carbonfools Anima Sound System Fine Cut Bodies DJ Hype & Daddy Earl |
| Samsung Mobil Arena | | Junkie & Hawky Mylo Observer Armin Van Buuren Sterbinszky | Junkie & Hawky Pöli Booka Shade David Guetta Muzzaik | Junkie & Hawky Chriss Satoshi Tomiie Kühl |
2009:
| | July 9 | July 10 | July 11 | July 12 |
| T-Mobile Stage | Cogita, Andras Toth, Duel Singas Project Beat Dis Realistic Crew The Five Corners Quintet Junkie&Hawky | URBS DJ set Re: Jazz Federico Aubele ft. Natalie Clavier Koop Hot X Sven Väth Igor Do Urden | Nicola Conte DJ set José Padilla Nicola Conte Jazz Combo Erik Sumo Band Ricardo Tobar live James Holden Coyote | Negro @ The Uptown Felaz Karányi Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu Los De Abajo |
| Heineken Main Stage | Headshotboyz, Newl, Tits&Clits Dub Pistols Nouvelle Vague Underworld | Detective Kelly, Rene Mascarpone&Wachter, Streako,Sikztah Ozomatli Neo Kraftwerk | We plants are happy plants, Kollektiva Eskorzo Brains Orbital | NVC: Zoidberg, Ioda, Subotage, Tempo Irie Maffia Röyksopp Moby |
| Pesti Est Stage | Mesterhazy Korai Öröm Colorstar Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra Demon Superior Mad Professor, I Ration, Mc Kemon | Mesterházy Blue Note Cafe/Maestro Nostalgia 77 Péterfy Bori&Loveband Soerii &Poolek Fine Cut Bodies Mstrkrft, Anima DJ set, Bergi | Mesterházy Blue Note Cafe/Maestro Sadant Goulasch Exotika Black Cherry Anima Sound System Sub Focus, Chris.su | Mesterházy Blue Note Cafe/Maestro Harcsa Veronika Anselmo Crew Bootsie Quartet Erik Sumo Band DJ Zinc, Bal |
| Samsung Mobil Arena | Junkie & Hawky Collins&Behnam Lucca Carl Cox Hot X | Junkie & Hawky Chriss Dennes Deen David Guetta Sterbinszky | Junkie & Hawky Szeifert Richard Gray Eric Morillo Muzzaik | Sanfranciscobeat Reecoba Richie Hawtin, Hearthrob, Magda |
| MR2/MOL Stage | Mustbeat crew Lollipop/Radiokraft Gumipop: Gasman Monkey6 Hairy:Naga, Beta Parov Stelar&Max the sax Mecca events: 30HZ, Sikztah, Metha | Love alliance Dub phaze Ninjabreakz Kollektiva MR2 Dj set: Titusz MR2 Dj set: Izil MR2 Dj set: Palotai | Bomb the Jazz Girls and Mathematics Bladerunnaz/Test Chi Recordings: AMB, Kodek, Synus0006, Anorganik Aka Raster, Mango live Justin Martin, Oliver$ MR2 DJ set: Fine Cut Bodies | Deaf Company No Vidra Crew MR2 DJ set: Karányi, Rob Lick the Click Hypnosis Allnightbreakz |
2013:
| | July 10 | July 11 | July 12 | July 13 | July 14 |
| OTP Bank Stage | Edo Denova Lotfi Begi Roberto Moguai Flamemakers | Ganxsta Zolee és a Kartel Akkezdet Phiai Baskerville (NL) live Irie Maffia The Bloody Beetroots Dublic Belzebass Robotrock Kovary | Bëlga Bin-Jip Neo Modestep Vad Fruttik Matt-U & MC Kemon FuntCase Doctor P Palotai & MC Fedora, Dublic | Sonar Sena Žagar Karányi anthology Brains Ludmilla Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Wondawulf B`Andre | Soerii & Poolek Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra Odett Carbonfools Four Tet Fine Cut Bodies - "LA PETITE MORT" A/V show Amon Tobin presents Two Fingers Friction Chris.su |
| MasterCard Main Stage | | Warm Up - Canard Crystal Castles Wu-Tang Clan Avicii | Warm Up - DJ Gozth Nas Afrojack Freelusion Interactive Armin Van Buuren | Warm Up - Paul Strive Punnany Elektro Steve Aoki The Prodigy | Warm Up - Nikola Above and Beyond Fedde le Grand Calvin Harris |
| Arena | | Metha Stereo Killaz Sikztah Justice DJ set Brodinski Andro | Stereopalma Karmatronic Nervo Hardwell Dada Life Sterbinszky | Kühl Jay Lumen Julia Carpenter Alesso Axwell Muzzaik | Sanfranciscobeat Minicoolboyz Hot X Slam Green Velvet The Advent Gary Beck |
| Telekom Terasz | | Eva Live Volkova Sisters Todd Terje Naga & Beta Scuba Solomun Secret Factory a.k.a. Junkie & Hawky | Zajac Plastikheaven live 20 years Anima DJs Jan Blomqvist Budai Henrik Schwartz Dixon Seth Troxler Coyote | Reecoba Invoice Erpelpelle live Bernáthy Zsiga live Bruno from Ibiza Chriss Ronson Hernán Cattáneo Fairmont Jamie Jones Dandy | Yvel & Tristan We Plants Are Happy Plants Compact Disco DJ Koze Nora Naughty & Roocha Magda tINI Loco Dice Poli & Polarize |
2018
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, The Chainsmokers, Martin Garrix, NERVO, Timmy Trumpet, W&W, David Guetta, DJ Snake, TY Dolla $ign, Jonas Blue

## Picture gallery

* View of the lake by sunset. Tired attendants can relax on the pier built by the main sponsor, Heineken.
* High point of the party inside the Samsung Mobile Arena while David Guetta performs
* Radio1 stage, late afternoon on the third day of the festival