Sunny Hill Festival

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Sunny Hill Festival
Sunnyhill Festival.svg
Buhne und VIP-Tribune Sunny Hill Festival .jpg
2018 Sunny Hill Festival
GenrePerforming arts festival
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Sunny Hill Festival Park
(Pristina, Kosovo)
Coordinates 42°42′28″N21°07′31″E / 42.70785312°N 21.12538523°E / 42.70785312; 21.12538523
Years active2018–2019, 2022, 2024–present
Inaugurated10 August 2018 (2018-08-10)
FounderDukagjin and Dua Lipa
Most recent1 – 3 August 2025
Next eventJuly/August 2026
Organised bySunny Hill Foundation[ citation needed ]
Website sunnyhillfestival.com

The Sunny Hill Festival is an annual international music festival in Pristina, Kosovo, organised by English and Albanian singer Dua Lipa and her father Dukagjin Lipa. It has established itself as the largest music festival in Kosovo.

Contents

History

2018–2019

The Sunny Hill Festival was organized by English and Albanian singer Dua Lipa and her father Dukagjin Lipa to raise money for the Pristina-based Sunny Hill Foundation charity organization. [1] [2]

The inaugural edition of the festival took place from 10 to 12 August 2018 at the Germia Park in Pristina, and was headlined by Dua Lipa, Martin Garrix, and Action Bronson. Her father also performed with his band, ODA, and belonged to another line-up alongside many artists from Kosovo and Albania. [3]

The festival's second edition took place from 2 to 4 August 2019, headlined by Miley Cyrus, Calvin Harris, and Gashi. [4] [5]

2020–2022

After forcibly taking a break in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [6] [7] the festival returned in 2022. Since 2019, organizers had been advocating for a larger space to expand the festival. [8] Procedural issues delayed securing a new location, and by June of that year, state institutions and organizers had not reached an agreement, leading to an announcement of the festival's potential move to Tirana, Albania. [9]

After significant public pressure, a consensus was reached with the government and the municipality of Pristina. As a result, the festival was once again held at Germia Park from August 4 to 7, 2022, with plans to continue working on a permanent location for future editions. [8] This announcement was followed with criticism due to the legal status of the as a protected landscape and concerns for pollution. [10] In addition to the festival in Pristina, a separate festival with a different lineup would be hosted in Tirana from August 26 to 28. [11] The Pristina event was headlined by Dua Lipa, J Balvin, Diplo, and Skepta, [12] while the Tirana event was headlined by Action Bronson, Stormzy, and Hardwell. [13] That year's festival theme was a call for visa liberalization for Kosovo under the slogan "Set Me Free."[ citation needed ]

2023–present

After the complications of the previous year, the 2023 festival was cancelled while the organizers looked for a permanent location. [14] In 2024, the festival moved to the Sunny Hill Festival Park in the Bërnicë e Epërme  [ sq ] village of Pristina, its new permanent location. It was held from July 25 to 28, and headlined by Bebe Rexha, Burna Boy, Stormzy, DJ Snake, Black Coffee, The Martinez Brothers, Groove Armada, and The Blaze. [15] [10] [16]

The 2025 edition of the festival was held from August 1 to 3. Headliners include Dua Lipa and Peggy Gou. [17]

Festival summary by year

EditionYearLocationDatesHeadliners
1st2018 Germia Park (Pristina, Kosovo)10–12 August
2nd20192–4 August
—2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
3rd2022Germia Park (Pristina, Kosovo)4–7 August
Artificial Lake Park (Tirana, Albania)26–28 August
—2023Cancelled while event organizers looked for a permanent location.
4th2024Sunny Hill Festival Park (Pristina, Kosovo)25–28 July
5th20251–3 August

References

  1. ↑ Soichet, Aude; Valiente, Alexa. "How Dua Lipa went from aspiring singer to one of today's top global female pop stars". ABC News. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Sunny Hill Foundation. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  3. ↑ Walker, Shaun (5 August 2018). "Dua Lipa's father stages music festival for 'peace-loving' Kosovo". The Guardian . ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  4. ↑ "Dua Lipa announces Sunnyhill headliners". Prishtina Insight. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "'Sunny Hill Festival 2019' mbahet më 2, 3 dhe 4 gusht 2019". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "The 'Sunny Hill 2020' festival is postponed until next year". Telegrafi. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  7. ↑ ""Sunny Hill" festival is canceled". Koha Ditore . 22 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Dua Lipa's Father Will Host His Music Festival in Kosovo After All". Billboard. Associated Press. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  9. ↑ "Sunny Hill goes to Tirana, this is the announcement for those who have already bought the tickets". Periskopi. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  10. 1 2 Xharra, Jeta; Zeqiri, Ardita (25 July 2024). "'We Have built a Name': Kosovo Sunny Hill Festival Founder Eyes Record Year". Balkan Insight . Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "Tirana Edition 2022". Sunny Hill Festival. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  12. ↑ "Dua Lipa Thrills Fans Performing on First Day of Sunny Hill". Prishtina Insight. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  13. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  14. ↑ Albania, Euronews (1 June 2023). "Sunny Hill Festival 2023 cancelled, organizer Dua Lipa explains why". Euronews Albania. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  15. ↑ "The first tickets for the "biggest edition" of the "Sunny Hill" festival go on sale". Koha Ditore . 1 March 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  16. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  17. ↑ "Confirmed: Dua Lipa returns to Sunny Hill Festival 2025". Insajderi. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
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