As the long, cold nights draw in and the twinkling Christmas lights of Tirana keep us feeling festive, thoughts of summer and beaches might seem like a whole other world away. But whilst you may not be quite ready to start making your summer holiday plans, the wheels are already in motion for Kala Festival 2019.
Kala was a brand new festival on the international circuit, making its debut on the Albanian Riviera where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet. Amidst the crystal clear waters and the golden sands of Dhermi, Kala Festival delighted partygoers with a hugely impressive line up that combined veteran performers with cutting-edge artists. Big names included Hot Chip, Tom Misch, Roy Ayers, The Black Madonna, Moodyman, Peggy Gou, Jayda G, The Mendez Brothers, and Trojan Sound System. Also on the agenda for the week’s festivities were activities such as snorkelling, kayaking, sunset yoga, paragliding, and massages- for those that weren’t too mashed to participate.
The event was a resounding success and was featured in a number of international magazines, including The Guardian who wrote the following, much to my amusement;
“Just how seriously the Albanian ministry of tourism was taking Kala festival – the first international event of its kind in the country – became clear the moment we stepped off the boat at Saranda to find a police escort waiting to accompany our coaches on the winding, mountainous transfer. That and the arrival of prime minister Edi Rama the following day, for an impromptu poolside press conference with the organisers at our hotel.”
But it was reporter WIll Cauldwells finishing paragraph that made me happy;
“DJs including Bjørn Torske, Nick The Record and Jenifa Mayanja took turns to play to a crowd of sunkissed, beaming faces … music bouncing down the gorge, which changed colour every hour as the light faded. A walk into the canyon led to a secret waterfall – a hint of other secrets this stretch of coast might reveal. The prime minister wasn’t kidding about what a paradise this country is.”
With around 2000 tourists touching down in Albania, just for the festival, this type of event does wonders for the country’s PR.
So what is on the agenda for 2019? Kala is most definitely back for a second year and it is scheduled to run between The 12th and 19th of June. The first wave of acts have already been announced and include Jordan Rakei, Inner City, Honey Dijon Call Super, LTJ Bukem, and Peach, with more to be announced in the coming months.
The festival location will be split between the main site (Dhermi Beach) and a couple of nearby spots including Gjipe Beach. The question is; is Albania set to follow in the footsteps of Croatia by becoming firstly a festival hotspot before coming to the attention of the tourism industry on a much bigger scale? Only time will tell.
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