Insider Guide To Sunny Side Festival
Insider Guide to Sunny Side
Sunny Side Festival 2025 is set to bring world-class house and techno artists to the stunning island of Malta from May 16th to 18th, 2025. Nestled in the breathtaking heart of the Mediterranean, this vibrant, community-focused event offers a seamless blend of music, culture, and idyllic travel. Phase one of the lineup features an impressive roster, including Ryan Elliott, Mathew Jonson (live), Sweely (live), Christian AB, PARAMIDA, BASHKKA, Aline Umber, Bruno Schmidt, Jonny Rock, Hostom (Varhat) (live), Mike Shannon (live), Lamache, and many more.
What criteria did you use when selecting the venues, especially Uno Malta and the day/boat party locations?
Danny: We want to give an all-rounded experience of Maltese island life defined by boat trips to offshore locations, beaches, and clubbing to quality music in great venues! Malta has a long-standing, rich clubbing culture, peppered with super venues like UNO Malta, an institution of Maltese clubbing. We are also blessed with a Mediterranean climate, with great beaches and great locations for a boat day out! It’s a mix of all things good, an experience we would love to share with all our attendees.
Can you describe your process for curating the lineup? What factors are most important when selecting artists and live acts?
TRACY: Our idea is always to present the highest quality sound while showcasing an eclectic lineup. We need to push forward the different genres of the underground scene. For us, it’s also important to present international headliners alongside new rising stars, together with local talents. Moreover, we are trying to focus more and more on music education and transmission between OG’s and young up-and-coming artists. Finally, we wanted to integrate live acts such as the well-established Sweely, Mathew Jonson, and Mike Shannon and their incredible music in order to raise the experience of our guests even higher.
(Tracy)
How are you planning to incorporate sustainability into the festival’s logistics and operations?
Luke: Artist accommodations are located very close to the venues to reduce as much as possible ETAs. The absolute majority of the fleet used are electric or hybrid cars and the logistics team are working round the clock to make sure that no extra trips are scheduled beyond necessary. Shuttle vans will be supplied between festival locations when necessary to reduce the amount of taxis used and congestion in front of the main venue. At all festival locations we will supply returnable cups to all attendees so they can refill with their drink of choice. The festival is cashless via our custom made top up RFID system and no printed tickets are necessary as long as they have email confirmation with tickets in .pdf format. All of the mentioned initiatives will help in reducing waste and the environmental impact of the festival on surrounding areas.
What unique experiences can festival-goers expect that will set Sunny Side Festival apart from other events?
Danny: Malta is a special place. To visit the Maltese islands is already a great experience in itself, with a vibrant seaside life, rich culture, and delicious food, you’re bound to have a good time. The locals are welcoming and helpful, so anyone would feel at home. The Festival is what wraps it all up nicely into a musical holiday for underground music aficionados.
What safety and health measures are you implementing to ensure a secure environment for attendees?
Luke: All venues are licensed venues, adhering to all local health and safety regulations. Each venue is staffed with professional security teams, first aiders with standby ambulances, and festival staff working round the clock for any queries.
Will there be any afterparties or special events post-festival? If so, can you share some details?
Danny: You’ll have to book a holiday and spend the weekend with us, to find out 😉 Fun is Guaranteed!
How do you plan to gather feedback from attendees and artists to improve future festivals?
Luke: We are always with our ears to the ground. Staff will be roaming around the festival and if they obtain any valuable feedback, this will be relayed back to head office and we will react immediately if necessary. Our comm lines are always monitored and replies are given back in a reasonable time for any suggestions or queries. There is always room for improvement, feedback from our customers is crucial for the success and longevity of the festival.
After the festival ends, what is your vision for maintaining the connections made during the event?
Danny: Connections made in good spirit, surrounded by a great vibe are connections that endure the test of time. We will capture all the great, funny and fun moments during the festival via artist / partner’s interviews, recorded DJ sets and behind the scenes footage which will later be published in collaboration with the entities involved. Above all else, one keeps a strong connection if we give the artists and partners a good time through clockwork co-ordination of logistics and smooth running of the festival. The latter is what will keep artists and partners interested in working with us in the future.
(Luke & Danny)