Handpan Festivals in Europe

They say that good music is food for the soul, and so every year there are many music-focused events around the world where people can come together and share their passion for it.

Handpan is no exception and there are some special festivals that you can attend to get in touch with the lovers of this magical instrument, enjoy the atmosphere and take part in the workshops (if there are any). And it doesn't matter if you meet people who play the handpan for beginners or if they are already at an advanced level, it is always interesting to take part in these festivals - of course if you are a handpan enthusiast.

At the various festivals there are more and more exhibitors and a greater variety in the area of ​​catering. The venue is becoming more professional in order to receive festival visitors under even better conditions. More and more work and money is flowing into the infrastructure. And you can also look at the various stands to see if you are looking for a handpan music book . Or maybe you want to buy a second-hand handpan or sell yours? Then festivals are the best place for that!

Read on to be able to join the next one . We'll touch on some of these festivals here so you can become familiar with some of them and attend them when you get the chance.

Are there handpan festivals?

Every year there are many festivals around the world organized by handpan communities . There are more in Europe and the rest of the world than you might imagine. The exchange of knowledge, good music and commerce is attracting more and more followers to handpan communities. As mentioned above, you can sell your handpan and get a new one the same day, or get a second hand handpan , which is otherwise very difficult as few second hand handpans are offered.

These festivals promote emerging artists by giving them the chance to perform live, apart from those who have already made a name for themselves in the handpan music scene.

Top Handpan Festivals in Europe

We're going to cover some handpan festivals in Europe, but that doesn't mean there aren't just as many or more in the US and the rest of the world. Festivals for handpan enthusiasts are popping up like mushrooms, so you're sure to find one near you.

Bulgaria: Handpan Festival in Sofia

The first handpan festival in Bulgaria , held since 2021!

What is a handpan , where does it come from, what is its history, how is it played, where can you buy it, should I have studied music, can I try it, how does it work? How many people in Bulgaria play it, etc. All these questions and more can be answered during the festival's presentations and workshops.

There is also a concert part where you can enjoy the performances of the artists dedicated to this instrument. This event is organized by three enthusiasts and lovers of the handpan to bring people closer to this rare instrument that seems to be directly connected to our soul.

Greece: HONA

HONA is a HanDOut Gathering music festival taking place on the beautiful island of Naxos in Greece. A gathering of sound explorers who want to share their love and create beautiful soundscapes that bypass the rational mind and go straight to the heart. This five-day celebration will host a variety of workshops ranging from yoga and dance to instrument making and macrame to handpan playing classes for all levels.

“ A gathering where time stands still. When unity is the only reality. Unity expressed as love. Love as sound.”

Blue skies, crystal clear waters, a wide range of musically oriented workshops, Mediterranean cuisine and the ethereal sound of the handpan surround all of this. All workshops, led by inspired artists, aim to explore the connection between heart and mind using sound, light and movement.

Netherlands: Hand Uut in HA Wapserveen

After 2 years, the Hand concert finally took place again in the village church of Wapserveen. Rob Verheul and Lisette Rozendal were relieved to be able to organize their annual Hand Uut Festival again after 2 years and now it will take place every year again.

Rob Verheul, creator and initiator of the Hand Uut Festival, is pleased that after ten successful editions and two years of Corona, the enthusiasm among the musicians and volunteers is still there to organize another big festival in 2023.

Lisette Rozendal , lover and rock in the surf, would be happy if many people in the region got to know this special instrument. " The magical sounds of a hand and the interaction of several musicians transport you to another world for a moment," she said and could only welcome the success in 2022. The concert in the village church on June 19th was the perfect final chord of the festival.

France: Handaout, in Ribière

Close your eyes and imagine it: real people, flesh and blood, handpans, live music, a 100% French scene, artisans, laughter, jams, - no, this is not a dream, this is Hand Août (Août means August in English), a unique French handpan festival held this year in June.

HANDAOUT is an event to support the French handpan artists who cancelled their tours during the 2 years of the pandemic. The event took place at the Domaine du Balbuzard .

To preserve the human aspect, the number of visitors was limited to 500 people. All proceeds were donated to the artists and technicians.

Switzerland: Swiss Handpan Festival in Wetzikon

The Swiss Handpan Festival is a weekend festival where handpan enthusiasts from all over the world meet to listen to music, make music, learn from each other and share and spread their enthusiasm for handpan culture .

Enjoy three wonderful days dedicated to handpan music ... sharing, learning, listening, laughing, chilling in the heart of the beautiful Zurich Oberland on the grounds of the Kulturfabrik Wetzikon.

France: Ete Nomade - Convention "Hand & Didg" in Port Dienville

This is a cross-generational gathering of enthusiastic beachgoers, open to any environmentally conscious audience craving peace and serenity.

The venue is the beach of Géraudot, France (25 km from Troyes, Aube en Champagne). ETE NOMADE offers workshops to discover and perfect unknown instruments, especially the handpan (or similar).

Well-being & wellness, sound massages, world songs, Tibetan singing bowls, access bars take place on site on Saturdays and Sundays. Concerts & sound journeys with free access liven up the evenings. This year the event took place on July 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Netherlands: Dutch Handpan Festival

If you were there at the first festival in 22, you know there is magic in the air. The joy, community and uplifting inspiration can hardly be compared to any other handpan festival! With these great memories in mind, you can look forward to the festival in 2023. The 2022 summer festival took place at Moons Farm, a magical place in Noordwijk, where there were four areas.

What can we expect for 2023?

• Even more concerts from very special artists who have inspired the world of handpan.
• Workshops in handpan, music, percussion and mindfulness.
• Jam sessions
• Vegan lunch and dinner
• Handpan Studio Shop with discounted items

Hungary: The HUG

The HUG meeting is a wonderful human gathering whose main goal - as the name suggests - is a big hug, an embracing connection between the lovers of the handpan, nature and ourselves.

The HUG Handpan Meeting and Lifestyle Camp was organized for the third time by the team of MAG Instruments (the first Hungarian handpan-making workshop) and the ToSoDa project (discovered by the Szimpla Lemming program). The meeting date this year was at the end of summer, between August 10th and 14th.

Austria: GRIASDI 2022 Handpan & Music Gathering in Haag

The "GRIASDI Handpan & World Music Gathering and Festival" is an international, multi-day handpan community event that has been taking place annually since 2016 in Austria, in the town of Haag at the "Böllerbauer". "GRIASDI" is actually the alpine greeting. The event aims to create a framework in which respectful encounters, consideration, helpfulness, jamming, joy, making music and creativity find their place and are encouraged. The handpan and music in general form a fascinating and beautiful basis for this...

The 8th edition of the GRIASDI Handpan & World Music Gathering and Festival will take place from August 2nd (early arrival day) to August 7th, 2023 (departure day) at the Böllerbauer in Austria.

Tickets for GRIASDI 2023 will be available online from January 2023. The concerts at GRIASDI will be played by world-class musicians from all over the world. “Music for listeners” at the highest level!