Mayrhofen, Austria

You’d have to to be a pretty soulless adventurer to not be able to hunt down the fun at Snowbombing. The weeklong smash in Mayrhofen, Austria is now in its 11th year and continues to provide entertainment at a frenetic pace for those who like their party laced with plentiful levels of madcap behaviour and, of course, snow.

Yes there is comedy skiwear, and yes, there are enough onesies to make V-Festival blush – but after a long day skiing, with your quads screaming for a sit-down, if you’re not happy dancing to old-skool hip-hop 1200m up the side of a mountain with mulled wine and a local schnapps chaser, you need to lighten up.

  • © Danny North

  • © Gobinder Jhitta

Due to the frenzied nature of the partying schedule (one member of Crack’s entourage had been in attendance at the Mixmag party with Bicep, Henrik Schwarz and Marcel Dettmann till 6am and was up at 8 to ski) those that make it onto the slopes before 10am are gifted snow, empty slopes and killer conditions for pristine carving. Getting a balance between the two is a party trick you’ll want to pull off here as the pace of the festival literally never relaxes. On the mountain the aforementioned musical offerings are varied – everything from the reggae bar to Fatboy Slim in an igloo, to group skiing lessons, to an end of the day warm-down with Mr Motivator. Again, for those who don’t enjoy watching people in ski boots try and complete a work-out to Derek Motivator in spandex, please, please, please remember to smile more.

  • © Jake Applebee

  • © Jake Applebee

  • © Jake Applebee

Musical highlights included Skepta and Craig David’s rapturous receptions in the colossal Racket Club, where the huge production value cannot be underestimated. Similarly The Prodigy’s outdoor Forest stage performance was blisteringly loud and about as nostalgic as you could hope for with a few key classics sadly omitted. They get heavier every time you see them and the sound quality punctured through the bad weather with piercing effect. Jamie Jones came through with a tougher, less house orientated set, whilst the Mobilee Records finale with Anja Schneider was as wonky as anyone could expect.

Snowbombing’s charm stems from the people and the pleasure seekers. Mayrhofen is absolutely buzzing for the duration, and getting wrapped up in the traditional Austrian charm (and excellent beer) isn’t difficult and is reflected in the warmth of the vibe that circulates the town. Taking what you want from the plentiful amount of activity and decadence on offer makes this impeccably organised festival a must for those with an equal eye for electronic music and snow.