In September 2022, Albania will debut a week-long ‘body sustainable’ festival called Inner State that will focus on music, food and wellness. Jenny Southan reports
After two years of postponements, music festivals back on the social calender for partygoers around the world, giving rise to a new era of “Festival Hopping” (a trend that Globetrender has coined).
New to the scene is Inner State, which describes itself as a “week-long holiday with a community of like-minded people who come together to experience music, wellness, food and a range of alternative festival experiences in an Albanian beachside paradise”.
Set in an untouched part of the world on the outskirts of Europe, Inner State will take place on the stunning Ionian coast of Albania. In addition to a “chilled” music line up there will be talks and workshops, dining experiences, bonfire sessions, stargazing, beach massages and snorkelling available.
Unlike traditional music festivals that focus heavily on drink and drug taking, Inner State will be a “body sustainable” festival that will leave people feeling “refreshed and relaxed”. Organisers say it will “give back more than it takes out”.
Taking place from September 15 to 22, headline acts will include Laura Mvula, Caribou, Tiga and Hudson Mohawke. There will also be DJ sets by the likes of 2ManyDJs, Horsemeat Disco, TEED, Moxie, Erol Alkan, Bradley Zero, Mafalda, Norman Jay and Felix Dickinson.
A festival wristband and hotel for a seven-day stay starts from just £275 per person, making it much cheaper than festivals such as Coachella in California where packages cost thousands of dollars.
Inner State says it will give people the chance to “enjoy live music by the sea, dance under the stars with like-minded people, look after your body and mind, try the local cuisine, relax at the beach and soak up the incredible scenery of the Albanian riviera”.
Experiences will include seaside yoga classes at sunrise, boat cruises to explore secluded coves, a barefoot beach banquet hosted by a guest chef, stargazing with friends in an abandoned monastery, and campfire conversations hosted by Rebel Book Club.
Wellness will be an integral part of the festival programme, not just an add on. There will be plenty of workshops and classes for all levels hosted by high profile practitioners, from breathwork with Richie Bostock, The Breath Guy and dynamic meditation with Leo Oppenheim, to fitness training with Peloton instructor Jermaine Johnson and Rocket Vinyasa Yoga set to a backdrop of high-octane dance music with the Rogue Room.
Alan Crofton, founder of Inner State, says: “The last couple of years has been tough. The uncertainty of the world has encouraged people to take their wellness back into their own hands and more people are aware of the importance of constantly keeping their mental health and physical wellbeing in check.
“This is where Inner State comes in, a festival experience that gives more than it takes, full seven days of summer bliss, beachside music and some added entertainment for those that need it that will help people come back from the festival feeling refreshed and energised.”
Inner State sounds similar to Dekmantel Selectors, which is is an annual five-day festival that takes place in Tisno’s Garden Resort on Croatia’s Adriatic coast and is described as a “celebration of sea, music and togetherness”.
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