Sziget’s Main Stage was named after the recently-deceased booking manager Dan Panaitescu, who worked on staff for twenty years.

Tribute will be paid also to David Bowie in the Magic Mirror tent under the title “Ashes to Ashes” on Wednesday, Day Minus One. Sigur Ros from Iceland will play for the first time at the festival this year. Their act is on Saturday. The last day of the festival, next Tuesday, will feature the US Lumineers and the UK’s Last Shadow Puppets.

“The festival will be one of the safest places in Budapest”, chief organiser Károly Gerendai said. Security will be tightened at the entry points and visitors can be identified by their bracelets for the first time this year.

Head of operations Dániel Benis said that a security staff of 1,300 will be in place on festival grounds, working in collaboration with fire services, police and medical staff, altogether numbering about 3,000.

A special ambulance force with nine cars on call and space for medical helicopters to land will provide medical assistance. Last year the festival attracted a record number of over 430,000 people. It fetched the European Festival Award for Best Major Festival first in 2011 and 2014.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.