Petrčane, a fishing village in Croatia

When?
3 to 12 July 2009

Who?
A combination of internationally acclaimed DJs, including Gilles Peterson, Greg Wilson and Rainer Trüby and live acts, such as The Haggis Horns and Soil and "Pimp" Sessions. These acts are spread across a club, an outdoor stage, a terrace overlooking the beach and a boat which sets sail on the glistening Adriatic.

Getting there
The nearest airport is Zadar (20 minutes by car), followed by Split (90 minutes) or Zagreb (3 hours). The festival organisers offer airport transfers, subject to demand – visit their website for more information. Many choose to start their holiday elsewhere in Eastern Europe – train travel and car hire are both reasonably priced in this area.

Hazy memory
Last year’s unexpected triumph arrived in the shape of an early evening performance from enigmatic disco-house act Crazy P. Despite an extremely hot afternoon, the band roused even the most lethargic attendees with their anthemic Sun Science. Its reprise of Sunshine makes me feel better / Sunshine makes me feel this way summed up the collective sentiment of those gathered at the main stage, old and new friends exchanging hugs and vowing never to bother with rainy UK festivals again.

Later, there was a power cut affecting some of the stage lighting and – more worryingly – all of the sound. Unflustered, leading lady Danielle Moore joked and bantered with the crowd. With no fix in place some ten minutes later, the band continued their set without amplification. On paper, it should have been a disaster. In reality, it was a festival highlight. The band maintained the crowd’s energy such that when the sound was restored, the effect was akin to the serotonin-fuelled elation I expect is experienced by extreme sportsmen. Arm-flailing, beer-soaked magic.

Insider tip
Your general pass gets you access to the main festival site, comprising the main stage, a dancefloor terrace by the beach and plenty of stalls, bars and seating areas. Tickets for the afterparties at the Barbarella's Discotheque club and for the Argonaughty boat parties are sold separately and sell out quickly, well in advance of the start of the festival itself.