Photo by Alison Young — Some Rights Reserved

The Stop Making Sense Festival is situated on a wooded peninsula on the Adriatic Coast of Croatia. You can camp, stay at one of the small hotels, or charter your own boat and pull right up to the party.

Fresh seafood is the best choice hands down here as it is abundant and fresh. This recipe for Calamari Salad with Mint and Dill can be broiled in an oven, or grilled over a fire on the beach. Enjoy it with one of the many excellent Croatian wines.

- Ana Maria Harkins

Photo by saikofish — Some Rights Reserved

Creamfields is all about dancing, and dancing can make you very thirsty. Creamfields’ name is based on the well-known Liverpool nightclub Cream, but it also calls to mind this week’s featured food item — an Orange Ice Cream Soda.

It will quench your thirst, keep your stamina going and satisfy your sweet tooth. You’ll need both a straw and a spoon for this one!

- Ana Maria Harkins

Photo by Qiao-Da-Ye — Some Rights Reserved

At the top of the Royal Mile next to Edinburgh Castle is The Hub, home of the Edinburgh International Festival. If you’ve just gathered information about all the shows you want to see at EIF, you are probably overwhelmed and need a cup of tea. Shortbread has become the iconic biscuit associated with Scotland and it is a perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot tea.

After the festival is over, you could take the easy way out and buy Walkers Shortbread, but taking the time to make your own creation has a rich reward at the end. Shortbread is traditionally formed into a large circle divided into segments, but for this Shortbread recipe we’ll cut them into individual “fingers”.

- Ana Maria Harkins

Photo by Kate Hopkins — Some Rights Reserved

Lincoln Center Out of Doors has much to recommend it. It’s free, it’s al fresco, and it’s the perfect setting for a picnic. Arpeggio, the restaurant at Avery Fisher Hall offers picnics to go. You can choose from a delightful combination of salads, sandwiches, charcuterie and artisanal cheeses.

Try your hand at assembling your own picnic for the festival, starting with this Camembert, Ham and Caramelized Onion Sandwich. You can finish it all off with these good-for-you Oatmeal Cookies.

- Ana Maria Harkins

Photo by Philip Weiss — Some Rights Reserved

This year Lollapalooza will highlight Chicago cuisine with the aid of Chef Graham Elliot Bowles. Bowles is charged with curating the festival’s food line-up, featuring more than a dozen local restaurants. His aim is to ensure the cooking “has more of a rock sensibility”.

You’ll find fancy sausages at Frank ‘N’ Dawgs and heavy metal burgers at Kuma’s Corner. Bowles himself is rumored to be bringing in his lobster corn dogs. While it’s not clear if this Sausage, Bacon, and Egg Pie has a rock sensibility, you can eat it while walking and listening to music all at the same time — a great festival food!

- Ana Maria Harkins