45 of the most popular music festivals in Europe 2026

Whether you're into electronic music to rock, hip hop to world music, jazz to indie, pop, fusion, and beyond, there's pretty much something for everyone, especially for music fans and festival goers willing to travel to different festivals in Europe.

From the iconic stages of Montreux Jazz Festival (which takes place on the edge of Lake Geneva and runs for two weeks in July!), to the elaborate stage designs of Tomorrowland, to the island vibes of Sziget Festival, to the indie‑packed Primavera Sound, and beyond (all more than worth your time, by the way), we get that it can be a little intimidating to choose the perfect music festival for your summer.

So, without further ado, here's our guide to the best festivals in Europe that should be on your radar this year across Portugal, Spain, Hungary, the UK, Serbia, The Netherlands, Belgium, and beyond.

Best music festivals in Europe to book in 2026

Primavera Sound

📍 Barcelona, Spain| 📅 4–6 June 2026

Primavera Sound Barcelona is the benchmark: huge production, sharp curation, and the kind of lineup where you can sprint between legends and next-wave names without it feeling random. Primavera Sound Barcelona 2026 includes major draws like The Cure, Doja Cat, and Gorillaz, with a stacked undercard across rock, pop, and electronic.

Bilbao BBK Live

📍 Bilbao, Spain | 📅 9–11 July 2026

Nestled in the hills of Kobetamendi Park, Bilbao BBK Live is a must for indie, electronic, and alternative music fans. With breathtaking views and a vibrant festival vibe, it attracts global artists and music lovers from all over. In 2026, the bill is topped by Robbie Williams, David Byrne, and Lily Allen, delivering the kind of variety that keeps every day feeling different.

Dekmantel Festival

📍 Amstelveen, Netherlands | 📅 31 Jul–2 Aug 2026

Located near Amsterdam’s city center, Dekmantel Festival is renowned for its adventurous techno programming and stunning forest venues. With a focus on underground sounds, it attracts top DJs and EDM fans from around the world. In 2026, Dekmantel Festival goes deep on selector culture with Jeff Mills, DJ Sprinkles, and Sampha.

Sónar Festival

📍 Barcelona, Spain | 📅 18-20 June 2026

Sónar Barcelona is where forward-facing electronic culture meets big-room spectacle: day-to-night programming, boundary-pushing visuals, and a crowd that actually came to dance. For 2026, early highlights include Amelie Lens, Skepta, and Charlotte de Witte, with the wider programme rolling out in waves.

Untold Festival

📍 Cluj-Napoca, Romania | 📅 6–9 August 2026

One of Europe’s largest and most spectacular electronic music festivals, Untold takes over the heart of Cluj-Napoca every summer. Expect world-class performances across EDM, house, techno, and hip-hop, with a dazzling stage show that has to be seen to be believed. For 2026, the lineup is rumoured to feature giants like Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, David Guetta, and Swedish House Mafia, plus fresh talent and special guest acts each night.

Sziget Festival

📍 Budapest, Hungary | 📅 11-15 August 2026

Held on Obuda Island, Sziget Festival is a global meeting point for music lovers. With a mix of pop , rock, hip-hop, and EDM, Sziget Festival promises an unforgettable festival experience under the Hungarian sun. For 2026, the line-up includes legends such as Twenty One Pilots, Zara Larsson, Bring Me the Horizon.

FIB – Festival Internacional de Benicàssim

📍 Benicàssim, Spain | 📅 16-19 July 2026

Set along the Mediterranean coast, FIB is a classic Spanish festival mixing indie, rock, and electronic music. With palm trees, beaches, and epic sunsets, it’s a summer dream for sun-seeking music lovers. FIB 2026 is headlined by The Prodigy, The Kooks, and Biffy Clyro, making it an easy pick for anyone chasing big-stage production in a classic Mediterranean setting.

Beach, Please! Festival

📍 Costinești, Romania | 📅 8–12 July 2026

One of Europe’s fastest‑growing urban and beach music festivals, Beach, Please! turns the Black Sea coast into a five‑day celebration of hip‑hop, trap, electronic and pop. Expect high‑energy sets and summer vibes from world‑class artists alongside a buzzing crowd under the sun and stars. For 2026, confirmed headliners include Playboy Carti, Don Toliver and Future, with more acts still to be announced, so keep an eye on the lineup as it drops.

Oktoberfest

📍 Munich, Germany | 📅 19 September – 4 October 2026

The world’s largest beer festival and a celebration of Bavarian culture, Oktoberfest fills Munich with music, parades, traditional food, and endless good vibes, featuring traditional brass bands. Also, for the first time, a special 216th-anniversary atmosphere in 2026. Key events include the opening parade on Sept 20, the traditional costume parade on Sept 21, and family days on Sept 22 and 29.

Paredes de Coura

📍 Paredes de Coura, Portugal | 📅 12-15 August 2026

Paredes de Coura is the definition of “riverside escape”: indie/alt rock and left-field pop in a natural amphitheatre by Praia Fluvial do Taboão, where swimming-between-sets is part of the culture. For 2026, line-up already lands big with Underworld, Wet Leg, and CMAT.

Awakenings Festival

📍 Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands | 📅 10-13 July 2026

Awakenings Festival 2026 is big-techno done properly: heavyweight sound systems, relentless pacing, and multiple stages that each feel like their own little universe. In 2026, the vibe lines up perfectly with names like Adriatique, Dyen, and Amelie Lens pushing the tempo from golden hour into full night-rave mode.

Tomorrowland

📍 Boom, Belgium | 📅 18–20 & 25–27 July 2026

One of the most famous electronic music festivals in Europe, Tomorrowland is known for its elaborate stage designs, jaw-dropping pyrotechnics, and some of the biggest names in EDM and house. In 2026, the sound you’re pointing to is big and hooky: think The Chainsmokers, Martin Garrix, and Holy Priest keeping the crowds moving from daylight anthems to endshow chaos. The event takes place during 2 weekends: 18-20 July and 25-27 July.

Montreux Jazz Festival

📍 Montreux, Switzerland | 📅 3–18 July 2026

Montreux Jazz Festival sits right on Lake Geneva and blends prestige with variety: jazz at its core, but plenty of soul, world music, pop, and genre-crossovers across the programme. The 2026 lineup is typically revealed later in the spring, so until it drops, here are three standouts from the most recent full programme: Neil Young, Alanis Morissette, and Lionel Richie.

Electric Castle

📍 Bonțida, Romania | 📅 16–19 July 2026

Electric Castle is one of Eastern Europe’s fastest‑growing music and culture festivals, set on the grounds of the historic Bánffy Castle with immersive art, cutting‑edge installations and a diverse lineup. The 2026 edition promises another eclectic mix of live acts, electronic beats, indie, rock and hip‑hop across multiple stages, with headliners Twenty One Pilots and The Cure, and the rest to be announced.

Reggaeton Beach Festival

📍 Various Cities, Spain | 📅 Summer 2026

This vibrant festival brings reggaeton and Latin beats to beaches and cities across Spain, turning each location into a high-energy summer celebration. Whether you’re in Madrid, Nigrán, Barcelona, Alicante, Santander, Tenerife, or Mallorca, expect international headliners, epic live performances, and unbeatable party vibes by the water or right in the city. Previous editions featured latin legends such as Chencho Corleone, El Alfa, and Anuel AA.

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

📍 Amsterdam, Netherlands | 📅 21–25 October 2026

Amsterdam Dance Event is less a single festival site and more a full-city takeover: club nights, label showcases, and genre-spanning electronic programming stacked across venues all over town. 2026 lineup not announced yet; the most recent featured names include Charlotte de Witte, Honey Dijon, and Adam Beyer.

EXIT Festival (Global Tour edition)

📍 Multiple locations (2026 global tour) | 📅 May–November 2026

After nearly 25 years anchored in Serbia, EXIT is reinventing itself in 2026 as a global touring festival series, bringing its inclusive music and cultural ethos to destinations including Croatia, North Macedonia, Malta, Egypt and more before returning to Serbia later in the year. The “First Chapter” tour promises diverse stages and exciting performances as EXIT extends its reach around the world.

Rock am Ring

📍 Nürburgring, Germany | 📅 5–7 June 2026

Rock am Ring is Europe’s flagship rock event, transforming the legendary Nürburgring race track into a festival playground for metal, punk and rock fans. The 2026 edition boasts heavyweight names like Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Volbeat, Limp Bizkit and more, plus dozens of other top acts across several stages, delivering pure rocking energy and unforgettable festival moments.

Defqon.1 Festival

📍 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands | 📅 25-28 June 2026

The holy ground of hardstyle, Defqon.1 is hardstyle at maximum scale: massive stages, laser-heavy production, and a community atmosphere that feels like its own universe for four straight days. 2026 lineup not announced yet; the most recent featured names include Sub Zero Project, Warface, and Rooler.

Mad Cool Festival

📍 Madrid, Spain | 📅 8-11 July 2026

Mad Cool Festival is Madrid’s blockbuster: four days, heavyweight headliners, and a multi-genre spread designed for big groups and big moments. Mad Cool Festival 2026 is led by Foo Fighters, Florence + The Machine, and Lorde, with plenty of additional names across pop, rock, and electronic stages.

Let It Roll

📍 Most, Czechia | 📅 30 July - 1 August 2026

Let It Roll is the world’s heavyweight drum & bass festival: huge sound systems, aggressive stage production, and a properly international crowd going hard from open to close. The 2026 line-up isn’t fully out yet, so here are three proven top-billers from the latest full summer edition: Sub Focus, ANDY C, and Netsky.

Viña Rock

📍 Villarrobledo, Spain | 📅 30 April– 2 May 2026

One of Spain’s biggest rock and alternative celebrations, Viña Rock unites punk, metal, reggae, hip‑hop and fusion sounds over three days in Villarrobledo. The 2026 edition features artists ranging from Sex Pistols and Mägo de Oz to Barón Rojo, Sôber and Ptazeta, promising a diverse soundtrack for rock lovers.

Ultra Europe 2026

📍 Split, Croatia | 📅 10–12 Jul 2026

Ultra Europe 2026 is maximum mainstage energy by the Adriatic: big-room drops, fireworks-on-cue production, and a crowd that shows up ready for highlights only. In 2026, the lineup vibe you’re pointing at is exactly the Ultra lane: think Alesso, Martin Garrix, and Hardwell delivering wall-to-wall peak-time moments.

Roskilde Festival

📍 Roskilde, Denmark | 📅 June 27–July 4, 2026

A self-proclaimed "playground for emerging talents and curious souls", Roskilde Festival blends music, activism, and art. The 2026 lineup includes global icons such as Gorillaz and The Cure, plus buzzworthy acts like Ethel Cain, Tobias Rahim, Sierra Ferrell and many more across multiple genres.

Pukkelpop

📍 Hasselt, Belgium | 📅 20-23 August 2026

Pukkelpop is Belgium’s big genre-hopper: rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic collide across creative stage builds and a properly high-energy crowd, with huge headliners next to breakout names. In 2026, it’s already stacking heavy hitters like Tyler, The Creator, Florence + The Machine, and YUNGBLUD.

Lowlands Festival

📍 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands | 📅 21-23 August 2026

Lowlands is the Netherlands’ flagship for “everything at once”: major international headliners, cutting-edge electronic, hip-hop, rock, and deep culture programming beyond music. 2026 lineup not announced yet; the most recent featured names include A$AP Rocky, Frenna, and The Blessed Madonna.

Monegros Desert Festival

📍 Fraga, Spain | 📅 25 July 2026

Monegros is the full-send option: an all-night (and beyond) electronic marathon staged in the desert, known for scale, stamina, and hard-hitting programming. For 2026, expect Indira Paganotto, Nina Kraviz, and Richie Hawtin on the bill, making it an easy weekend trip.

Ostend Beach Festival 2026

📍 Ostend, Belgium | 📅 10–12 Jul 2026

Ostend Beach Festival 2026 is a proper seaside dance weekend: sand underfoot, bass in the chest, and that “summer rave” glow that makes everything feel a bit bigger. In 2026, you’re in the right zone with artists like Eli Brown, Miss Monique, and HI-LO bringing the kind of punchy, festival-ready sets that match the setting.

Rampage Open Air

📍 Lommel, Belgium | 📅 2-5 July 2026

Rampage Open Air is Europe’s bass heavyweight: drum & bass + dubstep at full scale in Kristalpark, with multiple stages, massive sound systems, and production that leans more “arena show” than “camping festival.” For 2026, early confirmations include A Little Sound, Camo & Krooked, and Tape B.

TRNSMT Festival

📍 Glasgow, Scotland | 📅 19-21 June 2026

TRNSMT Festival is a city-centre, non-camping heavyweight: huge crowd energy on Glasgow Green, big singalong moments, and a bill that jumps between chart leaders and indie/rock mainstays across multiple stages. For 2026, the first wave is led by Richard Ashcroft, Kasabian, and Lewis Capaldi.

Dour Festival

📍 Dour, Belgium 📅 15-19 July 2026

Dour Festival: Belgium’s most eclectic lineup: ranging from metal and rap to reggae and techno. The 2026 lineup already includes big names like Amelie Lens, Amenra, Orelsan, Pendulum and Sean Paul, with even more acts sure to be confirmed soon, all making Dour a can’t‑miss summer destination for any curious music lover.

Extrema Outdoor Belgium

📍 Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium | 📅 22-24 May 2026

Extrema Outdoor Belgium is a proper house & techno escape: open-air stages by the water at De Plas, surrounded by greenery, with a “holiday-in-a-weekend” vibe and big-production sets that still feel intimate. For 2026, expect heavy hitters like Adam Beyer, Kölsch, and Marco Carola on the lineup.

NOS Alive

📍 Lisbon, Portugal | 📅 9–11 July 2026

NOS Alive is a sunny, riverside international indie/rock + pop + electronic fixture just outside central Lisbon, built for big headliners and late-night stage-hopping with that “city break + festival” feel. The 2026 lineup isn’t fully announced yet (so far, Buraka Som Sistema is confirmed) until the full poster drops, three strong recent bill benchmarks are Muse, Sam Fender, and Olivia Rodrigo.

Open’er Festival

📍 Gdynia, Poland | 📅 1-4 July 2026

Open’er Festival is Poland’s biggest mainstream multi-genre weekender: massive festival-scale staging at the Gdynia-Kosakowo airfield, big international headliners, and a lineup that comfortably jumps between pop, hip-hop, indie/rock, and electronic (with that Baltic-coast summer energy around the city). For 2026, early lineup announcements include Calvin Harris, Zara Larsson, Halsey, Teddy Swims.

Parookaville

📍 Weeze, Germany | 📅 17-19 July 2026

Parookaville 2026 is a full-on themed rave city: massive stages, playful details, and constant “one more set” momentum from afternoon through sunrise. In 2026, that party-engine lineup style is exactly where FISHER, R3HAB, and Charlotte de Witte make total sense: big hooks, big energy, and no downtime.

Best Kept Secret Festival

📍 Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands | 📅 12-14 June 2026

Best Kept Secret is the Netherlands’ polished boutique multi-genre pick: indie prestige, alternative headliners, and smart left-field programming that rewards exploration without ever feeling messy. In 2026, Best Kept Secret balances prestige and punch with Gorillaz, Jack White, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

Les Ardentes

📍 Luik, Belgium | 📅 2-5 July 2026

Les Ardentes is Liège’s big summer blow-out for rap, R&B, and electronic: strong “city festival” energy, short walking distances, and a line-up that usually leans heavily urban and club-ready. Recent editions have featured names like David Guetta, J Balvin, and Bad Bunny.

Lollapalooza Berlin

📍 Berlin, Germany | 📅 18-19 July 2026

Lollapalooza Berlin is a mainstream, multi-genre giant: pop, hip-hop, rock and electronic, set across Olympiastadion & Olympiapark with big-stage production and a “something for everyone” lineup philosophy. It’s the kind of festival where you can bounce from chart-toppers to electronic staples without leaving the same site. Big names and legends you’ll see at the festival include Pitbull, Lorde, and Lily Allen.

Time Warp

📍 Mannheim, Germany | 📅 21 March 2026

Time Warp is a pure techno institution: long sets, serious sound, and a production level that’s closer to an arena show than a club night. Expect a night built for peak-time techno: typically featuring artists in the lane of Charlotte de Witte, Adam Beyer, and Amelie Lens.

Colours of Ostrava

📍 Ostrava, Czechia | 📅 15-18 July 2026

Colours of Ostrava is the “industrial wonderland” festival: huge multi-genre programming staged inside a former steelworks complex, which gives it a look and atmosphere you don’t get anywhere else. For 2026, announced names include Teddy Swims, Twenty One Pilots, and Lorde.

Nature One

📍 Kastellaun, Germany | 📅 30 July - 2 August 2026

NATURE ONE is a high-volume electronic weekender on the Pydna missile base: big stages, bunker vibes, and a strong focus on hard dance / techno energy. In 2026, expect artists such as Paul Kalkbrenner, Sven Väth, Lilly Palmer.

Pohoda Festival

📍 Trenčín, Slovakia | 📅 8-11 July 2026

Pohoda blends music with art and culture programming in a way that feels genuinely “festival as a city”: it’s not just stages, it’s talks, installations, and a strong alternative-to-mainstream booking taste. The 2026 lineup includes Gorillaz, The Cure and Lykke Li.

Zürich Openair

📍 Zürich, Switzerland | 📅 28–29 August & 4–5 September 2026

Zürich Openair is built for big crowd moments: pop, indie, and electronic, set up as a polished Swiss mega-weekender with a strong “headline at night, discovery in between” flow. During the first weekend in August, artists such as Mall Grab, Salute and Mochakk have been officially announced. During the second one in September, the line-up includes Claptone, James Hype and Tita Lau.

Fusion Festival

📍 Lärz, Germany | 📅 25-29 July 2026

Fusion is deliberately anti-commercial and arts-first: more “temporary utopia” than typical festival, with installations, performance, and left-field electronic programming woven everywhere. The key reality: Fusion’s full line-up is famously late / limited, so a reliable way to set expectations is to look at prior published lists; recent lists include acts like EXTRAWELT, Dream Wife, and Fejká.

Reeperbahn Festival

📍 Hamburg, Germany | 📅 16-19 September 2026

Reeperbahn is Europe’s standout “new music + industry” festival: hundreds of showcases across venues in St. Pauli, where you go to discover what’s next (not just tick off headliners). Recent editions have included German breakouts and surprises: artists mentioned around the 2025 festival include Nina Chuba and KRAFTKLUB, which fits the festival’s “catch them before they explode” DNA.

Already know where you want to go?

Europe is festival territory in the truest sense: sun-soaked beach stages, city-centre takeovers, forests turned into dancefloors, and massive headline shows that pull crowds from every corner of the continent.

This guide is here to help you cut through the endless options, find what actually matches your taste, and build a 2026 calendar worth planning your trips around: whether you’re chasing techno marathons in Germany, indie by the river in Portugal, drum & bass on an airbase, or pop spectacles in the heart of major cities.

Want to narrow it down by destination?

Explore our country guides: Best festivals in Spain, Best festivals in The Netherlands, and Best festivals in Belgium.

Already know your sound?

Jump to our genre guides: Best EDM festivals, Best techno festivals, and Best rock festivals.

Ready to lock in your 2026 plans?

With TicketSwap, you can safely buy and sell tickets for the biggest festivals and the hidden gems. Set a ticket alert when your favourite event sells out, and don’t miss the next drop: download app and grab your tickets in a few taps.

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