From massive mainstage spectacles to underground techno temples, EDM festivals are where music, visuals, and community come together at full volume. In 2026, Europe hosts some of the world’s biggest and most talked-about electronic music festivals, each offering its own sound, scale, and unforgettable atmosphere.
Some of the most popular EDM festivals in 2026 are: Tomorrowland, Ultra Europe, Creamfields, Defqon.1, Awakenings Festival.
What is an EDM music festival?
An EDM music festival is an annual festival where sound, visuals, and community collide. These events are built around lineups of world-class electronic music artists, performing across massive multi-sensory stages that feel more like sci-fi films than concerts.
At the best festivals, music is just the beginning. You’ll find immersive art, roaming performers, themed zones, and fireworks that light up the night sky. Whether it’s a first edition or your tenth, an EDM festival is the ultimate celebration of dance music culture.
Find your perfect EDM festival with our 2026 guide
A State of Trance (ASOT) 2026
📍 Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam | 📅 27–28 Feb 2026
A State of Trance (ASOT) 2026 is pure high-gloss trance energy: euphoric melodies, massive arena moments, and a crowd that turns every breakdown into a singalong. In 2026, expect the bill to hit hard with Armin van Buuren, Oliver Heldens, and Ben Gold setting the pace.
Awakenings Upclose 2026
📍 Houtrak (Spaarnwoude-park), Halfweg | 📅 16–17 May 2026
Awakenings Upclose 2026 is the “no distractions, just techno” version of festival season: tighter stages, closer crowds, and that locked-in groove you don’t get at massive mainstages. In 2026, it’s the kind of setting that fits names like Nina Kraviz, Ben UFO and Four Tet naturally: serious DJs, serious dancing.
Sónar 2026
📍 FIRA BARCELONA GRAN VIA, Barcelona | 📅 18–20 Jun 2026
Sónar 2026 is where electronic music goes future-facing: genre-blending sets, art/tech vibes, and a crowd that’s as into the ideas as the beats. In 2026, you can frame it as high-intensity dance energy with Amelie Lens, Charlotte de Witte, and Alba Franch bringing the heat.
Defqon.1 Weekend Festival 2026
📍 Evenemententerrein Walibi, Biddinghuizen | 📅 25–28 Jun 2026
Defqon.1 Weekend Festival 2026 is hard dance at its most extreme: monumental endshows, ruthless kicks, and four days that feel like one continuous adrenaline spike. The 2026 line-up isn’t announced yet, but if you’re using 2025 as the reference point, artists like Sub Zero Project, Warface, and Rooler are exactly the kind of firepower you’d expect on those stages.
WiSH 2026
📍 Bavaria Brouwerij, Lieshout | 📅 3–5 Jul 2026
WiSH 2026 is the Dutch “three days, full throttle” formula: big production, genre-hopping stages, and a crowd that’s there to go from cheeky singalongs to harder drops without missing a beat. In 2026, it’s easy to imagine that energy landing with artists like Cynthia Spiering, Lil Kleine, and Mr. Polska turning the place into a party village.
Electric Love Festival 2026
📍 Salzburgring, Salzburg | 📅 9–11 Jul 2026
Electric Love Festival 2026 is peak-summer EDM spectacle on a racetrack: huge drops, big visuals, and that “festival holiday” feeling baked into every night. In 2026, it’s the kind of setting made for arena-sized names like Swedish House Mafia, Armin van Buuren, and HUGEL.
Awakenings Festival 2026
📍 Beekse Bergen, Hilvarenbeek | 📅 10–13 Jul 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.
Ultra Europe 2026
📍 Park Youth – RNK Split, Split | 📅 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.
Ostend Beach Festival 2026
📍 Ostend Beach, Ostend | 📅 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.
Electric Castle 2026
📍 Cluj, Banffy Castle, Bonțida | 📅 16–19 Jul 2026
Electric Castle 2026 is the castle-rave flex that actually delivers: multi-genre programming, art everywhere, and late-night electronic sets that feel surreal against that historic backdrop. The 2026 line-up isn’t announced yet, but if you’re anchoring expectations on 2025, names like Bicep, Netsky, and Sofi Tukker are the kind of crowd-pleasers that fit the Electric Castle mood perfectly.
Tomorrowland Belgium 2026
📍 De Schorre Provinciaal Recreatiedomein, Boom | 📅 17–19 & 24–26 Jul 2026
Tomorrowland Belgium 2026 is EDM worldbuilding at full scale: fantasy stages, ridiculous production, and a lineup that turns the weekend into a “choose-your-own-rave.” 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.
Parookaville 2026
📍 Airport Weeze, Weeze | 📅 17–19 Jul 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.
UNTOLD ONE 2026
📍 Cluj Arena, Cluj-Napoca | 📅 6–9 Aug 2026
UNTOLD ONE 2026 is peak Eastern-European festival spectacle: towering stages, cinematic visuals, and a crowd that goes all-in for the big moments. The 2026 line-up isn’t announced yet, but using 2025 as your benchmark, artists like Tiësto, Don Diablo, and Black Coffee are the exact kind of heavyweight pull that defines UNTOLD.
Sziget Festival 2026
📍 Sziget Festival Official (Óbudai-sziget), Budapest | 📅 11–16 Aug 2026
Sziget Festival 2026 is less “one festival,” more “island takeover”: multi-genre scale, nonstop programming, and a surprisingly strong electronic lane once you know where to camp out. In 2026, that mix can realistically mean going from headline-singalongs with Twenty One Pilots and Florence + The Machine to late-night dance sessions with Dom Dolla.
Creamfields 2026
📍 Creamfields, Daresbury | 📅 28–30 Aug 2026
Creamfields 2026 is the UK’s heavyweight dance marathon: huge stages, relentless pacing, and enough variety to bounce between mainstage anthems and deeper club sounds all weekend. In 2026, you’re aiming at the exact kind of headliner stack Creamfields is known for: Calvin Harris, Disclosure, and Swedish House Mafia are the kind of names that turn “one night out” into a full-on weekend mission.
FAQ
What does EDM stand for?
EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music: an umbrella term for dance-focused electronic genres like house, techno, trance, dubstep, and drum & bass.
What are the biggest festivals in Europe in 2026?
The biggest festivals in Europe this year are: Tomorrowland, Creamfields, Ultra Europe, Untold, and Parookaville. If you want to find out more, check out our article 45 of the most popular music festivals in Europe 2026.
What are the biggest techno festivals in 2026?
The biggest techno festivals in 2026 include Awakenings, Time Warp, Kappa FuturFestival, Dekmantel, and Sonus. For more, check out 38 techno festivals all fans should attend in 2026.
What are the top 5 music festivals in the world?
Commonly cited “top” global picks include Glastonbury, Coachella, Tomorrowland, Rock in Rio, and Lollapalooza (the exact top 5 varies by criteria like attendance, cultural impact, or lineup).
Is EDM popular in 2025?
Yes, EDM/electronic music remained highly popular in 2025, with industry reporting showing continued growth and strong momentum from festivals, clubs, and streaming-driven discovery.
Already know which EDM sound you’re chasing in 2026?
From massive mainstage spectacles to underground techno and bass-driven nights, this guide breaks down the biggest and best EDM festivals worldwide: so you can plan a year of events that’s actually worth the trip.
Looking to turn your 2026 EDM plans into reality? 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.




