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Best Music Festivals 2026
From marathon minimal sessions and Mediterranean beach escapes to heritage castle settings and brand-new European cultural hubs, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most diverse festival seasons in recent memory. Here’s Nightclubber’s essential guide curated for our readers.
Sunwaves Festival - Spring Edition (SW37)
Marathon sessions meet a new seaside setting
Golden Sands, Bulgaria
30 April – 5 May, 2026
For 2026, Sunwaves Festival steps outside Romania, with its Spring Edition landing in Golden Sands, Bulgaria. Renowned for its uncompromising commitment to long-form DJ sets and stripped-back dancefloor culture, Sunwaves remains a pilgrimage for those who value depth, patience and hypnotic programming.
The move to Bulgaria marks a new chapter for the iconic series, bringing its signature marathon energy to a fresh coastal setting while maintaining the extended sessions and underground focus that have defined the brand for over a decade.
Sunny Side Festival
Malta’s boutique underground favourite expands to five days
Multiple venues, Malta (UNO Malta, Tortuga Beach Club, Big Ron’s Records)
14 – 18 May, 2026
Sunny Side Festival returns in 2026 with its biggest edition to date, expanding to five days across multiple venues on the Mediterranean island of Malta. Known for its carefully curated line-ups and intimate, music-first atmosphere, Sunny Side continues to build its reputation as a boutique destination for serious selectors and switched-on crowds.
The 2026 line-up blends underground legends with contemporary innovators, with Ben UFO, Chez Damier, Helena Hauff, KiNK, Moopie, Anna Wall and Cap among the latest additions. They join previously announced artists including Fumiya Tanaka, Jen Cardini, Garrett David and Mathew Jonson, promising a diverse, forward-thinking soundtrack across the island.
UNUM Festival
5 days and 5 nights of continuous music in Albania’s untouched paradise
Set Beach, Shëngjin, Albania
4 – 8 June, 2026
After being crowned Best Global Festival 2025 at the DJ Awards, UNUM Festival returns in 2026 with its strongest edition yet, expanding its vision, sound and global influence. Now entering its seventh year, UNUM continues to bridge music, nature and freedom in one of Europe’s most breathtaking festival locations: the unspoilt coastline of Shëngjin, Albania.
Famed for its marathon sessions and uninterrupted programming, UNUM delivers five days and five nights of continuous music, soundtracking sunrises and sunsets in a setting that feels worlds away from the conventional festival circuit.
Line-up highlights: East End Dubs, Ricardo Villalobos, Ben Klock, Raresh, Craig Richards, Richy Ahmed, DJ Tennis, Dyed Soundorom and more.
Waking Life
A deep-dive into music, art and alternative festival culture
Portugal
17 – 22 June, 2026
Waking Life returns in June 2026 for another immersive, multidisciplinary gathering that blends electronic music, visual art and holistic experiences in a remote natural setting. Known for its experimental programming and community-driven ethos, Waking Life offers a slower, more intentional alternative to the mainstream festival circuit.
From ambient and downtempo explorations to cutting-edge club sounds, the festival continues to attract a globally minded crowd seeking connection, creativity and carefully curated sonic journeys.
Electric Castle
Rock icons meet electronic culture in a Transylvanian castle
Bánffy Castle, Bonțida (near Cluj-Napoca), Romania
16 – 19 July, 2026
One of Romania’s largest and most diverse festivals, Electric Castle returns to the historic Bánffy Castle in Bonțida for four days of genre-spanning programming. For 2026, the festival lands major international headliners, with The Cure and Twenty One Pilots set to top the bill.
PhillGood Festival
Bulgaria’s bold new cultural flagship launches in Plovdiv
Rowing Canal, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
17 – 19 July, 2026
This summer, Bulgaria steps onto the global festival stage with the arrival of PhillGood, a brand-new three-day music festival in Plovdiv, one of Europe’s oldest cities. Headlined by The Cure, Gorillaz and Moby, PhillGood brings together legendary acts, cutting-edge music and immersive experiences in a landmark debut edition.
Launching as Bulgaria joins the Eurozone and introduces a digital nomad visa, PhillGood positions Plovdiv as an emerging cultural hotspot, blending international headliners with a forward-looking vision for the region’s music and creative industries.
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Music On Malta
Marco Carola’s flagship brand lands in Malta for the first time
Malta Fairs & Convention Centre
1 August, 2026
Marco Carola’s globally recognised Music On brand will launch in Malta for the first time on Saturday 1 August 2026, marking a major regional debut for one of techno’s most established institutions.
Taking over the Malta Fairs & Convention Centre — a previously unused site for large-scale electronic music events — the event promises the signature Music On experience: high-impact production, immersive staging and a laser-focused soundtrack rooted in house and techno.
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Houghton Festival
UK underground royalty returns to Norfolk
Houghton Estate, Norfolk, UK
6 – 9 August, 2026
Houghton Festival returns to the Houghton Estate in Norfolk for four days of 24-hour music across 14 stages, featuring over 200 artists. Curated by Craig Richards, the festival has become a cornerstone of the UK underground calendar, celebrated for its long-form DJ culture, impeccable sound systems and genre-spanning programming.
Appetite On The Farm
Essex’s boutique powerhouse returns for its biggest year yet
Kelvedon Hall, Brentwood, Essex, UK
29 – 30 August, 2026
Appetite On The Farm returns for its fifth and most ambitious edition yet, transforming Kelvedon Hall into a six-stage, 20,000-capacity celebration of house, tech and UK club culture. Just 30 minutes from London.
Phase one line-up includes: Jamie Jones, Todd Edwards, MJ Cole, Skream, Eliza Rose, Saoirse, Shanti Celeste, Dyed Soundorom, Dr Banana, Traumer, Kirollus, Kolter, Crazy P, Silva Bumpa, Luke Dean and Laidlaw.
Dimensions Festival
Five days on Croatia’s Adriatic coastline
The Garden, Tisno, Croatia
27 – 31 August, 2026
Dimensions Festival returns to The Garden Tisno for five days of expertly curated electronic music, with 150 artists across multiple stages and a focus on house, techno, electro and breaks, set against one of Europe’s most iconic coastal backdrops.
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Sunwaves Festival - End of Summer Edition (SW38)
The marathon continues on Spain’s southern coast
Roquetas de Mar, Spain
3 – 7 September, 2026
Sunwaves closes out the summer with its end-of-season edition in Roquetas de Mar, Spain, delivering extended DJ sets, underground programming and its trademark endurance-driven dancefloor culture.
Omana
A seven-day electronic music festival and holiday in Greece
Secluded bay, Greece
30 September – 6 October, 2026
Omana rounds out the 2026 season with a seven-day festival and holiday experience in a secluded Greek bay, combining destination travel with curated electronic music for a late-season, escapist finale.
