EXIT brings 150,000 people from 100+ countries to Montenegro

EXIT closed out its first season outside Serbia with a two-part run in Montenegro, staging festivals in Ulcinj and Budva that together drew around 150,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. The move followed political pressure at home over the brand's support for student protests, pushing EXIT to relocate its flagship activity abroad as part of a wider international tour that also includes a planned festival at the Pyramids of Giza in October.

The Montenegro leg ran under an agreement between EXIT and the Montenegrin government aimed at building out the country's music tourism sector. It opened at Long Beach in Ulcinj in July and closed with a three-night Sea Dance finale in Budva, with the largest visitor numbers arriving from Germany, the UK, Turkey, Italy, Poland, France, the US and the wider Balkan region. Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić called the arrangement a chance for the country to raise its international profile, saying: "EXIT is not just about bringing a major festival to Montenegro. It is an opportunity for the country to showcase its full potential, energy and openness."

Lineups across the two events included HUGEL, Charlotte de Witte, Boris Brejcha, Argy, Enrico Sangiuliano, Marcel Dettmann, Jamie Jones, Maceo Plex, Stephan Bodzin and Eurovision winner DARA, alongside John Newman performing a new live show and a substantial showcase of Montenegrin artists.

A recurring visual element across both festivals was "Ivana," a 12-metre sculpture using lighting and 3D mapping, dedicated to Ivana Kovačević, a longtime member of the EXIT team who died last year. The festivals also included a charity evening, "United for Kids," raising funds for a children's cancer rehabilitation facility and a local day centre for young people with disabilities; John Newman, who has previously undergone cancer treatment, played a DJ set in support.

EXIT founder and CEO Dušan Kovačević described the move out of Serbia as a difficult operational shift: "At times, it felt like upgrading an aircraft engine while the plane was still flying." He pointed to the Budva leg as a highlight of the season and noted that 122 local artists performed across the tour alongside the international lineup. EXIT's next stop is Egypt in October, where the brand will stage a multi-day festival at the Giza pyramids.

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