DUBAI: Make your travel plans with music in mind with our roundup of the hottest festivals around the world.
Lollapalooza
WHERE: Chicago, US
WHEN: July 30 – Aug. 2
WHAT: What began as an ‘alternative’ cultural event in 1991 has gradually become a mainstream — though still cool — behemoth and one of America’s most popular festivals. This year’s event will see more than 170 acts perform across eight stages, with major draws including British pop icon Charli XCX; New Zealand star Lorde; acclaimed UK indie-rock outfit the xx; English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, whose duet with Sam Fender “Rein Me In” has just become the longest-running Number One in the UK charts by a British act; and Nineties alt-rock heroes Smashing Pumpkins (pictured).
Other must-see acts: Yungblud; Tate McRae; Wet Leg; Wolf Alice; The Neighbourhood
The Smashing Pumpkins. (AFP)
Dekmantel
WHERE: Amsterdam
WHEN: July 29 – Aug. 2
WHAT: The Dutch capital’s annual EDM festival offers great value for money, with a roster of more than 160 producers and DJs from across the globe playing pretty much any genre of dance music you can think of. This year also sees the introduction of Dekmantel at Dawn — a treat for those without the stamina to pull an all-nighter — which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The biggest names on Dekmantel’s 2026 bill include British high-tempo aficionado Sherelle (pictured); US vocalist-turned-DJ/producer Skrillex; Detroit collective Underground Resistance; Chilean-German star Ricardo Villalobos; and Berlin-based DJ/producer CCL.
Other must-see acts: Octo Octa; PLO Man; RHR; Skee Mask
Sherelle is set to perform. (AFP)
Outside Lands
WHERE: San Francisco, US
WHEN: August 7-9
WHAT: San Francisco’s lush Golden Gate Park is the setting for this acclaimed three-day festival billed as “a love letter” to the city, and named after the local moniker for its western neighborhoods in the 19th century. Aside from the music, there are dozens of art installations and exhibits across the festival’s 80 acres, some great food trucks, and a focus on sustainability and activism. This year’s big names include seminal New York Noughties rockers The Strokes; Charli XCX; the xx; US singer-songwriter Ethel Cain; Grammy-winning Aussie EDM trio Rüfüs Du Sol; indie-pop navel gazers Death Cab for Cutie; and Brooklyn art-rock outfit Geese (pictured). Further (much further) down the bill, there’s a chance to see/heckle Cruz Beckham, son of David and Victoria.
Other must-see acts: Turnstile; Baby Keem; Modest Mouse; Wet Leg; Disco Lines
Sziget
WHERE: Budapest
WHEN: Aug. 11-15
WHAT: Regularly ranked among Europe’s best festivals, Sziget is staged on an island on the River Danube and reportedly hosts more than 1,000 performances every year across a huge range of genres. They’ve gone big on UK acts this year, with rock band Bring Me The Horizon, indie luminaries Florence + The Machine, singer-songwriter Jorja Smith (pictured), Scottish star Lewis Capaldi, his compatriots Biffy Clyro, and rapper Skepta among the big acts on the roster, along with Skrillex, Twenty One Pilots, and Sombr from the US.
Other must-see acts: Zara Larsson; Ashnikko; Chet Faker; Peggy Gou
Jorja Smith. (AFP)
Way Out West
WHERE: Gothenburg, Sweden
WHEN: Aug. 13-15
WHAT: A three-day celebration of culture, which includes talks, film screenings and art exhibitions alongside the music, which focuses mainly on rock, electronic, and hip-hop. This year’s biggest names include the hugely influential UK alternative rock band The Cure, now enjoying a critical revival 50 years on from their formation; Lorde (pictured); the xx; Geese; Australian legends Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds; and Gorillaz.
Other must-see acts: Lykke Li; Four Tet; Blood Orange; Moby; The Hives
Way Out West will host singer Lorde. (AFP)
Reading and Leeds
WHERE: Reading and Leeds, UK
WHEN: Aug. 27-30
WHAT: With Glastonbury taking a sabbatical, Reading and Leeds can reasonably claim to be the biggest festival draw in England this year. Over the same weekend, most of the acts on the bill will play both cities — Reading in the south and Leeds in the north-east. There’s still the traditional focus on guitar-based rock and indie acts that has formed the basis of the festival since it shifted to two sites in 1999, but hip-hop is also an important component. Headliners include Charli XCX; Chase & Status; Florence + The Machine; Dave; and Raye (pictured).
Other must-see acts: Skepta; Geese; Kneecap; Kasabian; Blossoms
Raye will hit the state at Reading and Leeds. (AFP)
Rock en Seine
WHERE: Saint-Cloud, France
WHEN: Aug. 26-30
WHAT: As its name suggests, guitar acts form the bulk of the lineup for this French festival staged just west of Paris in a centuries-old park classed as an historic monument in France. Headliners this year are acclaimed US rapper Tyler, The Creator; Lorde; Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds; US alt-metal act Deftones; and The Cure.
Other must-see acts: Interpol; Wolf Alice; Turnstile; The Black Keys; Wet Leg; Kompromat; Sombr; Wilco; Sparks
The Cure will perform at Rock en Seine. (AFP)
