25 Must Experience Techno Festivals

Ready for you next Techno festival? Here are twenty five techno and EDM festivals to consider.

Miami Music Week

This techno music event in Florida offers plenty to delight partiers worldwide. The event, held the last week in March, leads up to Ultra Music Festival. The electronic dance music scene in Miami unites for a full week of partying at music venues throughout the city. Expect to see the worlds best EDM DJs at Miami’s vibrant music venues. You’ll find a variety of styles including Psytrance, techno, house, electronic and dubstep.

Official website: Miami Music Week

Ultra Music Festival Miami

Ultra Music Festival Miami
source: ultramusicfestival.com

Head straight from Miami Music Week to Ultra Music Festival Miami. UMF Miami kicks off the EDM festival season in the United States with huge performances on multiple stages. With a diverse lineup you’ll find techno, house, trance, and other genres you’re looking for. Some of the big artists on the 2023 lineup include Afrojack, Carl Cox, David Guetta, Tiësto, and Martin Garrix.

Official website: Ultra Music Festival Miami

Related: Top 5 EDM Festivals in the USA

Awakenings Festival Summer

Awakenings Techno Festival
source: awakenings.com

Awakenings Festival, held in the Netherlands, is one of the largest techno music festivals in the world. The event is held in a new location every year and is known for the community, energy, sound system, and lasers. Expect to find superstar techno DJs like Adam Beyer, Carl Cox, and Nina Kraviz.

Official website: Awakenings Festival

CRSSD

CRSSD EDM Festival
source: crssdfest.com

CRSSD Festival takes place in beautiful San Diego, California at Waterfront Park. Although smaller than other EDM festivals like Awakenings or Ultra Music Festival, the quality of music is outstanding. You’ll find big name techno DJs like Carl Cox, Charlotte de Witte, and Enrico Sangiuliano. If you want an intimate venue alongside the water, CRSSD is your festival.

Official website: CRSSD Festival

Time Warp Germany

Time Warp in Mannheim Germany takes place over two days and is one of the best techno festivals in Europe. If techno is your genre, Time Warp is a must visit. Expect to find techno royalty and the best up and coming techno DJs. Time Warp, known for its intense atmosphere, visuals, and sound system, has multiple stages and floors, each with a unique experience. You’ll find DJs like Maceo Plex, Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer, and Marco Carola.

Official website: Time Warp Germany

Neopop Festival

Neopop, held at the coast village of Viana da Castelo, is Portugal’s best known electronic dance music event. The Portuguese festival is a top destination for techno lovers around Europe. The event is known for its scenic venue on the western coast of Portugal and the art installations on the festival grounds. Music: mostly techno with other sub-genres Headliners include: Dubfire, Nicole Moudaber, Ben Klock, Richie Hawtin.

Official website: Neopop Festival

EXIT Festival

EXIT Festival
source: exitfest.org

EXIT Festival, held in Novi Sad, Serbia, is the largest and most popular techno festival in Southeast Europe. The venue, Petrovaradin Fortress, makes the event truly unique. The current structure’s origins can be traced back to the late 1600s. Over 1000 artists will perform across 40 stages. Headliners include the major techno and EDM DJs like Skrillex, Eric Prydz, and Alesso. You’ll also find other genres such as pop and hip hop.

Official website: Exit Festival

Movement Electronic Music Festival

Movement Detroit Music Festival
source: movementfestival.com

Detroit, the birthplace of techno, is host for Movement Electronic Music Festival held over Memorial Day Weekend. The festival welcomes an enormous and broad array of musical talent that makes the festival the must-attend techno event. Expect to hear the best of techno, house, acid, and other genres in downtown Detroit. Headliners include stars like Charlotte de Witte, Kevin Saunderson, and Green Velvet.

Official website: Movement Music Festival

Sónar Festival

Sonar Festival Barcelona
source: sonar.es

Sónar Festival is truly unique festival that combines electronic music, art, and technology. The beautiful city of Barcelona is host for this two day event. The festival has a two-part structure: Sónar by Day and Sónar by Night. Day Sónar has live events, talks, installations, and DJ sets. Night Sónar is where you’ll find the top techno and EDM DJs performing from sunset to sunrise. Top DJs include Peggy Gou, Amelie Lens, and Solomun. Visitors can also enjoy various festival happenings and parties in Barcelona throughout the event.

Official website: Sónar Festival

Art With Me Miami

Art With Me Miami
source: miami.artwithme.org

Art With Me Miami isn’t your typical EDM or techno festival. It is a cultural arts festival featuring a rich variety of innovative experiences on multiple platform platforms. This is a smaller festival and a little off-piste than the other festival on this list. Art With Me Miami includes music, speakers, yoga teachers, mindfulness leaders and a best chef. The festival experience consists of 6 main pillars–Art, Care, Dance, Breathe, Play, Eat–that help create a unique experience for attendees. High profile artists that have performed in the past include Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, and the Chemical Brothers.

Official website: Art With Me Miami

BPM Festival

BPM Festival
source: thebpmfestival.com

BPM, which stands for Bartenders, Promotors, and Musicians, is a huge international festival which takes place at locations throughout the world. Recent locations include Costa Rica, Portugal, Ibiza, and Miami. The festival attracts over 100,000 people each year and runs over 10 days. You’ll find a diverse lineup of techno and house DJs. Recent performers include Carl Cox, Jeff Mills, Jamie Jones, and Marco Carola.

Official website: BPM Festival

Caprices Festival

Caprices Techno Festival
source: capricesfestival.com

Caprices is easily the most idyllic techno festival on earth. The two weekend event is held mountaintop at a ski resort in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Getting to the five performance stages requires a gondola ride up the mountain. This is a prime party spot for fans of house and techno. Expect to find a mixture of big name and up and coming DJs.

Official website: Caprices Festival

III Points Festival

3Points Music Festival
source: iiipoints.com

Miami hosts another big techno festival with III Points. The event is a perfect blend of huge techno names and other big acts you would never picture at the same festival. The festival is known for its stage designs, audio-visual technology, art, and culture. Miami is certainly the best party city and EDM destination in the United States. Outside the festival you can always enjoy the south Florida beaches and vibrant Miami nightlife. Expect to see headliners such as Fred Again, Iggy Pop, and Jamie Jones.

Official website: III Points Festival

DGTL Techno Festival Amsterdam

DGTL Techno Festival
source: dgtl.nl

DGTL promotes EDM festivals throughout the world in exotic locations. Amsterdam is the most popular event. DGTL is known for its stages, visuals, industrial settings and focus on sustainability. The festival aims to be the most sustainable in the world and focuses on five pillars: resources, energy, mobility, sanitation, and food. Camelphat, The Blessed Madonna, and Hot Since 82 are DJs with recent performances.

Official website: DGTL Amsterdam

Sonus Festival

Sonus EDM Festival
source: sonus-festival.com

Sonus Festival is a five day open air party on the Adriatic Sea and a perfect spot for a techno festival. If you love the water and ocean this might be the best summer festival for you. Enjoy beaches, boat parties, water sports, and other outdoor activities between sets of techno and house from world famous DJs. You’ll find the big techno and house DJs like Claptone, Kölsch, Maceo Plex, Pan-Pot, and Lilly Palmer.

Official website: Sonus Festival

Kappa Futur Festival

Kappau Futur Techno Festival
source: kappafuturfestival.it

Kappa Futur Festival is the biggest techno and electronic dance music festival in Italy. The three day festival in Turin attracts the biggest artists in electronic dance music. Kappa is held in a post-industrial park that combines the industrial history of Turin within a newly designed park. Old steel mill and ironworks structures are part of the background. Attend Kappa Futur to experience the best of Italian culture and dance music. DJs include ANNA, Enrico Sangiuliano, Carl Cox, plus many other popular dance music artists.

Official website: Kappa Futur Festival

Otherlands Music & Arts Festival

Otherlands Festival
source: otherlandsfestival.com

The festival is held at Scone Palace, an 18th century estate, near Perth Scotland. Otherlands, a newer festival, is much smaller than the others on this list. However, don’t let the size deter you from attending. It’s an opportunity to enjoy the woodlands and outdoors in Scotland. There’s also gourmet food vendors, art installations, workshops, and talks explore. DJs include up and coming artists and local talent.

Official website: Otherlands Festival

Street Parade Techno Festival

Street Parade Techno Festival
source: streetparade.com

The world’s largest and most colorful techno and house music parades is in Zurich, Switzerland. The street festival is absolutely massive with over 1million people attending each year. The party, set up along a 2.4km route around Zurich, has 30 moving floats (“Love Mobiles”) and 8 stages for live DJ performances. There will be over 100 parties throughout Zurich as well. Love, peace, tolerance, and freedom are themes you’ll find at the festival along with support for diversity and inclusion within the music, art, and club scene. Expect to find the top DJs such as Joseph Capriati, Nicole Moudaber, and Deborah De Luca.

Official website: Street Parade

Ultra Europe

UMF Europe Techno Festival
Source: ultraeurope.com

Ultra Europe is a heavy hitting electronic dance music festival held in Split, Croatia. This festival won’t disappoint as you’ll find all the big EDM DJs performing. There are multiple stages for the event and over 150 artists. The main stage is set up in Poljud Stadium which holds 60,000 people. You’ll also find art installations, pool parties, and boat parties at the festival. Expect to see DJs like Adam Beyer, Afrojack, Hardwell, Steve Aoki and Martin Garrix.

Official website: Ultra Europe

Meadows in the Mountains Festival

Meadows in the Mountains is a unique music festival and quite different from the other festivals on this list. The festival provides a nostalgic feel of an authentic music festival without the commercialization. It’s held in the hidden oasis of the Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains. The intimate setting is perfect for an underground festival where you can soak in the surroundings and enjoy nature, music, and art. If you are looking for big headliners, this isn’t the festival for you. The organizers prefer to have artists that aren’t considered “high-earners” on the verge of breaking out. You’ll find diversity in their lineup and artists embodying the festivals Balkan roots.

Official website: Meadows In The Mountains

Dekmantel Festival

Dekmantel Techno Festival
source: dekmantelfestival.com

You will hear a variety of EDM genres at this highly anticipated Netherlands festival, known for it’s eclectic and diverse line-up. Besides music, there’s also an emphasis on art and culture. You’ll find talks, workshops, and art exhibitions. Stages are set up throughout the wooded areas of Amsterdam Bos, a large park on the southern edge of Amsterdam. Expect to find a mixture of artists from big headliners to up and coming DJs.

Official website: Dekmantel Festival

Glitch Festival

source: glitchfestival.com

Combine your Mediterranean vacation and techno festival with a trip to the island of Malta. It’s hard to top the storybook scenery of ocean, sandy beaches, and historic architecture. The open-air festival takes place in the countryside at Gianpula Village, a short distance from the ancient city Mdina. Over four days you’ll experience house and techno on seven stages, pool parties, boat parties, and rave caves. Expect to find a variety of EDM DJs including Charlotte de Witte and Richie Hawtin.

Official website: Glitch Festival

Desert Hearts Festival

Desert Hearts Festival
source: festival.deserthearts.us

Desert Hearts Festival is a Los Angeles, California techno and house festival. It’s a boutique festival that’s an alternative to the larger West Coast festivals like Beyond Wonderland and Coachella. Desert Hearts is going to provide a more intimate vibe and showcase the LA and West Coast underground music scene. The promoters of Desert Hearst also host pop-up parties throughout North and Central America in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Denver, and Mexico City.

Official website: Desert Hearts Festival

Tomorrowland Festival

Tomorrowland Belgium
source: tomorrowland.com

The most iconic techno and house music festival is Tomorrowland Belgium. The double weekend festival highlights the absolute best of electronic dance music, attracting hundreds of thousands of partygoers. The stages, artwork, and costumes at the festival showcase the Tomorrowland fantasyland theme which changes every year. It’s hard to top the production value, visuals, and decorations Tomorrowland offers. There’s also a village for attendees with various accommodations, food options, and marketplaces. There are many stages highlighting a variety of EDM genres. And, like other big festivals, you’ll find the EDM headliners on the main stage.

Official website: Tomorrowland Festival

Peacock Society Festival

Peacock Society Festival
source: peacocksociety.fr

Peacock Society is an open-air techno festival in Paris, France. The event takes place at the Parc Floral in the southern part of Paris. The festival aims to bring you the best in electronic music, art, and culture. You’ll get a variety of EDM genres performed over the numerous stages. You can expect to find a diverse lineup of artists with Veteran DJs and newcomers to the European house and techno scene.

Official website: Peacock Society Festival

Roundup

While these 25 techno festivals are mostly in Europe, there are many more that could be highlighted in the US, England, Asia, and South America. There’s a techno and EMD festival out there for everyone. Hopefully you find a few to experience.

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