Festivals in Europe

There’s something so special about a gathering of hundreds of people, all of whom share a common passion, from music to culture to art to food.

Over here in Europe, hundreds of annual festivals continue to draw in crowds from around the world! Here are some of the best festivals in Europe, from renowned week-long music gatherings to unique events celebrating local traditions. Get ready to dance, sing, eat and even battle!

1. Sziget festival

60 stages, over 1,000 performances and six days of pure musical bliss, ladies and gents, introducing Hungary’s biggest music festival (and one of Europe’s colossal annual events).

It’s grown and evolved a heck of a lot since the humble rock fest it started as in 1993, and today is filled with local and international singing sensations, DJs, fun festival activities and theatre performances, all taking place on Óbuda Island (on the Danube).

Over the course of six days (from 11 – 15 August), you’ll get to check out Twenty One Pilots, Florence + The Machine, Lewis Capaldi, SOMBR, Bring Me The Horizon, Zara Larsson, Underworld, Biffy Clyro, Tash Sultana, Tomora (Tom Rowlands of Chemical Brothers x Aurora), Dijon, Dom Dolla, and Baby Lasagna, promising a diverse mix of indie, rock, and electronic music.

2. Roskilde festival

Creative workshops, talks, art performances and music: what more could you ask for?

Get ready for this Scandinavian extravaganza, and Northern Europe’s biggest music and cultural festival has something for all, from Nordic Elite Wrestling shows (you read that right) to line-dancing classes to stories from the Danish Red Cross Youth.

Now, down to the music. Since 1971, local and international names have wooed audiences, and this year, stars like The Cure, Gorillaz, Zara Larsson, Lily Allen (playing West End Girl), Addison Rae, Ethel Cain, Wolf Alice, Lykke Li, David Byrne, Kneecap, Little Simz, Yung Lean & Bladee, Tobias Rahim, Aphaca, BB Trickz, Kwn, Liniker, Los Mirlos and many more… are here to do the same!

Week-long Roskilde is held from 27. June 2026 until 4th of July 2026 in Roskilde, Denmark.

3. La Tomatina festival

How much fun does a FOOD FIGHT sound?! Would you believe us if we told you that the world’s largest food fight happens to take place right here in Spain (in Buñol)?

Well, seeing is believing, so just wait until you catch sight of all that goes down! One word of advice? Wear old clothes because once you’re done, your citrus-scented and coloured clothing might need to take a trip to the trash can!

Crowds of 20,000 gather in the streets, the water canons signal your go-ahead, and before you know it, thousands of tomatoes are hailed through the air! It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before! La Tomatina takes place on 26 August 2026.

4. Art Basel festival

Calling all aesthetes: if art is your second nature, or one of your deep passions, you simply cannot miss the world’s most renowned art fair!

Bringing together the globe’s most prized galleries and institutes under one roof, the creative and colourful four-day event takes place from 18 – 21 June 2026 in Basel, Switzerland, and showcases over 4,000 artists from more than 200 international and local galleries across Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America and Asia.

Marvel over private collections, contemporary artworks, films, curated rooms and so much more — all split between the exhibition’s various galleries.

5. Tomorrowland festival

One that needs little introduction, Tomorrowland is one of the world’s most widely recognised music festivals! And it’s dedicated to all things electronic!

Apart from the powerhouse DJs that take the stage year after year, it’s honestly the insane setup of this iconic fest that makes it extra magical: cue the whimsical stage design and circus-like structures.

Running from July 17 – 19 and July 24 – 26, uniting 400.000 People of Tomorrow from over 200 countries, the music is spread across a whopping 16 stages! Dance like no one is watching to over 800 electronic music artists!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3SRPDDJ2lY

6. Open’er festival

Unlike some other European countries, not all international pop stars and bands tour Poland. However, once a year in the summertime, its Open’er festival is the chance to watch some of your favourite artists on stage!

Now in its 24nd year (founded in 2002), it’s one of the country’s largest music festivals, and the lineup is a mixture of pop, rock, hip-hop and R&B sensations. This year, expect headliners like The Cure, Calvin Harris, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The xx, Halsey, IDLES, Zara Larsson, Teddy Swims, David Byrne, Ethel Cain, Clipse and many more!!!

Only getting bigger year after year, award-winning Open’er runs from 1 – 4 July 2026, set on a deserted airstrip in Gdynia.

7. Nice Jazz Festival

Guess what? The world’s first-ever jazz festival is still going strong nearly 80 years later! Born and bred in Nice, France, the annual Nice Jazz Festival is back this summer.

Not only the first, it’s one of the most prominent in the jazz world, holding the stage for legends in the industry, from Louis Armstrong to Django Reinhardt to Ella Fitzgerald!

Held on the French Riviera since 1948, this year, the occasion runs from 23 to 26 July 2026, and each evening, great concerts lead you into the night.

8. Awakenings Summer Festival

Techno-heads, Awakenings Summer Festival is back, bringing you the deepest, dirtiest sounds over the weekend from 10 July until 12 July in Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands.

So, whose on the decks in 2026? Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, 999999999, Adam Beyer, Nina Kraviz, Richie Hawtin, Boris Brejcha, Adriatique, Anetha, Azyr, Bad Boombox, Ben Klock, BIIA, Chlär & Yanamaste, Cynthia Spiering, Dax J, DJ Heartstring, FJAAK, I Hate Models, Indira Paganotto, Len Faki, Nico Moreno, Rødhåd, Speedy J., Bart Skils, Chris Avantgarde, Colyn, Innellea, Joris Voorn, Kevin de Vries, Miss Monique alongside 100 other techno favourites.

Bringing the heat since 1997, it’s the Nederland’s most impressive and largest techno festival, and garnering such success, the OG Awakenings Fest now hosts parties and festivals worldwide! Move and groove between eight different dance areas, from open-air spaces to beneath gigantic tents (and camping is available here, too).

9. Haro Wine Festival

Any wine connoisseurs in the house? Okay, technically, you won’t be doing much wine drinking during the action of Spain’s Haro Wine Festival (except if you’re slurping the droplets off your face). Buttt, you may get drunk off the wine seeping through your skin after this iconic battle, known as ‘Batalla de Vino.’

Celebrated for centuries, dress up in all white, put on your war bandana, and prepare for battle! See how many buckets and bottles of red and white vino you can dodge, or surrender and enjoy the (drenched) merry excitement.

The Haro Wine Festival is on 29 June 2026.

Looking for something unusual? While this list of top festivals in Europe 2026 is made up of some of the most recognizable, there are plenty of other epic festivals across the continent.

Festivals in Europe

Other festivals