Top Netherlands Festivals 2023

Dutch festivals are home to blue-blooded DJ lineups, foot-tapping beats, and mind-blowing stage design. From the iconic ADE to the immersive Awakenings, these are the festivals you can’t miss.

Here’s your ultimate guide to the top festivals in the Netherlands in 2023.

Awakenings Summer Festival

South Netherlands

From A to Z, Awakenings offers an unparalleled musical temple experience. The Netherlands festival bets it all on its stage design, with captivating light shows and industrial aesthetics that offer a groundbreaking experience for the electronic-loving community.

Defqon.1

East Amsterdam

A celebration of hardstyle beats and an unmissable summer getaway for music lovers, Defqon.1 Festival takes the cake for visual production. Taking over an event site east of Amsterdam, the multi-day fest has some of the most jaw-dropping stage productions you will ever witness.

Music On

Amsterdam

Created by techno powerhouse Marco Carola, Music On is one of Amsterdam’s top-tier electronic festivals. Carola ensures that Music On brings an ideal blend of techno and tech-house beats, with a lineup comprising well-known headliners and upcoming talents.

Amsterdam Dance Event

Amsterdam

Famously known as the globe’s largest electronic event, ADE invites attendees to over 200 Amsterdam venues. Beyond unconventional stage setup, Amsterdam Dance Event takes things up a notch with workshops, panel speakers, and industry conferences.

AMF

Amsterdam

Despite its 24-hour lifespan, AMF makes the most of every moment. The electronic festival brings together thousands of techno greenhorns and house music lovers to Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff Arena for an audio-visual experience like no other.

DGTL

Amsterdam

As the place that unites technology with music, DGTL takes festival-goers on a discovery journey. Beyond its seven stages and coveted DJs, the Amsterdam festival is an arts and culture platform where hi-tech installations, 4D soundscapes, and creative projects reign supreme.

Mysteryland

West Amsterdam

Crafting an electronic edition of Alice in Wonderland is not an easy task; yet, Mysteryland makes it look effortless. With 300 artists and impressive decor themes, the festival became a revolutionary turning point in the live music industry.

Dominator Festival

South Netherlands

Home to all things hardcore and industrial, Dominator masters the art of festival experiences. For two days, the hardstyle music event takes over Netherlands’ south to deliver impressive performances and eight stages under the summer sky.

Thunderdome

Utrecht

Add banging setup and blue-blooded gabber artists into a bowl and you’ll get Thunderdome. When the 24-hour festival takes over Netherlands’ central city Utrecht, hardcore techno fans from all over the globe put their dancing shoes on.

Rotterdam Rave Festival

Rotterdam

Rotterdam Rave is not just another electronic event – it is the mighty rave session. With bold techno beats and foot-tapping electronic sets, the one-day music event takes over Rotterdam’s south and transforms it into an industrial heaven.

Lowlands

West Amsterdam

Multi-genre and ready to break traditional norms, Lowlands is an unbeatable music experience. Also billed as a performing arts festival, the multi-day event hosts 250 different acts, generous markets, CD stores, a radio station, and its own newspaper.

You could pretty much call Lowlands a world of its own, since it acts like it.

Decibel Outdoor Festival

South Netherlands

If you’re looking for a festival that plays the best mix of hardstyle music, Decibel Outdoor is calling your name. Beyond its impressive lineups, the Netherlands festival showcases a strong commitment to bringing in the best stage design.

With top-notch visuals and quirky stages – yes, castle shapes are included – it’s easy to see why Decibel Outdoor sells out every year.

Pinkpop

South Netherlands

As one of the oldest music festivals in the world, Pinkpop really knows how to pack a punch. Every year, the multi-day event curates a diverse music repertoire, which sees artists like Coldplay and Pearl Jam take over its idyllic stages.

Sensation Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Though it has a globetrotter spirit and organizes events in every electronic-loving city, Sensation Amsterdam remains a staple. It lasts only one day, but the music event knows how to make the most out of it.

The stunning stage design and all-white dress code made Sensation a big gun in the festival calendar.

Harmony of Hardcore

North Eindhoven

Summoned by the gods of hardcore music, Harmony of Hardcore is one of the Netherlands’ largest outdoor festivals. If the high-spirited atmosphere and vibrant stage design won’t convince you, its international lineup will surely make you book tickets instantly.

Rebirth Festival

North Eindhoven

If the name isn’t suggestive enough, Rebirth Festival is all about connecting festival-goers with music beats in the purest, rawest form. The multi-day event strikes a balance between the soul peacefulness it seeks to promote and heart-racing hardstyle beats.

Mystic Garden Festival

Amsterdam

Embodying a circus-like extravaganza, Mystic Garden Festival marries Mother Nature with electronic beats. The quirky event takes over a lush Amsterdam park and embellishes it with art installations, vibrant decor, and the kind of stage design that would make your jaw drop.

Loveland

Amsterdam

Another year, another techno heaven signed by Loveland Festival. Beyond blue-blooded artists’ names like Richie Hawtin, the Dutch event shares its love for everything electronic through lineups that promote homegrown talent.

Amsterdam Open Air

Amsterdam

Amsterdam Open Air’s beauty stands in its mix of music, art, and gastronomy. A promoter of Dutch culture from A to Z, the music event takes pride in its home country and celebrates it accordingly through artists, food vendors, and relevant cultural bearers.

Best Kept Secret Festival

South Netherlands

One of the few Netherlands festivals that place their bets on multi-genre rosters, Best Kept Secret is where you can discover new music. From big international acts to indie talents, the multi-day fest is committed to bringing the best in electronic, pop, and hip-hop.