Editorial
EDM Festivals May 2026: Festivals We Can’t Miss Worldwide
EDM Festivals May 2026: Festivals We Can’t Miss Worldwide as the Global Festival Season Picks Up Across Europe, Asia, and the US
May 2026 continues the EDM festival calendar with major events across the US, Europe, and South America. EDC Las Vegas leads the month with one of the biggest crowds of the year, while festivals like Movement Detroit and Cercle Festival bring very different formats across the same weekends. In the US, Breakaway Atlanta, Breakaway Ohio, and Project GLOW keep the multi-city runs going, alongside standalone events like Lightning in a Bottle and Griztronics at The Gorge. Outside the US, Ultra Peru, Time Warp Brazil, and Nameless Festival continue the schedule across international locations. Here’s a full look at the EDM festivals taking place throughout May 2026.
EDC Las Vegas
Dates: May 15–17, 2026
Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, USA
EDC Las Vegas returns to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway across three nights, running from evening into early morning with multiple stages operating at the same time. The 2026 edition includes a large EDM festival lineup across house, techno, trance, bass, and hardstyle, with artists such as Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, and Charlotte de Witte alongside a wide range of B2B sets and sunrise slots. The festival continues to feature its core stage builds including Kinetic Field and Circuit Grounds, along with rides and large-scale installations spread across the venue.
Breakaway Atlanta
Dates: May 15–16, 2026
Location: Center Parc Stadium, Atlanta, USA
Breakaway Atlanta returns to Center Parc Stadium as part of the multi-city Breakaway Music Festival series, bringing a two-day lineup into the city. The 2026 edition includes artists such as FISHER, John Summit, Kaskade, and Mau P, with support from names like Layton Giordani, Peekaboo, and Max Styler. The setup stays focused on a single-location festival experience in the city, making it one of the more accessible stops on the US festival calendar compared to larger destination events.
Breakaway Ohio
Dates: May 29–30, 2026
Location: Historic Crew Stadium Festival Grounds, Columbus, USA
Breakaway Ohio returns to Historic Crew Stadium Festival Grounds in Columbus as part of the multi-city Breakaway Music Festival tour. The 2026 edition includes Kygo, GRiZ, REZZ, and Disco Lines, with additional artists such as Lilly Palmer, Mersiv, and Vandelux across the two days. The festival runs across multiple stages within the venue, with sets scheduled throughout the afternoon and evening, continuing the format used across other Breakaway stops in the US.
Cercle Festival
Dates: May 22–24, 2026
Location: Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace, Le Bourget (Paris), France
Cercle Festival takes place at the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in Le Bourget, just outside Paris, using aircraft hangars, runways, and museum spaces across the weekend. The 2026 edition includes artists such as Eric Prydz, ARTBAT, Kerri Chandler, Kölsch, and Ben Böhmer, alongside names like Adriatique, Monolink, and Vintage Culture. The festival is limited in capacity compared to larger events, with tickets sold per day and access structured around specific areas of the venue.
CORE Los Angeles
Dates: May 2–3, 2026
Location: Los Angeles State Historic Park, Los Angeles, USA
CORE Los Angeles takes place at Los Angeles State Historic Park, marking the first time the CORE concept lands in the United States in collaboration with Insomniac. The 2026 lineup includes Eric Prydz, Four Tet, Nina Kraviz, ARTBAT, and Honey Dijon, alongside names such as Dixon, Mall Grab, TSHA, and Kevin de Vries. The event runs across two days with three stages on-site, hosting around 25 artists, and follows the same format used in previous CORE shows in locations like Tulum and Medellín.
Lightning in a Bottle
Dates: May 20–24, 2026
Location: Buena Vista Lake, California, USA
Lightning in a Bottle returns to Buena Vista Lake across Memorial Day Weekend, running as a five-day camping festival organized by Do LaB. The 2026 lineup includes Empire of the Sun, Mau P, Sara Landry, Zeds Dead, and Chase & Status, alongside artists such as Mochakk, Barry Can’t Swim, and Tinashe. The festival is spread across multiple named stages including Lightning, Thunder, and Woogie, with additional areas like Grand Artique and Junkyard, alongside on-site camping options ranging from car camping to pre-set tents and RV setups.
TRIIP Festival
Dates: May 28–31, 2026
Location: Malta
TRIIP Festival takes place across multiple venues in Malta, running as a four-day event curated by FISHER. The 2026 lineup includes FISHER, Chris Lorenzo, Eats Everything, KETTAMA, and Purple Disco Machine, alongside artists such as BLOND:ISH, SG Lewis, and salute. The event is spread across different locations on the island, including club shows, open-air spaces, and smaller capacity settings, with additional formats like boat and pool parties included across the weekend.
Nameless Festival
Dates: May 30 – June 1, 2026
Location: Bione, Lecco (Lake Como), Italy
Nameless Festival takes place in Lecco, overlooking Lake Como, across a three-day setup at the Bione area, which has been introduced as the new site for the event. The 2026 edition includes headliners such as Calvin Harris, John Summit, and FISHER, with additional artists including Andy C, Pendulum (DJ Set), Sonny Fodera, and Hybrid Minds. The festival combines electronic and urban acts across multiple stages, with the site expanded into a full festival space set around the lake and surrounding mountains.
Foundation: Open Series
Dates: May 16-17, 2026
Location: PNE Centre Grounds, Vancouver, Canada
Set at the PNE Centre Grounds in Vancouver, Foundation: Open Series is bringing a whole host of heavy hitters to Canada. With house and techno on the agenda for two days, the lineup is headlined by the Queen of techno, Charlotte de Witte and superstar Peggy Gou. They are backed up by Prospa, Josh Baker, Max Styler, and more.
Project GLOW
Dates: May 30–31, 2026
Location: RFK Festival Grounds, Washington, D.C., USA
Set at the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C., Project GLOW brings a two-day lineup led by Eric Prydz, Zeds Dead, Mau P, and Excision B2B Sullivan King, alongside names such as Cassian, Cloonee, Cosmic Gate, and Porter Robinson (DJ Set). The event continues its partnership between Insomniac and Club Glow, marking another year of large-scale electronic shows in the city, with the festival scheduled across the same open-air grounds used in previous editions.
Griztronics at The Gorge
Dates: May 23–24, 2026
Location: Gorge Amphitheatre, George, Washington, USA
Griztronics at The Gorge takes place over Memorial Day weekend at the Gorge Amphitheatre, built around the pairing of GRiZ and Subtronics across both nights. The 2026 edition includes sets from GRiZ, Subtronics, LSDREAM, and Of The Trees, with support from Boogie T, ALLEYCVT, Effin, and Taiki Nulight. Both nights are closed out with full GRiZTRONICS sets, with additional moments like a GRiZ “Chasing The Golden Hour” performance and a Subtronics sunset set scheduled across the weekend.
Movement Detroit
Dates: May 23–25, 2026
Location: Hart Plaza, Detroit, USA
Held at Hart Plaza in Detroit, Movement Detroit marks its 20th anniversary in 2026, continuing its position as one of the key techno-focused festivals globally. The lineup includes over 100 artists, with names such as Carl Cox, Dom Dolla, and Sara Landry, alongside Richie Hawtin, Carl Craig, and The Martinez Brothers. The festival runs across multiple stages along the Detroit riverfront, with a strong focus on techno and house, reflecting the city’s role as the birthplace of techno.
Ultra Peru
Dates: May 2, 2026
Location: Club Cultural Lima, Lima, Peru
Ultra Peru takes place at Club Cultural Lima for its fourth edition, running as a one-day event with over 12 hours of music across multiple stages. The 2026 lineup includes Eric Prydz, Adriatique, Steve Angello, Subtronics, and Reinier Zonneveld, alongside artists such as Gryffin and Nico Moreno. The event features both the Ultra Main Stage and RESISTANCE stage, bringing a mix of techno, house, and bass acts within the same day
Time Warp Brazil
Dates: May 2026
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Time Warp Brazil takes place in São Paulo as the South American edition of the long-running Time Warp brand, known for its focus on techno and extended DJ sets. The 2026 lineup includes Charlotte de Witte, Richie Hawtin, Sven Väth, and Maceo Plex, alongside artists such as Dax J, Enrico Sangiuliano, and Vintage Culture. The event also features multiple B2B sets including DJ Minx B2B DJ Holographic and Mochakk B2B DJ Gigola, along with live performances such as Henrik Schwarz (Live).
From EDC Las Vegas and Movement Detroit to destination events like Cercle Festival in Paris and TRIIP Festival in Malta, May 2026 brings together a wide range of EDM festivals across the US, Europe, and South America, with both large-scale productions and smaller multi-day events spread throughout the month.
Visit our EDM Festival News section to stay updated on the latest announcements and lineup releases.
