Techno music first emerged in the 1970s with the term “techno” being used to describe this kind of electronic music in Germany in the early 1980s. In 1988, following the UK release of the compilation Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit, the term came to be associated with a form of electronic dance music produced in Detroit. Influences of this genre of music included Germany’s Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream as well as Belgium’s C.J. Bolland.
The key influences on techno, played by Collier and Detroit’s late-night radio DJs, were mostly European. The synth-pop of Kraftwerk, Italo-disco and European new wave was played alongside hard-edged funk by radio DJs such as The Electrifying Mojo, so if you’re looking for some of the best Techno experiences in Europe, you’ve come to the right place!
Some of the best Techno Festivals in Europe include: Awakenings, Exit Festival, Neopop Festival, Time Warp Germany, Sonus Festival, Sonar Festival, Street Parade, BPM Festival, DGTL Techno, Music On Festival, Extrema Outdoor Belgium, Meadow In The Mountains, Glitch & more!
Check out the full list below for all the details:
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1. Awakenings Festival
📅 When: June 2022
📍Where: Spaarnwoude, Netherlands
https://www.awakeningsfestival.nl/en/
Awakenings is one of the most well known electronic music festival in Europe and the largest outdoor techno festival in the world. 80,000 visitors in just two short days are blasted with more than 100 DJs at Awakenings just outside of Amsterdam.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Maceo Plex, Adam Beyer, Loco Dice, Tale of Us, Nina Kravitz
2. Exit Festival
📅 When: July 7-10, 2022
📍Where: Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia
Exit is one of longest running music festivals in the East, the annual EXIT Festival distinguishes itself by being held in an ancient Petrodovian fortress in Serbia. The constantly evolving festival has recently added a sister festival held on the shores of the Adriatic Sea.
EXIT is a two-time winner of the Best European Major Festival award and welcomes over 200,000 music lovers from all across the globe every year.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Carl Cox, Lost Frequencies, Paul Kalkbrenner, Sofi Tukker
3. Neopop Festival
📅 When: 10-13 August 2022
📍Where: Viana do Castelo, Portugal
https://neopopfestival.com/home/
Neopop is Portugal’s most respected electronic music festival, held in the coastal town of Viana do Castelo. Mixing live performances and DJ sets, the Portuguese fest has become a mecca for techno fans across Europe. The tiny coastal town of Viana do Castelo where Neopop lives is filled with the character and history of the region.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Richie Hawtin, Maceo Plex, Underworld
4. Time Warp Germany
📅 When: 2-3 April, 2022
📍Where: Mannheim, Germany
https://www.time-warp.de/germany/index_eng.html
This electronic show in Germany showcases international heavyweights which perfectly capture the underground spirit of the event. Since its inception over 25 years ago, Time Warp has gone onto become one of Techno’s most important events as it packs out Mannheim’s imposing Maimarkthalle for nearly 20 hours each year. With mesmerizing lighting design, jaw-dropping production and incredible sound systems, Time Warp Mannheim is the ultimate festival experience for techno aficionados and needs to be seen.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Seth Troxler, Sven Vathm, Dixon, Maceo Plex
5. Sonus Festival
📅 When: 21-25 August, 2022
📍Where: Novalja, Croatia
https://www.sonus-festival.com
The five day fest at Zrce Beach is hosted by Cosmopop (Time Warp, Love Family Park) who have steadily steered the Sonus Festival ship towards critical acclaim and an untouchable reputation. So expect to be dazzled by numerous parties on beaches, boats, and clubs.
Assembling what are undoubtedly the most impressive lineups in electronic music events, the festival’s roster is regularly stacked with techno legends and contemporary icons, alongside lesser-known but equally impressive producers within the genre.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Black Coffee, Carl Cox, Amelie Lens, Sven Vath
6. Sonar Festival
📅 When: 16-18 June, 2022 (Barcelona)
📍Where: Barcelona, Spain & Reykjavík, Iceland
Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, Sónar became one of electronic music’s most influential brands, now hosting satellite events across the globe and inspiring a week of parties in the city known as “OFFSónar”.
Sónar champions underground musical talent – alongside forward-thinking technology, art and innovation – that is spread across Sónar by Day, Sónar by Night and its technology conference Sónar+D.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Bonobo, Eric Pryz, Moderat, The Chemical Brothers
7. Street Parade Festival
📅 When: 13 August, 2022
📍Where: Lake Zurich, Switzerland
https://www.streetparade.com/en/
The Street Parade will begin at Utoquai in the Zürich neighbourhood of Seefeld, from where it will head around the lakefront via Bellevue, Quaibrücke and Bürkliplatz, arriving at Hafendamm Enge at around 10 pm. The fun will continue at the after-parties at Mythenquai, Bellevue, Bürkliplatz, Rentenanstalt and Limmatquai until midnight.
8. BPM Festival Ibiza Showcases
📅 When: April 28 – May 1, 2022
📍Where: Ibiza, Spain
The BPM Festival, which stands for “Bartenders, Promoters, Musicians” was created in 2008 and held in Playa del Carmen, Mexico until 2017 as a post-New Year’s gathering of industry professionals. During that time it had grown to a ten-day festival with a 70,000+ global gathering of DJs, producers, revelers and industry professionals.
Each year, the festival offers up an array of showcases featuring some of the scene’s most respected names
🎛️ Headliners Include: Marco Carola, Nicole Moudabber, Jamie Jones
9. DGTL Techno Festival
📅 When: April 16-18, 2022
📍Where: Barcelona, Spain & Amsterdam, Netherlands
An off-shoot of the long-running Dutch festival, the Barcelona edition is now well-established.
“As we have come to expect from all of the DGTL events across the globe, the festival features a lineup of underground house and techno’s finest proponents – from skilled selectors and prodigious DJs to enthralling live acts.”
🎛️ Headliners Include: Hunee, Oriana, Palms Trax, Regal
10. Music On Festival
📅 When: May 7-8, 2022
📍Where: Havenpark, Amsterdam
Music On is a house and techno music festival held in the Dutch capital Amsterdam and is hosted by Marco Carola. Now one of the most respected festivals within the Techno genre, Music On offer an exciting array of electronic, house and techno stars. The 2022 edition invites Jamie Jones, The Martinez Brothers, Loco Dice, Paco Osuna, Nic Fanciulli, Danny Tenaglia and many more. The festival in Amsterdam will be preceded by shows in London, New York, Miami, Detroit, Las Vegas, and afterwards Music On will head to Ibiza for its 8th annual residency.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Jamie Jones, Loco Dice, Paco Osuna, Nic Fanciulli, Danny Tenaglia
11. Extrema Outdoor Festival
📅 When: June 3-5, 2022
📍Where: Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium
Extrema Outdoor Belgium is an electronic music festival held in Houthalen-Helchteren, in the northeast of the country.
Lineups of underground house and techno’s heavy-hitters make the festival one of the region’s biggest and best, and the demand for tickets is seemingly ever-increasing as dance music fans flock to the enchanting woodland and lakeside.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Amelie Lens, Dubfire, Adam Beyer, Art Department
12. Meadow In The Mountains Festival
📅 When: June 2-5, 2022
📍Where: Polkovnik Serafimovo, Bulgaria
http://www.meadowsinthemountains.com
This truly inspiring music and arts festival is all about breaking free from the shackles of urban life and escaping into the wilderness and tranquility of this local Bulgarian community, with whom most festival-goers stay with. The lineup is defiantly underground and free-spirited, showcasing artists who share their values of social harmony and self-expression
🎛️ Headliners Include: Mr Shiver, Rafael Da Cruz, Ras, Scott Xylo, Sno
13. Glitch Festival
📅 When: August 13-16, 2022
📍Where: Rabat, Malta
https://www.glitchfestival.com
Glitch Festival is a house and techno festival on the beautiful island of Malta, and August 2022 sees the festival return for its 5th edition, showcasing an incredible lineup across rooftop pool parties, secret rave caves, chaotic boat parties and inspiring headline sets at its self-proclaimed “house and techno fortress.”
🎛️ Headliners Include: Nina Kraviz, Amelie Lens, Ben Klock, Honey Dijon
14. Secret Project Festival
📅 When: 17-19 June, 2022
📍Where: Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Portugal
https://www.portugal.secretproject.com
Secret Project is an emerging festival born in the prospering underground scene of downtown Los Angeles. Fusing art, cutting-edge technology, and exceptionally curated house and techno music, the festival known for its daytime moments is ready to grow beyond its origin.
The festival has had successful editions in Los Angeles, Miami and Amsterdam. It is now moving to Portugal for this edition.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Charlotte De Witte, Amelie Lens, Andy C, Tale Of Us, Eric Pryz
15. We Love Sound
📅 When: 15-16 June, 2022
📍Where: Jarun, Zagreb, Croatia
We Love Sound is an electronic music festival held within the scenic surrounds of Jarun Lake in Zagreb, Croatia.
Merging together the tranquil atmosphere of one of Croatia’s most beautiful locations with visionaries at the cutting-edge of contemporary techno, We Love Sound is a festival of equally immersive sights and sounds.
“Imagine an open sky full of stars and beautiful nature around you, top quality sound, amazing atmosphere and most eminent names of Techno acts on scene today.”
🎛️ Headliners Include: Reinier Zonneved, Richie Hawtin, Indira Paganotto
16. Forbidden Forest Festival
📅 When: 2-3 July, 2022
📍Where: Belvoir Castle, Grantham, United Kingdom
https://www.forbidden-forest.co.uk/
Created by dance music fans for dance music fans, the festival features a lineup of artists formed of some of the most respected and influential DJs and producers. The festival takes the party into the woods, bringing the original rave vibe to the UK.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Craig David, Marco Carola, Gorgon City, Hybrid Minds
17. Newsam Park Festival
📅 When: 9 July, 2022
📍Where: Temple Newsam House, Leeds, United Kingdom
This is the rebirth of the legendary Cocoon in the Park that ended after 11 editions in 2019.
Newsam Park is a single day open air festival set in the heart of the scenic Temple Newsam Park, where the rolling hills and lush woodland can be freely explored.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Dan Shake, Marco Carola, Chaos In The CBD, Mall Grab
18. Dekmantel Festival
📅 When: 4-7 August, 2022
📍Where: Amsterdamse Bos, Amsterdam, Netherlands
https://www.dekmantelfestival.com/en/
Dekmantel Festival welcomes a broad array of electronic styles. The Amsterdam based festival takes place at the stunning Amsterdamse Bos, a massive city park oasis inside the city. Many DJs consider this their favourite festival, as they are encouraged to take risks and stray from the mainstream. Dekmantel has built a reputation for dominating the innovative and creativity marker, making it one of the most respected festivals in the country.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Jon Hopkins, Darwin, Tirzah, VTSS, Carlos Souffront
19. Kappa FuturFestival
📅 When: 1-3 July, 2022
📍Where: Turin, Italy
https://www.kappafuturfestival.it/
A true giant of the European electronic music scene, Kappa FuturFestival is a massive techno festival that takes place every summer in Turin. 30,000 electronic loving fans convene to celebrate international DJs in this unique setting, the Parco Dora, a former car factory. Talent includes a wide array from Detroit legends and Berlin favourites, to homegrown Italian talent and everything in between.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Carl Cox, Diplo, Peggy Gou, Danny Tenaglia, Monica Kruse
20. Ikarus Festival 2022
📅 When: 3-6 July, 2022
📍Where: Memmingerberg, Germany
https://www.ikarus-festival.de/
Ikarus Festival is an open-air electronic music festival at Memmingen Airport, Germany, specialising in all things techno and house. The event includes a variety of 6 stages, some out in the open plains, some in the shrouded forest, all with their own distinctive design. Each stage has its own unique atmosphere, amplifying the festival’s quality programme.
Techno, house, psy-trance, deep house, hard techno, and more are represented by more than 100 international acts on 6 individual stages. The mix of nature and concrete gives this festival a unique backdrop.
🎛️ Headliners Include: Claptone, Charlotte De Witte, Neelix, Len Faki
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