After more than two decades of shaping the global festival landscape, EXIT Festival is bringing its internationally acclaimed experience to Egypt with the launch of Starlight Festival, a brand-new multi-day event set to take place from October 8–11, 2026, near the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Created in partnership with Venture Lifestyle and its electronic music platform P+US, the inaugural edition will combine world-class electronic music, immersive technology, and one of the most breathtaking backdrops on earth. Positioned as a major new destination for global music tourism, Starlight Festival aims to unite electronic music fans from around the world within a setting defined by thousands of years of history.
Leading the debut lineup is Charlotte de Witte, who will make her first-ever performance in Egypt, alongside Michael Bibi, who will bring his acclaimed sound to the pyramids for the first time. They will be joined by melodic techno powerhouse Adriatique, returning to the iconic location after previously delivering a landmark performance attended by nearly 10,000 people.
The lineup continues with an impressive roster of international talent, including Vintage Culture, Pete Tong, WhoMadeWho, and Enrico Sangiuliano, alongside dozens of regional and global artists spanning the contemporary electronic music spectrum.
As part of EXIT Festival’s growing international expansion, the main festival programming will take place on October 9 and 10 near the Great Pyramids of Giza, while opening and closing celebrations will unfold across select venues throughout Cairo. Spread across more than five stages and experiential zones, the event will also showcase one of the world’s most advanced virtual reality experiences, originally introduced at Expo Dubai.
While the pyramids will serve as the event’s dramatic backdrop, organizers emphasized that the festival will not take place directly on the historic site itself. Instead, Starlight Festival will be staged from a specially designated location developed in accordance with the monument’s protected status and cultural significance, ensuring the preservation of one of humanity’s most important historical landmarks.
For Dušan Kovačević, founder and CEO of EXIT Festival, the project represents a unique opportunity to merge music, culture, and global storytelling.
“It is a great honour to be invited to bring the premium festival concept near one of the grandest monuments in human history,” said Kovačević. “EXIT has always been known for combining world-class entertainment with a strong social mission, which in this case will be dedicated to celebrating Egypt’s extraordinary cultural heritage to a global audience.”
The launch also highlights the growing influence of music tourism. According to Rabih Mokbel, founder and CEO of Venture Lifestyle and P+US, the collaboration represents a significant milestone for both the region and the future of large-scale festival culture in the Middle East, contributing to the tourism economy while establishing a long-term platform for cultural exchange.