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(Last Updated On: January 3, 2019)Music festivals in the Netherlands are at an all-time peak, as the country maintains its position as one of the top European music + party destinations. The music scene in Amsterdam has always been notoriously bumping, known not only for club nights but for forest/warehouse raves and park parties as well. Dutch music festivals had no choice but to evolve with the scene, pulling in amazing lineups and always a high production value. Amsterdam is also widely considered the home of EDM/electronic music, with many world-famous DJ’s beginning their career here, and that fact is definitely reflected within all of these festivals in the Netherlands.
From the annual Amsterdam Dance Event each October, which is like one big Amsterdam festival spread out across tons of amazing venues in the city, to quite a few more remote camping festivals scattered through the Dutch countryside, The Netherlands really do have it all when it comes to music festivals… and I’m here to share the best ones with you.
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The 20 Best Festivals in the Netherlands
Now, these festivals are ranked solely by the amount of ticket sales they bring in. Festicket shared with me their data on festivals in the Netherlands (and festivals in Europe, too… see below) so these are ranked by the amount of revenue they generate. This does mean that the ones higher on the list will tend to be bigger in size, but also means that this is a list of the ‘true’ top 20 most popular music festivals in the Netherlands.
First, Check Out More European Music Festivals:
- Best Music Festivals in Croatia
- Best Festivals in the UK
- Tomorrowland Festival Review + Guide
- Best Festivals in Germany
- Best Festivals in Spain
- Sziget Festival Review + Guide
- Tips for Going to a Festival Alone + Having an Awesome Time
- Best Ways to Travel to European Music Festivals
- The Ultimate Festival Hacks + Tips
DLDK: Don’t Let Daddy Know Festival
Where:
Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam
When:
1-2 March
Genre:
EDM
Don’t Let Daddy Know, or DLDK, is a massive EDM festival of a 17,000 capacity located within the biggest events venue in Amsterdam, the Ziggo Dome. Big EDM names such as Don Diablo, Skrillex, Timmy Trumpet, Tiesto, Steve Angello, and Laidback Luke will play beats over incredible sound systems to amped-up festival-goers at one of the biggest festivals in the Netherlands.
DLDK has grown more and more after its inception as a beach party in Ibiza, and how holds the title of one of the most famous EDM festivals with a community vibe inside a massive arena.
2. AMF 2019
Where:
Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam
When:
20 October
Genre:
EDM, Electronic, House
AMF, or Amsterdam Music Festival, is held in another massive arena each October. This Dutch music festival is special because it pairs up with the famous electronic music magazine, DJmag, to announce the year’s vote in the ‘top 100 dj’s.’ It’s always an exciting and interesting announcement each year, and when you pair it with top-of-the0line production and sound systems at AMF, it’s pretty special.
Amsterdam Music Festival is generally known for having the biggest names in mainstream EDM/electro, such as Axwell, David Guetta, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Armin Van Buuren, and Tiesto, and W&W. There is a small but curated lineup each year and it’s always a fantastic show for the one-day event.
3. Elrow Town Festival
Where:
NDSM Warehouse, Amsterdam
When:
18 Aug 2019
Genre:
House + Techno
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Elrow is probably the craziest party that ever roamed the Earth. If you don’t already know, Elrow puts on the weird and wonderful house + techno party that has now touched down in dozens of countries with its confetti, streamers, blow-up toys, and costumed actors running (and surfing) through the crowd.
Elrow’s Amsterdam edition takes place at what used to be the largest shipbuilding factory in Europe until 1979, and is now, obviouisly, a massive industrial warehouse party venue. If that doesn’t sound like one of the best festivals in the Netherlands, I don’t know what does!
4. Loveland
Where:
Sloterpark, Amsterdam
When:
10-11 Aug + 27 April
Genre:
House + techno
Loveland is a long-running house + techno festival that makes its way to the open green lakeside space of Amsterdam’s Sloterpark each summer. Loveland is about more than just the music, though – as a full art + music festival you can head to different areas to do/appreciate art, relax in hammocks, and shop in markets. The stages are always more than stages, too – rather, creative and unusual structures blasting the music.
To guarantee the intimate experience, Loveland actually narrows its six stages down to three on day two. House, techno, and underground artists that Loveland has seen in the past include Sasha, the Martinez Brothers, Pan Pot, Adam Beyer, Tale of Us, Marco Carola, Dixon, and Henry Saiz.
5. The Flying Dutch 2019
Where:
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven
When:
2 June
Genre:
EDM
The Flying Dutch is a very interesting 11-hour party spanning three different cities at the same time. Wondering where the name came from? Get this – they host a lineup of all Dutch DJ’s, and actually fly them from one venue to the other via helicopter so they can make it to all three. Get it – it really is ‘flying Dutch’ 😛
Last year’s lineup included the Netherlands’ biggest – Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Tiesto, W&W, Don Diablo, R3Hab, and Sunnery James + Ryan Marciano, among others. If you wante massive production value and to take part in one of the most unique festivals in the Netherlands, check this one out! And if you end up in there – make sure to check out all the amazing innovation and food in Eindhoven!
6. Music On Festival
Where:
Amsterdam, Netherlands
When:
11-12 May
Genre:
House + Techno
Music On is a festival put on my Marco Carola’s record label of the same name, and has brought in massive names within a similar genre. It’s a new festival, but the last year or two has seen the likes of Loco Dice, Marco Carola, Sam Pagiani, Claude Von Stroke, Luiciano, and Loco Dice.
7. DGTL Festival
Where:
NDSM Warehouse, Amsterdam
When:
19-21 April
Genre:
House + Techno
DGTL is an underground and up-and-coming festival with its flagship edition in Amsterdam and satellite editions from Barcelona to Sao Paulo. Located at an incredible massive shipbuilding warehouse, it has the perfect vibe for an underground warehouse party and is sure to be a good time.
Stars at DGTL have included Theo Parrish, Maya Jane Coles, Honey Dijon, Nachtbreaker, and Floating Points, of course backed up by name smaller yet equally talented names who will be the at the forefront of tomorrow.
8. Mysteryland 2019
Where:
Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands (5k from Schipol airport)
When:
23-26 Aug
Genre:
Electronic, EDM, House, Techno
Mysteryland is one of the ‘OG’ electronic music festivals. It’s been going since 1993 (Yep, 25 years), and it considered to be one of the first festivals to solely offer an array of electronic music genres. Like its name suggests, Mysteryland transports you into another world of fantasy with incredible colorful stages, decorations, psychedelic art, and Alice-in-Wonderland-esque vibes. You won;t find a ‘normal’ stage here – all are decked out to resemble some fairytale-like setting.
Mysteryland is a camping festival located between the fields and trees of Haarlemmermeer, 25km south of Amsterdam. Headliners in the past have been Hardwell, Sven Vath, Axwell V Ingrosso, Green Velvet, Loco Dico, Alesso, Jamie Jones, Dillon Francis, Headhunterz, and Patrick Topping. So basically, everything you can imagine within the electronic music umbrella – there’s something for everyone!
9. Liquicity FEstival
Where:
Geestmerambacht parkland,Oudkarspel, an hour north of Amsterdam
When:
19-21 July
Genre:
Drum & Bass
Liquicity quickly grew from a club night label to having its own festival, drawing in d&b lovers from all walks of life. Taking place in in open parkland with relax areas, hot tubs, volleyball courts, and more, Liquicity provides a great environment for three stages of nothing but bass (okay, sometimes a new other things 😛 ).
High Contrast, Zazu, Maduk, Sub Focus, Selektor & Subsequent, Edlan, and Lexurus have headlined in the past, and there’s sure to be even bigger lineups planned for one of the only drum & bass music festivals in the Netherlands.
10. Oh My! Music Festival
Where:
Johan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam
When:
29 June
Genre:
Hip Hop, Urban
Oh My! is a classic one-day Dutch music festival for all lovers of rap and hip hop. Big names such as Wiz Khalifa, French Montana, Young Thug, Big Sean, and T-Pain will frequent a few different stages across one of Amsterdam’s best outdoor arenas.
11. Milkshake Festival Amsterdam
Where:
Westerpark, Amsterdam
When:
27 – 28 July
Genre:
House, Techno, Electronic
Milkshake is an epic two-day weekender festival in a sunny Amsterdam park that is dedicated to the idea of being yourself, dressing up, having fun, and acceptance. Bringing in a local lineup of mostly house + techno artists and curated by two of Amsterdam’s biggest clubs, Milkshake is a fun time for all who attend. Sandrien, MC Monsieur Plastique, Chris Bekker, Vieze Poezendek, Supertoys, and Pornceptual have headlined in the past.
12. A State of Trance Festival
Where:
Jaarbeurs event space, Utrecht, Netherlands
When:
23 Feb
Genre:
Let’s have a guess…. trance!
A rare February festival in the Netherlands, A State of Trance (ASOT) Takes place over 5 stages in Utrecht. ASOT is one of the world’s leading trance labels, and really comes to life with all the world’s best trance DJ’s for an awesome one-day Dutch music festival.
This year’s headliners are already out – they include Cosmic Gate, Above & Beyond, Armin Van Buuren, Vini Vici, Astrix, and more.
13. Best Kept Secret 2019
Where:
Safaripark Beekse Bergen, Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands
When:
7-9 June
Genre:
Indie, Rock, Alternative
Best Kept Secret is one of the best Rock festivals in the Netherlands, and get this – it takes place within a SAFARI PARK. Like, a zoo. Between headlining sets you can casually head to the animal area to watch the zebras or giraffes, making it surely one of Europe’s most unique music festival venues. The five stages are also set along a beautiful lake, giving it a perfect vibe to relax or dance to amazing artists.
In the past, Best Kept Secret has seen the likes of The XX, Arctic Monkeys, Beck, Alt-J, Angus & Julia Stone, Khruangbin, and Gang of Youths. And if you add camping alongside elephants, that sounds pretty damn cool.
14. Boothstock Festival
Where:
Kralingse Bos park, Rotterdam, Netherlands
When:
9 June
Genre
House, Techno, Hip Hop
Boothstock takes place within the lakeside forest and park of Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam: a beautiful venue for one of the best outdoor multi-genre Dutch music festivals. With multiple stages simply named for their genre (‘house,’ ‘techno,’ ‘main,’ ‘urban area,’ etc), it’ll be hard to get lost from the music you like here.
Headliners in the past few years have been Kerri Chandler, Monika Kruse, Juan Sanchez, Dennis Ferrer, The Partysquad, and more. If you;re in Rotterdam, this is one of the music festivals in the Netherlands not to miss.
15. We Are Electric Weekender 2019
Where:
Velder Woods, Liempde, Netherlands
When:
6-8 July
Genre:
All Bass: Dubstep, Drum & Bass, Techno
We Are Electric weekender is an awesome festival in some beautiful woods, with a serene setting for some hard-hitting basslines. Rudimental, Knife Party, Pendulum, Tiga, and Rodhad are some of the very electronically diverse lineup that has shown up in the past few years. Match those beats with a waterfront venue and you have a great weekend.
16. Oranjebloesem 2019
Where:
Blijburg Aan Zee Beach, Amsterdam Netherlands
When:
King’s Day Weekend, 27th April
Genre:
House, Techno, Electronic
Oranjebloesem is a beautiful sunny festival on King’s Day weekend that legitimately takes place at a vast sandy beach venue outside of Amsterdam. Located across 5 stages that are both outdoor and tented, attendees will have plenty of choices between music or simply laying out in the (hopefully) sun. With loads of vendors and bars, this festival is a perfect way to celebrate King’s Day.
Oranjebloesem has seen lineups in the past with the likes of DJ Tennis, Joris Voorn, KiNK, Job Jobse, Weval, Ame, and more. House music lovers unite on the beach!
17. Kingsland Festival Amsterdam 2019
Where:
RAI Exhibition Center, Amsterdam
When:
27th April, King’s Day
Genre:
EDM, House
Kingsland is actually four festivals in the Netherlands at once, in that it takes place in four cities at the same time! Kingsland Amsterdam is of course the pioneer and most popular of these festivals, taking place at a massive convention center called RAI. All of the festivals of course take place on the famous Dutch holiday in April, King’s Day!
Kingland Festival usually brings in some massive names in the mainstream/EDM/electro category, as well as some house. In the past it has seen Tiesto, W&W, Axwell V Ingrosso, Oliver Heldens, DJ Snake, Hardwell, and Lost Frequencies – playing to a sea of fans dressed in the traditional King’s Day color – white!
18. Toffler Festival
Where:
Roel Langerakpark, Rotterdam,. Netherlands
When:
19 May
Genre:
Techno
Toffler is a quaint one-day event full of the most epic techno and a beautiful park backdrop. Expect amazing stages and production value within the grassy fields of Roel Langerakpark in Rotterdam, and relentless techno beats.
Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, Dubfire, DJ Rush, Pan-Pot, Agoria, and more have headlined in the past and you can always expect and equally amazing techno lineup in the future.
19. Lief Festival 2019
Where:
Recreatieplas Strijkviertel, Utrecht, Netherlands
When:
1 Sept
Genre:
House + Techno
Located in a beautiful grassy recreational space in Utrecht with lakes and forests alongside its open spaces. It’s the perfect venue for a house + techno festival that has seen artists such as Klaudia Gawlas, Benny Rodrigues, Jungle By Night, Dubfire, and Enrico Sangiuliano. It’s only a one-day affair so make sure to get in early so you don’t miss any of the amazing day-into-night party.
20. Amsterdam Open Air 2019
Where:
Gaasperpark, Amsterdam
When:
2-3 June
Genre:
Electronic, House, Techno
Amsterdam Open Air is exactly as its name suggests – an open air festival in Amsterdam (ha, ha). It takes place across nine stages in a beautiful wooded park, of which none are ‘main’ and all are equally important within their own vibe. Amsterdam Open Air is one of the amazing outdoor festivals in the Netherlands that also focuses heavily on art, installations, and incredible options for food and drink, too.
In the past this Dutch music festival has had amazing lineups including Maya Jane Coles, Malaa, Hot Singe 82, Sigma, Boys Noize, Eats Everything, MK, Kerri Chandler, and more across even more different electronic genres.
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