Sign up for IQ Index
The latest industry news to your inbox.
The festival will mark its 10th edition from 17-21 July with acts such as Massive Attack, Queens of the Stone Age and Bring Me the Horizon
By IQ on 15 Apr 2024
Romania’s Electric Castle set for its biggest year yet, marking the 10th edition.
Electric Castle is expecting to welcome over 230,000 visitors across five days of non-stop music this July. Set in Transylvania’s Banffy Castle, the festival stands as one of Europe’s most uniquely impressive offerings and since its debut in 2013 has created an ever-growing international community around the annual gathering. Last year Electric Castle attracted visitors from 14 countries and is expected to expand even further this year for a special anniversary edition.
This year marks its 10th edition with an impressively varied line up spanning sought-after headline acts from Massive Attack and Chase & Status to Bring Me The Horizon, Queens of the Stone Age, Paolo Nutini, Sean Paul and Ricardo Villalobos. Recently completing the lineup with almost 300 names, the festival also delves far beyond music – which runs day and night for a fully 24-hour experience throughout. Within the grounds is found a wealth of media installations, performances, and disruptive talks.
The 15th century castle and cultural centre in the Cluj-Napoca area of Romania plays a key role in the theme of the festival each year. The festival contributes to the Baroque monument’s restoration and strives to leave a positive impact on its surroundings as a sustainable low emissions festival. During the festival, a mini-society called EC Village is built to accommodate camping in green spaces where 4,000 trees have been planted in just one of many green initiatives under the banner of Nature Is Our Dance Floor.
Electric Castle has been frequently recognised at the European Festival Awards with nominations every year, and has received the award for Best Camping, Best Food & Drinks and Best Medium Festival – a testament to attention to detail given to the overall experience of festivalgoers.
Electric Castle has established itself as a pivotal launchpad for artists from Romania and its neighbouring countries
The giant main stage has played host to a crop of the world’s biggest live acts over the years, including Gorillaz, Iggy Pop, The Prodigy, Sigur Ros, Skrillex, Damian Marley, Limp Bizkit, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Florence + The Machine and many more. Elsewhere, the festival explores an extensive array of electronic and alternative styles at the Hanger stage, the industrial BOOHA space, the woodland Hideout arena, the late night Dance Garden, as well
as the family-friendly Beach area. Plus there’s even more to discover around the grounds at the Backyard Stage, Radio Stage, Stables, Roots Stage and even at a venue located inside the campsite.
In its mission to foster a diverse musical landscape, from its very first edition, Electric Castle has established itself as a pivotal launchpad for artists from Romania and its neighbouring countries, focusing on nurturing talents from lesser-known music markets on the international stage. By its 10th anniversary, the festival has evolved into a vibrant hub for both local acts and artists from Hungary, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, or Moldova.
This year’s edition of Electric Castle is not to be missed, as a greater number of music and art lovers from around the world find themselves captivated by Transylvania’s hidden secret of the summer season.
The 10th edition of Electric Castle takes place 17-21 July 2024, and performing this year will be Massive Attack, Queens of the Stone Age, Bring Me the Horizon, Chase & Status LIVE, Sean Paul, Paolo Nutini, Khruangbin, Palaye Royale, Marc Rebillet, DJ Diesel (SHAQ), Sevdaliza, DJ Shadow, Bonobo DJ SET, Apashe with Brass Orchestra, Kenya Grace, Sleaford Mods and more.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.