The Salzburgring is a race track. A proper one — built in 1969, 4.2 kilometres of tarmac pressed into the valley east of Salzburg between Koppl and Plainfeld, with a run through forested hillside that makes it one of the prettier motor racing venues in Austria. For eleven months of the year it remains a race track. For three days in July it becomes Electric Love Festival, and 180,000 people from 70 countries descend on the Salzkammergut lake district to dance across the infield, the grandstands, the camping meadows provided by local farmers on the surrounding hillsides, and the seven stages that spread across the venue from the mainstage at the pit straight to the alpine Almhütte stage that opens on warm-up day and doesn’t close until the festival ends. The combination of Austrian mountain countryside, a race circuit’s flat open terrain, and a lineup that puts Swedish House Mafia, Armin van Buuren, and Pendulum on the same bill as hardstyle and hard techno acts — all at once — is genuinely specific. There is no other festival in Europe with this particular combination.
Electric Love Festival 2026 runs Thursday July 9 through Saturday July 11 at the Salzburgring in Plainfeld, near Salzburg, Austria. Warm-up party on Wednesday July 8. 200+ artists across 7 stages. 16+. Camping available. Here is the complete guide.
- What is Electric Love Festival and what is its history?
- How many people attend Electric Love Festival?
- What should you expect at Electric Love 2026?
- When and where is Electric Love Festival 2026?
- How do you get tickets to Electric Love Festival 2026?
- Who is playing at Electric Love Festival 2026?
- What should you wear to Electric Love Festival 2026?
- What should you pack for Electric Love Festival 2026?
- What is not allowed at Electric Love Festival 2026?
- How do you get to Electric Love Festival 2026?
- Where should you stay for Electric Love Festival 2026?
- What food and drink is available at Electric Love?
- What are the best tips for Electric Love Festival 2026?
- Are there after parties at Electric Love Festival 2026?
- FAQ
What is Electric Love Festival and what is its history?
Electric Love launched in 2013 with the specific goal of bringing the energy of the largest European EDM festivals to Austria — a country with a strong electronic music listening culture but no equivalent major festival home. The Salzburgring, previously used by the Frequency Festival between 2001 and 2008, offered an unusual combination of logistical infrastructure (a functioning race circuit has everything a large outdoor event needs: flat infield, grandstands, service roads) and a naturally beautiful location in the Austrian Salzkammergut lake district.
The festival grew from 100,000 visitors in early editions to its current 180,000 from over 70 nations, making it the largest electronic music festival in Austria and one of the significant events on the European summer circuit. It is operated by Revolution Event GmbH. EMF Magazine described it as “Austria’s leading electronic music festival,” and its lineup diversity — which genuinely covers the full width of electronic music from melodic house to frenchcore within a single weekend — distinguishes it from more genre-specific European events.
The Opening Ceremony is a specific Electric Love tradition: resident DJ Felice opens the festival accompanied by a local choir and orchestra in a set that frames the weekend as both a celebration and a community ritual. It has been running since the early editions and is one of the most recognisably Austrian moments of any European festival.
How many people attend Electric Love Festival?
Electric Love Festival draws 180,000 visitors from over 70 nations across the three-day main programme, making it among the larger mid-size European electronic music festivals. The Austrian, German, Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian markets form the core attendance, but the Salzburg location — easily accessible from Munich, Vienna, and across Central Europe — makes it a genuinely international event. The camping allocation is substantial, with four separate campsites on the surrounding farmland provided by local farmers.
What should you expect at Electric Love 2026?
Seven stages running across three full days plus the Wednesday warm-up, covering a wider genre range than any single electronic festival in the region. The ELF Mainstage at the pit straight is the primary show production stage — this is where the highest-profile names headline and where the Opening Ceremony takes place. The Club Circus stage is the most musically diverse: a covered hangar that hosts FCK Genres warm-up on Wednesday, colourful mixed programming Thursday, Blacklist Bass Music on Friday, and Hard Techno on Saturday. The BlueBoXX stage offers an intimate setting with stage takeovers by guest hosts. The Almhütte — a traditional Austrian after-ski hut concept — provides a counterpoint to the electronic programme with party hits from the ’90s and ’00s.
The race circuit setting gives Electric Love a specific physical character: the infield is flat and open, the grandstands provide both seating and elevated viewing, and the surrounding valley hills contain the sound in a way that creates an unusually good acoustic environment for an outdoor festival. July in Salzburg province averages 22 to 28 degrees Celsius (72 to 82 Fahrenheit) during the day, dropping to 14 to 18 degrees (57 to 64 Fahrenheit) at night in the valley — the temperature differential is significant and layering is essential.
When and where is Electric Love Festival 2026?
Electric Love Festival 2026 warm-up: Wednesday July 8. Main festival: Thursday July 9 through Saturday July 11. Venue: Salzburgring, Plainfeld, Austria. The Salzburgring is located between Koppl and Plainfeld in the Salzkammergut district, approximately 15 kilometres east of Salzburg city centre.
How do you get tickets to Electric Love Festival 2026?
Tickets and camping passes are available at electriclove.at. Festival passes and camping add-ons are sold separately. ELF Hotel packages are available for those preferring hotel accommodation over camping. Klarna deferred payment is available at checkout for spreading the cost. The festival has offered early-bird pricing in previous editions — check the ticket page as the event approaches for current availability and pricing tiers.
Who is playing at Electric Love Festival 2026?
The 2026 lineup covers the full width of Electric Love’s genre remit. Thursday night headline: Swedish House Mafia and John Newman. Friday night headline: Armin van Buuren, Hugel, and Klangkünstler. Saturday headline: BUNT., Dimitri Vegas, KSHMR, and Paul Kalkbrenner.
The full supporting lineup across all stages includes Swedish House Mafia, John Newman, Armin van Buuren, Hugel, Klangkünstler, D-Block & S-te-Fan, Pendulum DJ Set, Sub Zero Project, Sofi Tukker, Toby Romeo, Angerfist, Rooler, Spitnoise, Vertile, Paul Elstak, Neelix, Dimension, Avaion, Sickmode, Dimitri K, Chapter V, and 150+ more artists across 7 stages and all three days. The BlueBoXX stage hosts Ragemode on Thursday, Toby Romeo on Friday, Radio Rudina and Slashy Disco on Saturday. Full schedule at electriclove.at.
What should you wear to Electric Love Festival 2026?
Electric Love’s 70-nation crowd brings an international festival fashion sensibility — the range is wider than a single-city event, which means you will see more variety and more commitment to individual looks than at a more homogenous crowd festival. The race circuit setting rewards looks with visual presence: the flat infield gives you sightlines across a large crowd, which means your look reads at a distance in a way it wouldn’t in a more enclosed space.
The Austrian July temperature range is the critical practical consideration. The afternoon hours at 22 to 28 degrees (72 to 82 Fahrenheit) are comfortable in a festival bodysuit or dress. The valley at night drops to 14 to 18 degrees (57 to 64 Fahrenheit) — considerably colder than many festivalgoers expect for a July event. A mirror or metallic piece as your festival base, with a warm layer for the post-midnight sets, handles the full day-to-night arc. Browse the rave accessories collection for pieces that complete an Electric Love look.
Shop the look — Electric Love Festival 2026
Astra Gold Mirror Sequin Fringe Dress
€265.95
Kayla Mirror Rhinestone Bodysuit
€187.95
Alessia Rose Sequin Bodysuit with Fringe Skirt
€159.95
Neon Green Rave Bodysuit with Accessories
€39.95
What should you pack for Electric Love Festival 2026?
- Warm layer for evenings — valley temperatures drop to 14–18°C (57–64°F) after midnight; this surprises almost every first-timer
- Rain poncho — Austrian summer weather can deliver short sharp showers at any point in the programme
- Tent and sleeping gear if camping — sleeping bag rated below 12°C (54°F) for the cooler nights
- Sunscreen SPF 50+ — the open infield during afternoon programme is full Austrian summer sun
- Comfortable camping footwear with grip for the hillside camping areas
- Portable phone charger
- Valid photo ID — 16+ enforced
- Cash in euros
- Refillable water bottle
What is not allowed at Electric Love Festival 2026?
Electric Love is 16+ with ID required at entry. Outside alcohol is not permitted into the main festival grounds (camping policies vary — check electriclove.at before packing). Glass containers are banned. Professional cameras require accreditation. Drones are prohibited. The full prohibited items list is at electriclove.at. The Organics Beach event at Fuschlsee lake runs before the festival as a separated wellness event with yoga and creative sessions — check separately if this interests you.
How do you get to Electric Love Festival 2026?
The Salzburgring is approximately 15 kilometres east of Salzburg city centre. Salzburg Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Airport (SZG) has connections from major European hubs and direct flights from several UK and German cities. From Salzburg Airport, the journey to the festival is approximately 25 to 35 minutes by taxi or rideshare. Train to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof followed by shuttle bus to the festival is the most common approach for non-drivers — the festival runs official shuttle services from Salzburg city during the event.
Munich is approximately 1.5 hours by train or car and is the most common gateway for attendees flying into Bavaria rather than Salzburg directly. Vienna is approximately 3 hours by train. The surrounding Austrian road network and A1 motorway make car travel viable, with campsite parking adjacent to the festival grounds for those arriving by vehicle.
Where should you stay for Electric Love Festival 2026?
On-site camping is the dominant accommodation choice for Electric Love, with four campsites across the Salzburgring farmland surroundings. The campground culture at ELF is well-established — the majority of the festival community camps rather than commuting, and the campsite is an active social space throughout the weekend. ELF Hotel packages are available through electriclove.at for those preferring hotel accommodation, with Salzburg’s city centre hotels (approximately 15 to 20 minutes from the Salzburgring) as the most convenient non-camping option. Salzburg has a well-developed tourism hotel infrastructure at generally reasonable prices by Central European standards.
What food and drink is available at Electric Love?
Electric Love’s food programme covers Central European festival standards — sausage, schnitzel, kräuterspätzle, pizza — plus international options across the seven stage areas. The Almhütte stage has its own food and drink operation reflecting the alpine hütte aesthetic. The campground has vendor coverage for the extended days. The Salzkammergut lake district surrounding the festival has genuine Austrian food culture in the nearby towns of Hof bei Salzburg and Mattsee — worth exploring for a pre-festival dinner if arriving on Wednesday or Thursday.
What are the best tips for Electric Love Festival 2026?
The Club Circus stage is the most structurally interesting programming decision Electric Love makes each year — the combination of FCK Genres warm-up on Wednesday, Bass Music on Friday, and Hard Techno on Saturday in the same hangar reflects a programming philosophy that genuinely values cross-genre exploration rather than genre-streaming. If your taste extends beyond the mainstage headliners, this is where the most distinctive Electric Love moments happen.
The warm-up on Wednesday exists for a reason. The festival at that point is smaller, the camping is calmer, and the programme is intimate in a way that the Thursday through Saturday peak does not replicate. If logistics allow arriving Wednesday, the investment is worthwhile.
Pack for cold nights regardless of the July date. Every year, attendees arrive in Austrian alpine valley conditions and are surprised that the temperature drops to 15 degrees at 2 AM. The sleeping bag rating matters for the camping experience.
Are there after parties at Electric Love Festival 2026?
The Almhütte stage extends later than the main programme each night, providing an on-site late option for those who want to keep going after the mainstage closes. Salzburg’s club scene — concentrated around the Rudolfskai area and the Linzergasse neighbourhood — picks up the overflow for those making the 15-minute return to the city. The Austrian club culture around Salzburg and the Munich radius produces after-events in the surrounding venues during ELF weekend — check Resident Advisor’s Salzburg calendar for programmed events and DJ Mag’s Electric Love coverage for any officially affiliated events.
FAQ: Electric Love Festival 2026
Where is Electric Love Festival 2026?
Electric Love Festival 2026 takes place at the Salzburgring in Plainfeld, Austria, approximately 15 kilometres east of Salzburg city centre. The Salzburgring is a working race circuit in the Salzkammergut lake district. Navigation address: Dreieckfeld 1, 5232 Henndorf am Wallersee.
When is Electric Love Festival 2026?
The warm-up party runs on Wednesday July 8. The main festival runs Thursday July 9 through Saturday July 11, 2026.
Who is headlining Electric Love Festival 2026?
Thursday headline: Swedish House Mafia and John Newman. Friday headline: Armin van Buuren, Hugel, and Klangkünstler. Saturday headline: BUNT., Dimitri Vegas, KSHMR, and Paul Kalkbrenner. Supporting artists include Pendulum DJ Set, Sub Zero Project, D-Block & S-te-Fan, Sofi Tukker, Angerfist, Rooler, and 150+ more across 7 stages.
Is there camping at Electric Love Festival?
Yes. Electric Love has four campsites on the surrounding farmland adjacent to the Salzburgring. Camping is included as an add-on to festival passes. ELF Hotel packages are also available for those preferring hotel accommodation in Salzburg.
How many people attend Electric Love Festival?
Electric Love Festival draws 180,000 visitors from over 70 nations across the three-day main programme, making it Austria’s largest electronic music festival and one of the significant events on the Central European summer circuit.
