EXIT Festival is making waves with an ambitious expansion into Montenegro, launching two free-to-attend festivals on the country’s Adriatic coast this summer. The Serbian festival giant has assembled a massive lineup including Charlotte de Witte, Peggy Gou, Jamie Jones, Argy, Stephan Bodzin, HUGEL, Monolink, and Maceo Plex for the new project dubbed ‘EXIT to Montenegro.’

The two main festival weekends will take place at prime beachfront locations: July 3-6 at Long Beach (Velika Plaža) in Ulcinj, followed by August 28-31 at Bečići Beach in Budva. With free entry via registration and more than 50 regional acts joining the international lineup, this marks one of Europe’s most ambitious new festival launches this year.

The first festival weekend at Long Beach showcases a more stripped-down festival experience from July 3-6, led by Argy, Jamie Jones, Maceo Plex, Monolink, Stephan Bodzin, and Awen. Stretching over 13 kilometers, Long Beach ranks as one of Europe’s longest sandy beaches and has become a popular kitesurfing destination known for its beach clubs and sunset bars.

EXIT organizers are positioning this edition around a back-to-basics philosophy. “Under the tagline: ‘No LED, no SFX, no BS! Just pure music, sunsets, and sea,’ we’re returning to the roots of club culture at a time when production often overshadows the music,” they explained. As one of the last undeveloped stretches of coastline in the Mediterranean, particular care will be taken to preserve the area’s natural ecosystem.

The August edition moves to Bečići Beach in Budva, Montenegro’s tourism capital, with programming running from August 28-31. This weekend will be headlined by Charlotte de Witte, Peggy Gou, HUGEL, Enrico Sangiuliano, and John Newman, who will debut his new live show. Additional acts are expected to be announced soon.

Warm-up events will build momentum ahead of each festival weekend — July 1-3 at Long Beach and August 24-27 at Bečići Beach. Much of the programming draws from EXIT’s acclaimed Dance Arena, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading electronic music stages.

Both festivals operate with free admission through prior registration as part of EXIT Festival’s World Tour 2026. The initiative aims to extend Montenegro’s tourism season and boost music tourism in the region. Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has stated the project is expected to generate more than 210,000 overnight stays and over €40 million in tourism revenue, positioning Montenegro as a key destination on the global music scene this summer.

Free registration and full programming details are available at exit2montenegro.me.