Karrusel Festival 2026: Dates, Lineup & Everything You Need to Know
Karrusel Festival is back for its seventh edition. Three days, one forest, and a lineup that covers the full spectrum of contemporary electronic music – from Belgian techno powerhouses to Japanese bass music sensations to electro legends you first heard in the 1980s. Running from Thursday 27 to Saturday 29 August 2026 on Refshaleøen, Copenhagen’s most creative island, Karrusel has quietly become one of the most distinctive festival weekends in northern Europe.
If you haven’t been before, here’s what you need to know. If you’re a returning raider of the enchanted forest, here’s your 2026 update.
What Is Karrusel?
Karrusel is a three-day electronic music festival set in a secluded green spot on Refshaleøen – the same former industrial island that hosts Distortion Ø in June. The venue is a former shipyard turned creative hub, and Karrusel’s section of it leans into the forest and open air. It’s intimate by modern festival standards – capacity is around 10,000 – and that intimacy is a feature, not a limitation.
The name means “carousel” in Danish, and the festival takes it seriously: there are actual fairground rides on site, a tea house buried in the forest, burlesque and aerial performances, tarot readings, a retro gaming area, a bonfire, a champagne lounge, a photobooth and face painting. The carousel ride itself is free with your ticket. This is not just a music festival with a pretty setting. It’s a constructed world you spend three nights inside.
The music spans house, disco, techno, garage, UKG, dubstep, bass music and everything that bleeds between them. Past editions have hosted Peggy Gou, Charlotte de Witte, Richie Hawtin, Folamour, Mall Grab, The Blessed Madonna, Hunee and Dixon. The 2026 edition brings Amelie Lens, Ellen Allien, Monolink, horsegiirL, Christian Löffler, Acid Pauli and 45+ more.
Karrusel 2026 Dates & Opening Hours
| Date | Hours |
|---|---|
| Thursday 27 August | 18:00–01:00 |
| Friday 28 August | 18:00–04:00 |
| Saturday 29 August | 18:00–03:00 |
Address: Refshalevej 183, 1432 Copenhagen
The Karrusel 2026 Lineup at a Glance
Thursday 27 August: Monolink, Egyptian Lover, Acid Pauli, Conducta, Lou Nour (fka SICARIA), Christina Evangelista, Ena Cosovic, Jungle Julia, Kip Analog, Ricardo Roessel, Tindra & Pentti Igor, Vincent’s Older Sister, and more
Friday 28 August: Amelie Lens, Bad Boombox, Christian Löffler, Helena Lauwaert, riria, Y U QT, DGERAL, DJ Spice b2b Draber666, Käpt’n 12 & Düsentrieb, Letizia, Maaje, Mary Harp, Nilu, Redline Warriors, Sam Good, Valentina, and more
Saturday 29 August: Ellen Allien, horsegiirL, Mischluft, Notion, RHR, Shkoon, Babysquid, Baime, Buja b2b Sayaa, Disfunctional Disco, Halfdan Sandquist, Mia Kober, Parashoot, Suzie The Cockroach, Volker Arnold, and more.
The Stages
Karrusel runs across four music stages plus the legendary HakkertDukkert’s Tea House returning in 2026:
Manegen – The main stage. Big name headliners, biggest crowd, highest production.
Tribunen – The second stage. Equally strong programming in a more stripped-back setting.
Arkaden – The covered stage for when the Danish August weather does what Danish August weather does.
HakkertDukkert’s Tea House – The forest tea house buried deep in the site. Hypnotic trance, intimate atmosphere, the most underground corner of Karrusel. Think: Shadow Stage energy.
What Else Is There to Do?
Beyond the music, Karrusel 2026 includes:
- Free carousel rides with your festival ticket
- Burlesque and aerial performances throughout the weekend
- Tarot card readings by the resident witch
- Retro gaming area
- Bonfire
- Champagne lounge
- Face paint at the makeup salon
- Photobooth
- Multiple food and drink vendors
Karrusel is worth arriving early for. The non-music elements of the site reward exploration, and the atmosphere before the headliners start is genuinely different from the late-night peak.
Tickets
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Festival Pass (Regular) | 1.500 DKK |
| Festival Pass (Final – when Regular sells out) | 1.650 DKK |
| Thursday single day | 600 DKK |
| Friday single day | 700 DKK |
| Saturday single day | 700 DKK |
Booking fee: 30 DKK per ticket. Age limit: 18+.
Tickets available exclusively at karrusel.dk/tickets via Tickster.
Getting There
Karrusel takes place at Refshalevej 183 on Refshaleøen. Options:
- Harbour bus – From Nyhavn and the inner harbour, this is the most atmospheric approach
- Bicycle – 20–30 minutes from most central Copenhagen neighbourhoods
- Bus – Check Rejseplanen (rejseplanen.dk) for current routes
- Taxi/rideshare – Convenient but expect queues at closing time
The festival takes place rain or shine. Pack a layer for late nights near the water.
