Dutch techno behemoth Awakenings holds numerous key events throughout the year. There’s its weeklong ADE series, which takes over Amsterdam’s Gashouder, the venue where the brand first started way back in 1997. And its intimate Upclose weekender at Spaarnwoude-park just outside of the Dutch capital. But the crowning glory — at least as far as our Top 100 Festivals poll is concerned — is Awakenings’ summer festival. Returning to its home of Beekse Bergen in the south of the Netherlands for three days each year, the event collates the best techno and house music have to offer. Having had to cancel its final day in 2023 due to severe weather, the Awakenings crew prepared perhaps their most impressive line-up to date for 2024, bringing in 125 acts. Name one of the current titans of techno and house and you can bet they were present. Honey Dijon? Check. Mochakk? Check. Indira Paganotto? Check. The new-gen’s fastest rising stars, like Estella Boersma, Clara Cuvé and Funk Tribu, rubbed shoulders with OGs like Richie Hawtin and DJ Rush. The biggest of the big — see: Adam Beyer back-to-back with Joseph Capriati — were billed alongside the underground’s finest, like Sally C, the Zenker Brothers and Cincity. Nearly 30 years deep and Awakenings shows no signs of slowing down. BEN HINDLE
