Every summer, a temporary “technopolis” rises from the Spanish desert for 22 hours only. The occasion? Monegros Desert Festival — an uninterrupted day-to-night-to-day rave and one of Europe’s most unique destination festivals. The event will return for its 32nd edition this July, making it one of the longest-running festivals in our Top 100 poll. Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin and Pendulum will be heading into the desert to headline the celebrations, alongside recent additions Rudimental, Indira Paganotto, Ben Sims, Cinthie and more. They’ll be joined by 50,000+ revellers set to make the pilgrimage to the festival site — which is located three hours outside Barcelona. Monegros has come a long way since its debut back in 1992, founded and launched by entrepreneur Juan Arnau Dura. The first edition of the festival was a small gathering of around 200 people, which has steadily grown year on year into a 13-stage extravaganza. “The desert is always a challenge: setup, logistics, production… But every year we strive to outdo ourselves,” shared founders, Juan and Cruz Arnau. “We bet on creativity, impactful stages, and impeccable sound that makes every grain of sand vibrate. And, above all, we want to keep improving artistically and with the line-up. This year, we’re joined by new stages, collaborations, and areas that will surprise even the most seasoned veterans.” OLIVIA STOCK
