The Adriatic Sound Festival has wrapped its 2026 edition after three days of electronic music across two stages in Fano, on Italy’s Adriatic coast. It was my first time on this stretch of the Adriatic, and my first time at the festival, which is only in its second year. Even so, the lineup already holds its own against some of the more established names on the European circuit. That a festival this young can pull Boris Brejcha, Honey Dijon, FISHER, and Sven Väth to a coastal town in the Marche region says something about the ambition here.

My days were spent doing very little, in the best way. Long lunches, pasta, swimming in the Adriatic, the kind of dolce far niente that resets your system before a night of electronic music. The festival doesn’t start until the late afternoon, so there’s no rush. You recharge under the sun, then head to the site as the heat begins to soften. But before any of that, before the first kick drum hit the Temple Stage, there was a party at the Church of San Francesco, an ancient deconsecrated and roofless church in the historic center of Fano. It was the right way to begin, and it definitely set the tone for what was coming next.

Patrick Mason

Day one opened with Kiss ‘N’ Fly setting the tone on the Temple Stage, followed by Fifi Forte and HoneyLuv before Patrick Mason carried the momentum into the night. Boris Brejcha closed the stage with a two-hour headline set. On the Hangar Stage, Alessandro Tenti and Riccardo Prosperi opened, followed by Belladonna and Franky Wah. Miss Monique brought her sound into the early hours, with Ukrainian duo ARTBAT closing the night.

Miss Monique

Honey Dijon

Day two saw Italoboys b2b Niio open the Temple Stage, with Brunello and Saraga carrying the energy forward. Honey Dijon took over just before midnight, and Dutch duo ANOTR closed the stage in the early hours. The Hangar Stage was handed over to Teletech for a special takeover. Twofaced and Vladimir Dubyshkin set the tone, before Faster Horses and X Club raised the intensity. Anetha and SPFDJ kept things moving, with ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U and Jazzy b2b Jowi rounding out the takeover.

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FISHER

The final day brought Andre to the Temple Stage first, with Olive F and Sem Jacobs carrying the afternoon and evening. Dennis Ferrer built the momentum before FISHER closed the stage in the early hours. The Hangar Stage belonged to a Cocoon Takeover. Dana Ruh opened, with Gerd Janson b2b Roman Flügel and Marcel Dettmann carrying the night, before Sven Väth closed the stage and the festival.

Sven Väth

With FISHER and Sven Väth bringing the curtain down, Adriatic Sound Festival capped three days of electronic music on the Adriatic coast. For a festival in its second year, it already knows what it is. I’ll remember the music, but also the slow days that came before it. The 2026 edition is done, but I can’t wait to be back next year!