Sunburn

Sunburn is Asia's largest electronic dance music festival, founded in 2007 and owned by BookMyShow. Originally held in Goa, the festival moved its flagship edition to Mumbai in 2025 for the first time in its history. The 2025 edition ran December 19-21 at Infinity Bay in Sewri, Mumbai, headlined by David Guetta, Axwell, Above & Beyond, and Sara Landry. The 2026 edition is scheduled for December 18-19 at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai, under the theme "Awaken The Core."

How Sunburn Works

Sunburn operates as a multi-day outdoor electronic music festival with multiple stages, each dedicated to a different sub-genre of electronic music. The festival has evolved from its origins as a beach-side destination event in Goa into a large-scale urban festival.

Key operational details:

1. Venues and Format: From 2007 to 2024, Sunburn was held primarily in Goa (with editions in Pune and other cities). In 2025, the flagship edition moved to Infinity Bay in Sewri, Mumbai. The 2026 edition shifts to Mahalaxmi Racecourse, reducing from three days to two days (December 18-19), followed by a separate closing party at the 6,000-capacity NSCI Dome on December 20.
2. Ticketing: Tickets are sold exclusively through BookMyShow. The 2025 edition offered four tiers: General Admission starting at Rs 7,000 (all three days, no amenities), VIP at Rs 12,000 (elevated viewing areas), VIP with backstage access at Rs 18,000 (includes AC restrooms and bar access), and a premium tier at Rs 50,000 (private lounge with unlimited food and drinks). Tickets open in tranches: first for RuPay credit card holders, then registered users, then general sale.
3. Programming and Stages: The festival programs multiple stages covering EDM, techno, trance, progressive house, and drum and bass. The 2025 edition featured headliners across the spectrum: David Guetta (big room EDM), Axwell (progressive house), Above & Beyond (trance/progressive), and Sara Landry (hard techno). The lineup also included Layla Benitez, Mathame, Vini Vici, Dubvision b2b Third Party, and dozens of Indian electronic artists.
4. Indian Talent Showcase: Sunburn consistently programs Indian electronic artists alongside international headliners. The 2025 lineup included homegrown talent like Almost Human, Ana Lilia, Arcane, Axl Stace, and Bloodymascara, giving local artists exposure to large crowds.

Sunburn ranked 8th on DJ Mag's Top 100 Festivals of 2025 list, cementing its status as a globally recognized electronic music event. The festival has historically featured headliners including Martin Garrix, DJ Snake, Tiësto, Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex, Alesso, and Afrojack.

Real-World Example: Sunburn 2025

The 2025 edition ran December 19-21 at Infinity Bay in Sewri, Mumbai. This was the first time the flagship edition was held outside Goa since the festival's launch in 2007. The move followed a fan survey by organizers that found strong interest in exploring a new city, with Mumbai as the preferred destination.

David Guetta headlined as part of his Monolith tour, returning to Sunburn after previous performances in 2015 and 2017. Axwell (of Swedish House Mafia) brought his solo big-room set, while Above & Beyond delivered their signature emotional trance and progressive house journey. Sara Landry, known as the "Queen of Darkness," added hard techno energy to the lineup, representing the underground side of electronic music.

The 2025 theme was "Ascend: Beyond the Real," described by organizers as an immersive format with upgraded production, stage design, and infrastructure. Tickets went on sale in August 2025, with pre-sale for RuPay card holders followed by general sale on BookMyShow.

The 2026 edition is confirmed for December 18-19 at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai, under the theme "Awaken The Core." The shift to two days (from the traditional three) and the new venue reflect the festival's ongoing evolution. A closing party at NSCI Dome on December 20 will be ticketed separately. According to a survey of 2025 attendees, close to 50% traveled from outside Mumbai, confirming Sunburn's continued identity as a destination festival.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Sunburn is the single largest platform for electronic music artists in India. The festival's move to Mumbai has expanded its reach, with nearly half of attendees traveling from other cities. For Indian electronic producers and DJs, a Sunburn booking represents the highest-profile domestic slot available.

The strategy for getting booked:

1. Build a following on the Indian electronic music circuit. Sunburn bookers track artists who perform at smaller Indian festivals and club venues and generate streaming growth in the region.
2. Release music on recognized labels. Sunburn's programming team looks at label affiliations and streaming numbers when selecting supporting acts.
3. Connect with BookMyShow's booking team. As the festival owner, BookMyShow manages talent booking directly, so having an agent with relationships there is an advantage.
4. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your streaming growth in India and neighboring markets, as regional data factors into booking decisions.

A Sunburn performance puts you in front of tens of thousands of attendees and a large online audience. The festival's DJ Mag Top 100 ranking means international industry professionals also pay attention to the lineup.

Visit the official Sunburn website for lineup details, ticket information, and 2026 updates.

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