Untold Festival

Untold Festival is Romania's largest electronic music festival, held annually at Cluj Arena in Cluj-Napoca. The 2026 edition (the 11th, named UNTOLD ONE) ran August 6 to 9 with headliners including Sting, Martin Garrix, Marshmello, Kygo, The Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, Flo Rida, and Lewis Capaldi across four stages and over 200 artists. The festival drew 427,000 attendees in 2024, 470,000 in 2025 (the 10th anniversary edition), and over 500,000 in 2026.

The 2025 edition (UNTOLD X, August 7 to 10) celebrated the festival's 10th anniversary with 470,000 attendees from 150 countries and an economic impact of over 120 million euros for the local community. Post Malone opened his European tour at the festival, performing in front of over 60,000 fans. Armin van Buuren, who has performed at every Untold edition since the first in 2015, delivered a three-hour marathon set. Here is his full 2025 performance from his official YouTube channel:

How Untold Festival Works

Untold takes over Cluj Arena and the surrounding city for four days and nights. The festival operates across four main stages: the Main Stage (EDM and pop headliners), the Galaxy Stage (house and techno), the Daydreaming Stage (melodic and organic electronic), and the Alchemy Stage (drum and bass, hip-hop, and live electronic). Stages also extend into Central Park and along the Somes Riverbank, creating a citywide festival experience.

Key operational details:

1. Stages and Programming: The Main Stage hosts global EDM and pop headliners. The Galaxy Stage features underground house and techno acts like Carl Cox, Solomun, Jamie Jones, and Joseph Capriati. The Daydreaming Stage programs melodic and organic electronic acts. The Alchemy Stage books drum and bass, hip-hop, and live electronic crossover acts including Pendulum DJ Set, Denzel Curry, and Andy C.
2. Ticketing: Four-day general admission passes start at around 875 Lei (approximately 175 euros). Under-25 passes start at 760 Lei (approximately 155 euros). VIP Mainstage passes start at 2,167 Lei (approximately 440 euros). Day tickets are available from 500 Lei (approximately 100 euros). Tickets sell through the official Untold website and iAbilet.
3. Cashless System: Untold is a completely cashless festival. All purchases (food, drinks, merchandise) use a loaded wristband. You can top up online before the festival or at top-up stations on site. Any remaining balance is refundable after the festival.
4. Accommodation: Cluj-Napoca sells out months in advance during Untold week. Book early. Nearby towns like Floresti and Apahida offer cheaper options but require rideshares or buses to reach the arena each day.

Real-World Example: Untold Festival 2026

The 2026 edition marks the 11th year of Untold and the start of a new decade for the festival. Named UNTOLD ONE, the edition features over 200 artists across nine stages.

Day 1 (Thursday August 6) Main Stage headliners include Sting, The Chainsmokers, James Hype, and Maddix. The Galaxy Stage hosts Carl Cox and Gordo. The Alchemy Stage features Gramatik, Grasu XXL, and Pendulum DJ Set.

Day 2 (Friday August 7) Main Stage headliners include Kygo, Marshmello, Sebastian Ingrosso, Swae Lee, and Zara Larsson. The Galaxy Stage features Maceo Plex and Holy Priest.

Day 3 (Saturday August 8) Main Stage headliners include Lewis Capaldi, Lost Frequencies, Martin Garrix, and Tujamo. The Galaxy Stage hosts Joseph Capriati, Mau P, Solomun, and Jamie Jones. The Alchemy Stage features Denzel Curry, Camo and Krooked, and Albert NBN.

Day 4 (Sunday August 9) Main Stage headliners include Flo Rida, Steve Aoki, Alan Walker, Afrojack B2B R3hab, and Tash Sultana. The Galaxy Stage features Mrak and Sara Landry. The Alchemy Stage closes with Andy C, 911, and Azteca.

Notable Past Headliners

Untold has booked some of the biggest names in electronic music, pop, and rock since its first edition in 2015. Here is a year-by-year look at Main Stage headliners:

Armin van Buuren has performed at every Untold edition since 2015. His 2018 set, which lasted nearly 7 hours, is one of the most-watched festival sets on YouTube with over 4 million views:

The official 2023 aftermovie captures the scale of the festival across its eight stages and 235,000 square meters of festival grounds:

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Untold draws over 400,000 attendees across four days, making it one of the largest festivals in Europe by attendance. A booking here puts you in front of a massive international crowd drawn from across Romania, Europe, and beyond. The festival's multiple stages mean booking opportunities exist beyond the Main Stage, particularly on the Alchemy and Daydreaming stages which program niche genres and emerging acts.

The strategy for getting booked:

1. Target the Alchemy or Daydreaming stages if you produce drum and bass, hip-hop, or melodic electronic music. These stages book emerging acts alongside established names.
2. Build a following in Eastern Europe. Untold bookers track artists who perform well at regional Romanian and Eastern European venues and festivals.
3. Work with a booking agent who has relationships with the Untold Universe team. Most slots are filled through agent submissions.
4. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your streaming growth, as festival bookers look at streaming data when evaluating emerging acts.

Read our music festival strategy guide for a deeper dive on getting booked at major festivals.

Related Resources

• Music Festivals Directory - Explore other major European and international festivals
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming growth that attracts festival bookings
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Plan your Eastern European festival tour budget
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Learn how festival performances fit into a diversified income strategy
• Official Untold Festival Website

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