The first Starlight Festival Giza edition is in the books. Over the weekend of October 9 and 10, the team behind Serbia’s EXIT festival and Egyptian partner P+US staged a sold out, two night electronic music festival on a site overlooking the Great Pyramids, with Charlotte de Witte closing the main stage in her first ever show in Egypt. Organizers say fans travelled in from 114 countries, and they are already calling it the biggest electronic music gathering at the pyramids since Jean-Michel Jarre’s millennium concert in 1999.
Starlight Festival Giza: what happened over the weekend
Starlight was billed as the first multiday, multistage electronic music festival held at the pyramids, and more than 60 international and regional acts played across its stages. The main stage carried the biggest names: Charlotte de Witte, Michael Bibi, Adriatique, Indira Paganotto, Enrico Sangiuliano, Vintage Culture and Pete Tong. Cloonee, fresh off the release of his debut album, was also on the bill according to DJ Mag and Serbian daily Danas.
Live sets from WhoMadeWho and Satori drew particular praise in the organizers’ recap. EXIT’s own No Sleep stage, a fixture of its Novi Sad festival, made the trip as well, hosting Charlie Sparks, BIIA, Layla Benitez, Paolo Ferrara and Olympe among others. Giolì & Assia then closed out the weekend with a farewell show in Cairo on Sunday.
De Witte arrived in Egypt shortly after retaining the World’s No. 1 Techno DJ title in this year’s DJ Mag Top 100, where she placed sixth overall. One clarification for readers comparing coverage: a DJ Mag report described her as keeping the “World’s No. 1 DJ” title, but the published poll results put David Guetta at No. 1 overall and de Witte at No. 1 in the techno category.
One number is still missing. Pollstar reported that an exact attendance figure was not available, while Serbian outlets N1 and Danas described the crowd as tens of thousands. Until EXIT publishes a count, “sold out” is the confirmed headline.
A production built around the pyramids
The visual side was handled by Sila Sveta, the multimedia studio whose credits include work at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Its main stage design used lighting and optical illusions so the pyramids appeared to hover above the stage, flanked by two giant illuminated triangles that echoed the monuments behind them.
Why EXIT ended its world tour in Egypt
Starlight was the closing chapter of an international tour EXIT has run since it lost its home. The festival, normally held at the Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, publicly backed the student led protests that followed the deadly 2024 collapse at Novi Sad’s newly renovated railway station, which killed 16 people. Access All Areas reports that EXIT was later stripped of more than €1.5 million in government funding and state controlled sponsorship, and there was no 2026 edition at the fortress.
Speaking to Access All Areas earlier this year, EXIT’s Dušan Kovačević and Ivan Milivojev stressed that the touring model was never meant to replace the fortress, which they called “irreplaceable.” Their plan, they said, was to keep the brand active abroad “until we can return home.” Giza turned that plan into the tour’s biggest night.
The Egyptian side matters too. P+US is the electronic music platform of Venture Lifestyle, the company that has been steadily building a calendar of shows at the pyramids. The site has hosted a string of major dance events since Egypt’s tourism ministry began allowing it to be rented for private and commercial events in 2023, including a Circoloco party in November 2024, an Anyma show in October 2025 and Tiësto in December 2025.
The heritage debate has not gone away
The weekend also arrived with a legal question hanging over it. In October 2025, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights filed a lawsuit on behalf of a coalition of Egyptologists, archaeologists and heritage specialists, asking authorities to halt large scale events around the pyramids. According to Mixmag MENA, the filing argues that loud nighttime concerts and their vibrations could threaten the ancient stone, and that laser rigs do not meet international lighting standards for heritage sites. DJ Mag and We Rave You both referenced the case in their Starlight coverage. We could not find any reported ruling, so its status remains unconfirmed.
How fans and artists reacted
Reaction from people on site leaned heavily on the setting. Alex Tripi, cofounder and CEO of the Pete Tong DJ Academy, posted on Instagram that the production was striking, but added, “The best part was the energy,” according to Pollstar. Danas reported that attendees adopted a running joke for the weekend: “It’s Giza, not Ibiza!”
The organizers’ recap also shared a few backstage details. Michael Bibi brought his parents and, after his main stage set, reportedly danced unrecognized in the No Sleep crowd. De Witte stayed in Egypt for three days with her father and friends, while Indira Paganotto flew in straight from closing Ibiza’s [UNVRS] with her 13 person ARTCORE crew and stayed until Monday.
What comes next for Starlight
EXIT has already confirmed a second edition for November 5 and 6, 2027, at the same site, with preregistration open on the official website. The open questions are whether the heritage lawsuit leads to new limits on events at the pyramids, and whether EXIT can return to Novi Sad. For now, the debut gave the festival a second home on a far bigger stage. Read Pollstar’s report on the debut for the industry view.
FAQ
When was Starlight Festival Giza?
The first edition took place on October 9 and 10, 2026, with a farewell show in Cairo on Sunday, October 11.
Who headlined Starlight Festival?
Charlotte de Witte closed the main stage in her first Egyptian show. Michael Bibi, Adriatique, Indira Paganotto, Enrico Sangiuliano, Vintage Culture and Pete Tong also played the main stage.
Who organizes Starlight Festival?
EXIT, the Serbian festival brand, and P+US, the electronic music platform of Venture Lifestyle.
Will Starlight Festival return in 2027?
Yes. A second edition is set for November 5 and 6, 2027, at the same site near the Great Pyramids.
How many people attended?
The event sold out and drew fans from 114 countries, according to organizers. An official attendance figure has not been published.
