EXIT Festival has confirmed it will return to Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia, next July. The news reverses an earlier decision to stop holding its flagship event in the country, and it arrives only days after Serbia's student-led movement won a historic election victory.
At a glance
- What: a special EXIT experience built around the themes of freedom, unity and love
- When: July 2027
- Where: Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Full return: planned for 2028
What we know
The organizers had originally planned a full-scale return for 2028, because an event of this size takes a huge amount of logistical work. Fans responded so strongly to the idea of coming home that the team decided to stage a special 2027 edition first. Details of that edition have not been revealed yet.
Last year, EXIT said political, security and financial concerns meant it would no longer hold the festival in Serbia. That followed its public backing of the student protests, which began after a concrete canopy collapsed outside the Novi Sad railway station on November 1, 2024. The collapse killed 16 people and pushed many to speak out against corruption. According to the source, EXIT was the only major Serbian festival to support the protests openly.
While it was away from Serbia in 2026, the festival grew its international footprint. Its latest global series included editions in Croatia, North Macedonia and Montenegro, plus one at the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Why it matters
EXIT was founded in 2000 as a student movement rooted in democracy and peace, and the fortress has been its home for decades. Seeing it go back there ties the festival to its origins and gives its fans in the region something to plan around.
For now, the 2027 programme is still unknown, so it is worth watching the festival's official channels for lineup and ticket news. You can also read our earlier piece on EXIT Festival weighing a return to Serbia after the election, or browse the Exit Festival event page.
