Dekmantel

Amsterdam, Netherlands
August 2 - August 6

One of the best parties in the electronic music calendar returns to the green expanses of Amsterdamse Bos across three days. Boasting slick production, crisp sound and innovative stage design, Dekmantel is a well-oiled machine and bags of fun. New this year will be the Radar stage in partnership with HÖR Radio (replacing Boiler Room), featuring the likes of S-candalo, Ikonika and Octo Octa. Ahead of the festival proper, Resident Advisor will once again host a series of talks and workshops at EYE Film Institute with artists like Donato Dozzy, Martyn and Bitter Babe.

RA Pick: Ramp up the BPMs in UFO II with Yazzus and her extensive collection of edits.

NACHTI

Cavertitz, Germany
August 4 - August 6

Formerly known as Nachtdigital and then Escape To Olganitz, the beloved DIY festival has been running in some form for more than two decades thanks to its loyal community of followers. It takes place by a lake in a small corner of Germany's Saxony region, presenting a mix of world-class techno, house and electro alongside a dedicated ambient programme. Sapphire Slows, Salamanda and Priori are three of many highlights in 2023. Given how popular NACHTI has proven over the decades, if this is your first time, it probably won't be your last.

RA Pick: Bashkka—whose track "C-quence Of Calamities" has been a hit in the club this year—should dazzle with a sensual set of house, acid, techno and trance.

Houghton

Norfolk, United Kingdom
August 10 - August 14

In the space of a few years (and in the face of some well-documented setbacks), Houghton has become one the UK's most cherished dance music festivals. Each edition of the Norfolk event has gone above and beyond in terms of lineup—and 2023 is no different. With more than 60 artists poised to make their Houghton debut—including Batu, Donato Dozzy, Josey Rebelle, Roy Ayers and Tikiman—all the ingredients are there for another memorable year.

RA Pick: A rare UK appearance from minimal master Zip.

Waha Festival

Transylvania, Romania
August 10 - August 15

A neat microcosm of the Romanian underground, Waha Festival has been tripping people out in the magical hills of the Carpathian Mountains since 2012. The global gathering is rooted in psytrance, but you'll hear minimal techno, deep house, ambient, experimental and all things acoustic across its seven stages. Decompress at the ambient Aural Stage with Chillin' Berlin after a solid stomp to some serious psytrance at the Treep Stage, which overlooks an expansive green valley. Switch the vibe at the Polyfloora stage with Jane Fitz, Økapi and Sofus Forsberg—and then with Miss I and Alexandra at the Beech Stage.

RA Pick: Eat Static's blend of alien techno and psychedelic trance.

Brunch Electronik Festival

Barcelona, Spain
August 11 - August 13

After a decade of events in cities like São Paulo and Madrid, the Brunch crew are throwing their debut festival in Barcelona. Split between Parc del Fòrum and Jardins de Joan Brossa, the three-day event promises to be the mother of all Brunch parties, with big-ticket live acts like Little Dragon, Hot Chip and Paul Kalkbrenner joining best-in-class DJs including Eris Drew & Octo Octa, Marcel Dettmann and Detroit's own DJ Holographic. (Full disclosure: RA is hosting a stage—more details coming later this week.) For anyone looking to extend the party into the early hours, Nitsa and Sala Apolo have you covered, hosting afterparties with Tama Sumo, Axel Boman and more.

RA Pick: Celebrate Underworld's indisputable influence on rave music.

DT Camp

Secret location, Lithuania
August 11 - August 13

Lithuanian promoter, label and mix series Digital Tsunami has been throwing events for ten years. To celebrate the milestone, intimate forest rave DT Camp is back. The festival takes place over three days, culminating in its traditional secret Vilnius party on August 14th. The programme includes performances from local talent such as Patricia Kokett, Times New Roman and Vladas Dieninis, as well as a host of European artists.

RA Pick: Don't miss minimal wave and industrial maestro Alessandro Adriani performing live.

Honcho Campout

Pennsylvania, United States
August 16 - August 20

Tucked away in the woods of Pennsylvania, Honcho is, in many ways, more than your average festival. The team behind the event describes it as "a queer gathering that celebrates those doing the heavy lifting in their local scenes." This year, the six-day event boasts an impressive US-focused lineup, jam-packed with DJ sets from the likes of JADALAREIGN, AK, Ali Berger, Yibing and Ariel Zetina. But the programme doesn't just stop at music—it also includes mindfulness sessions, ballroom performers, drag artists and more.

RA Pick: Experience Honcho favourite CCL wiggling behind the decks during another of their ecstatic, trippy and genre-defying excursions.

Field Maneuvers

Norfolk, United Kingdom
August 18 - August 20

After a successful crowdfunding campaign to secure its future, Field Maneuvers is celebrating a decade of dancing this year. In the festival's own words, it's pulling "out all the stops," with stage takeovers by collectives like Dialled In, Black Artist Database and Dalston Superstore, along with festival debuts from the likes of Manara and DJ Wawa. Headliners include I. JORDAN, Bored Lord, Steffi and Optimo. Get ready to lose your mind in the laserdome.

RA Pick: Big Dyke Energy residents FAFF are a perfect fit for the festival's "dirty little rave" mentality.

MUTEK

Montreal, Canada
August 22 - August 28

Held in downtown Montreal, MUTEK's flagship edition never fails to stimulate the senses. From engaging audiovisual experiences and intimate performances to informative workshops, the programme seeks to immerse audience members into MUTEK's world of digital creativity. For the 24th edition, at least 30 acts will make their debuts, with a total of 80 live performances scheduled over the course of six days. All in all, it's an opportune time to embrace your inner tech-head and soak in some mind-blowing visuals.

RA Pick: Japanese artists Hatis Noit and Yuma Kishi team up for a collaborative performance involving powerful vocals and AI-driven art.

INOTA

Várpalota, Hungary
August 31 - September 3

Taking place in a now-decommissioned thermal power plant around an hour from Budapest, INOTA is a new audiovisual festival with an exciting, experimental lineup to match its unique backdrop. Artists such as Caterina Barbieri, Forest Swords, Nils Frahm, Space Afrika and Lucrecia Dalt will all perform for what is a joint initiative between the European Capital of Culture programme and some of the collectives that make up Hungary's thriving electronic music scene.

RA Pick: Partnering with frequent Aphex Twin collaborator Weirdcore, Kenyan experimentalist Slikback will unleash a mind-melting audiovisual performance.

Find our full festival listings for August here

A previous version of this article said that Bake will be making his Field Maneuvers debut. That's incorrect.