Sunburn Festival is set to return with its 19th edition, bringing a major format and venue shift for 2026. The flagship electronic dance music festival will take place on December 18 and 19, 2026, at Mumbai’s
iconic Mahalaxmi Racecourse, with a grand closing party scheduled at the NSCI Dome on December 20.
Registrations for the festival are now open on BookMyShow. This year’s edition comes with the theme “Awaken The Core”, signalling what the organisers describe as a more concentrated, immersive and high-impact festival experience.
Sunburn Festival Moves To Mahalaxmi Racecourse
For its 2026 edition, Sunburn Festival will move to Mahalaxmi Racecourse, one of Mumbai’s most prominent live event venues. The location has previously hosted several landmark music moments, including Avicii’s early India performance in 2011, Swedish House Mafia’s show in 2013, Martin Garrix’s 2016 performance and Keinemusik’s recent spectacle.
The move to the centrally located venue is aimed at making the festival more accessible for fans travelling from across Mumbai and other cities. With its large-format event infrastructure and strong connectivity, Mahalaxmi Racecourse is being positioned as a natural next step for a festival of Sunburn’s scale.
New Two-Day Format And NSCI Dome Closing Party
Sunburn Festival 2026 will also introduce a reimagined two-day format. Instead of a longer festival structure, this edition will focus on a concentrated, high-energy experience with sharper programming and a more immersive flow of performances.
The festival will conclude with a massive closing party at the NSCI Dome on December 20, extending the celebration beyond the main two days at Mahalaxmi Racecourse.
The organisers said the changes are designed to put fan experience at the centre, with better connectivity, stronger curation and a more powerful finale.
Ticket Sale Details
Registrations are now open on BookMyShow.
Exclusive pre-sale for RuPay Credit Card holders will go live on May 14, 2026, at 12 PM. Registered users will get access to tickets from May 16, 2026, at 12 PM. General ticket sales will open for all on May 18, 2026, at 12 PM on BookMyShow.
Karan Singh On Sunburn Festival 2026
Speaking about the announcement, Karan Singh, CEO, Sunburn, said, “Sunburn Festival has always been built with the audience at its core, evolving each year into a defining cultural tradition for India’s music community to create experiences that are not just larger, but more meaningful and immersive. The move to Mumbai has played a significant role in this evolution, allowing us to reach new audiences while strengthening our core community, representing everything that has been building over the years, a moment where the festival’s identity, energy and vision come together in a way that is ready to stand alongside the world’s most iconic music festivals.”
He added that every decision this year, from the move to Mahalaxmi Racecourse to the new format, has been made to enhance the way fans experience the festival.
“Our ambition is to continue setting benchmarks for live entertainment in India while aligning with global standards, where scale, storytelling and community come together in a more powerful way than ever before,” he said.
Sunburn 2026 Theme: Awaken The Core
This year’s theme, Awaken The Core, marks a new creative direction for the festival. According to the organisers, it reflects Sunburn’s evolution over the years, from a large-scale electronic music event to a cultural gathering shaped by energy, community and immersive storytelling.
The theme points to a shift from pure spectacle to deeper intensity, with the festival aiming to create a more emotionally charged and collective experience for fans.
Sunburn’s Growing Legacy
Sunburn began in 2007 as a three-day music festival and has grown into one of Asia’s biggest electronic dance music festivals. Over the years, it has brought several global artists to India, including Swedish House Mafia, Martin Garrix, Tiesto, Avicii, Hardwell, Deadmau5, Armin van Buuren, David Guetta, Afrojack, Above & Beyond, The Chainsmokers, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Marshmello, Paul Van Dyk, Skazi, Pete Tong, Dash Berlin and Nicky Romero.
The festival has also expanded beyond India with editions and events in Colombo, Kathmandu, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Melbourne. In 2025, Sunburn secured the eighth spot on DJ Mag’s Top 100 Festivals list.
Sunburn Festival 2026 is presented by RuPay and driven by Hyundai, with Tuborg Zero Packaged Drinking Water as part of the festival branding. The lineup and further experience details are expected to be announced soon.
