EXIT Festival, Novi Sad, Serbia

For 25 years EXIT Festival took place in Novi Sad, the second-largest city in Serbia, located on the banks of the Danube River. Its home was the iconic Petrovaradin Fortress, a large 18th-century fortress offering panoramic views over the city. Novi Sad can be reached from Belgrade by the fast train in about 40 minutes or by bus, or via Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport followed by ground transport.

The festival was founded in 2000 as a student movement promoting peace and democracy and has since evolved into one of Europe’s leading music festivals. EXIT is known for its wide-ranging lineup, including electronic music, rock, hip-hop, and pop, with performances from globally recognized artists. The unique setting within the fortress, with stages spread across its walls, tunnels, and courtyards, created a distinctive festival atmosphere and drew around 200,000 visitors a year. In June 2025 the organisers announced that the 25th edition, held on 10–13 July 2025, would be the last in Serbia, citing political and financial pressure after the festival had supported the student protests.

Since 2026 EXIT has been touring abroad. Its first 2026 chapter took place free of charge on Long Beach (Velika Plaža) in Ulcinj, Montenegro, on 3–6 July 2026 and drew more than 50,000 visitors, followed by a finale in Budva at the end of August. No EXIT edition is currently planned at Petrovaradin, but the fortress itself, with its clock tower, ramparts and views of the Danube, remains one of Novi Sad’s main sights and is free to walk around.

Prices and Opening Hours

At the last Novi Sad editions, day tickets cost roughly €40–70 and full festival passes about €120–180, with VIP upgrades at higher prices, while the 2026 beach events in Montenegro were free to attend.

At Petrovaradin the festival ran mainly at night, with gates opening around 18:00–19:00 and performances continuing until sunrise, a night-oriented format that became one of the defining characteristics of EXIT.