Written by Romy Caton-Jones
Norway’s largest outdoor festival, Øyafestivalen, returns to take over Oslo’s Tøyenparken from Wednesday 12th August to Saturday 15th August, 2026. In its 27th year, Øya brings together a globally diverse lineup and is one of the few major European festivals committed to maintaining a strict 50/50 gender balance among performers.
The lineup sees international legacy acts paired with emerging artists and future headliners. Rock bands The Cure and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds top the bill, and are sure to deliver unforgettable performances that are not to be missed. Pop is also well represented by the likes of France’s Oklou and Norwegian star Dagny, who is one of Scandinavia’s most successful contemporary pop acts with over a billion plays across streaming services.
Alongside well established cult favourites, Øya showcases a new generation of international artists, including alt-pop breakout Sombr, Irish country-pop icon CMAT, Australian punk revivalists Amyl And The Sniffers, fast-rising experimental indie-rock band Geese, indie newcomers Westside Cowboy, and alt-R&B singer songwriter Ravyn Lenae.
The festival is also committed to platforming emerging domestic talent. Returning to Øyafestivalen after their debut performances in 2023 are indie soul musician and choreographer, Beharie, and Oslo-based producer and artist, Ary, who’s sophomore electro-pop album was released earlier this year. Playing Øya’s The Windy Lady stage are Girl Group, a Norwegian-English pop group formed in Liverpool who have supported Olivia Dean and were recently named NMK’s ‘Urørt of the Year’. Alongside them, Øyafestivalen also features two new duos featuring Norwegian artists: TOMORA, the new musical collaboration between The Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands and the Norwegian native electro-pop singer songwriter AURORA, and Alle Mine Hunder, a novel electronic project started by already established musicians Lars Vaular and Kai Gundelach.
Øyafestivalen 2026 highlights the festival’s ongoing ability to balance scale with intention, resulting in a lineup that feels carefully curated while still reflective of contemporary musical preferences. For more information on the festival and its full list of acts, check out the festival’s official website or their Instagram.
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