The Great Pyramids of Giza became the backdrop for one of electronic music’s most ambitious destination festivals as EXIT and P+US, Venture Lifestyle’s electronic music platform, brought the inaugural Starlight Festival to Egypt on Oct. 9 and 10.
The sold-out event marked the first multi-day, multi-stage electronic music festival staged at Giza, bringing together more than 60 international and regional artists and attendees from 114 countries. Organizers said it was also the largest electronic music event held at the historic site, since a concert by French pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre held in 1999.
Belgian techno heavyweight Charlotte de Witte made her Egyptian debut alongside a lineup featuring Michael Bibi, Adriatique, Indira Paganotto, Enrico Sangiuliano, Vintage Culture, Pete Tong and WhoMadeWho.
Beyond the main stage, EXIT’s No Sleep stage hosted Charlie Sparks, BIIA, Layla Benitez, Paolo Ferrara and Olympe, while live performances from Satori and Giolì & Assia added another dimension to the weekend. Multimedia studio Sila Sveta designed the festival’s visual production, using elaborate lighting and optical illusions to create the impression of the pyramids floating above the stage.
Starlight also marked the final stop on EXIT’s eight-event international tour, which took the Serbian festival across Europe and into Egypt after it was forced to leave its longtime home following its public support for student-led protests in Serbia.
“In the year we could not gather at home, we found ourselves bringing people together in front of the greatest wonder of the ancient world,” said EXIT founder and CEO Dušan Kovačević.
The festival also reflected the growing importance of music tourism, with international audiences increasingly traveling for experiences that combine music, culture and destination.
“An extraordinary location should deepen the experience, rather than become a substitute for it,” Kovačević explained, emphasizing that electronic music and club culture would remain central to Starlight’s identity.
For Venture Lifestyle founder and CEO Rabih Mokbel, the partnership offered an opportunity to position Egypt as a serious contender in the international festival market. “It shows that Egypt has the potential to host world-class festivals that can compete on an international level, not just because of the artists or production, but because of the destination itself,” he said.
Mokbel also emphasised the importance of placing regional artists alongside established international performers, creating opportunities for local talent to reach wider audiences. “If we want the regional music industry to continue growing, we need to create more opportunities like this, where local talent can be part of the global conversation rather than watching it from the sidelines,” he said.
With its debut completed, organizers have already confirmed Starlight’s return on Nov. 5 & 6, 2027.
For Kovačević, the longer-term ambition extends beyond ticket sales and international recognition. The goal is to establish a recurring cultural event that creates lasting opportunities for Egypt’s artists, production professionals and wider creative economy.
“Becoming an annual gathering that people travel to Egypt specifically to experience, and that brings real value to the people hosting it, would be a success worth building on,” he said.
