Charlotte de Witte makes her Egypt debut as EXIT's Starlight Festival opens at the Pyramids of Giza
Starlight Festival, a new event from Serbia's EXIT and the Egyptian electronic music platform P+US, held its first edition beside the Pyramids of Giza from 8 to 11 October 2026. Charlotte de Witte headlined the closing main night on Saturday 10 October, her first ever performance in Egypt, on a bill that also included Michael Bibi and Cloonee.
EXIT has taken its brand further from Novi Sad than ever before. Starlight Festival, created with the Egyptian electronic music platform P+US, held its first edition near the Great Pyramids of Giza this past weekend, framed by a warm up party on 8 October and a farewell party on 11 October around two main nights.
Friday 9 October leaned melodic, with Adriatique, Pete Tong and Vintage Culture at the top of the bill. Saturday 10 October was the techno night, and it was closed by Charlotte de Witte in what was billed as her first ever performance in Egypt. Michael Bibi and Cloonee also played the Saturday programme. The wider line up announced over the summer included WhoMadeWho and Enrico Sangiuliano.
The timing gave the show extra weight. De Witte arrived in Giza days after placing sixth in DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs poll and after being named the poll's top techno DJ again. Closing a debut festival at one of the most photographed sites on earth is the kind of booking that travels far beyond the people in the crowd, and it adds a new market to a touring map that is already heavy with European and American dates.
Organisers placed the stage at a designated location near the pyramids rather than on the monuments themselves, because of the site's protected status. That detail matters to anyone planning shows at heritage locations. Production, sound levels and lighting all have to work inside rules set by the authorities, and the promoter carries the permits rather than the artist.
For artists and managers, Starlight is another sign that destination events built around landmarks are becoming a regular part of the touring calendar, and that established European festival brands are exporting their names to new markets. These shows can be valuable for profile and content, but they come with longer advance work: travel and visas, equipment rules, local partners and clear agreements on filming and image use at the site.
For bookers in Europe, the move is worth watching. If EXIT can make a second edition of Starlight work, expect more European festival brands to test similar partnerships in North Africa and the Middle East during the autumn months.