Moscow’s Outline Festival cancelled, cites threat of Ukrainian drone strikes
Organisers confirmed the festival's cancellation the same day its gates opened earlier this week
The 2026 edition of Moscow-based electronic music festival Outline has been cancelled following fears of drone strikes in the area, according to Ukrainian news outlet United24.
Organisers behind Outline announced the festival’s cancellation the same day its gates opened (July 21), citing “the threat of drone danger in the region of the event”.
Outline was due to run for a full seven days in the Taldomsky district in Moscow Oblast, concluding on July 28. Its line-up featured international artists including A Guy Called Gerald, DJ Pierre, and Derrick May.
In a statement shared to Instagram stories (via Resident Advisor), Outline said that its team did "everything they could" to continue the event, but authorities forced its cancellation.
The festival confirmed that "everything we've created remains" and that it "will be back", though no further details have been shared at this moment.
Ahead of the event, Ukrainian activist Maya Baklanova shared a list of international artists who were set to perform at the controversial event, where a tent with military recruitment posters was seen at its entrance in 2023.
Baklanova previously criticised the Western DJs who chose to perform at the festival’s 2024 edition in an interview with The Guardian, claiming that those who chose to play were “normalising the war and the Russian regime”.
"By participating, these artists are also helping the Russian economy and contributing to the military budget," she said. "I see a total lack of awareness, ignorance and greed among some in the electronic scene."
In 2016, Outline was cancelled after local authorities claimed that it did not meet safety standards, with riot police entering the festival during its opening night to call off the event.
It returned in 2023, when a photo of a military tent attempting to recruit soldiers was shared online, and vehicles marked with pro-war "Z" symbols were reportedly seen around the festival grounds.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor