The basics
Embark on an eight-day Danish pilgrimage to a promised land of tunes, Tuborgs, late-night parties and naked runs.
The festival
Denmark has a habit of doing things well, and Roskilde is no exception. The not-for-profit festival has been running in the eponymous town just outside of Copenhagen since 1971 and has been hailed as Denmark's answer to Glastonbury. The diversity of artists performing here is enormous, combining musical legends with Nordic names into one hygge cocktail of merriment. With previous headliners including The Cure, Bob Dylan and the Gorillaz, it is no surprise this year's line-up is an absolute belter, with Kenrick Lamar, Blur, and Burna Boy set to perform. Beyond the music, a hive of creative activities is planned, including art exhibitions, talks, debates and poetry performances.
Community reigns supreme at Roskilde, run by a 30,000-strong force of volunteers, where all profits from the festival are donated to humanian charities and cultural work. With its communal breakfast tables, carbon footprint illustrated menus, 90% organic food offering and pledge to leave no trace on its campsites, it's hard to understand why Roskilde isn't running for president.
The campsite at Roskilde is almost as legendary as the festival itself, with camp rivalry instrumental to the festival experience. Much like the famous Burning Man in California, where festival goers form tribes and camps with the aid of sound systems and visual attractions, the Danes follow suit. It's probably the only place you'll encounter a glitter fight, slip-and-slide, foam party and general festival delirium over one patch of grass. This campsite camaraderie is perhaps why the sustainability pledge is so successful here, where the Clean Out Loud Campaign often results in 100% of the camping paraphernalia being bought home by campers across the entirety of the festival.
Situated just 30 minutes outside of Copenhagen, it doesn't take an expert to tell you a trip to the Danish capital is a total must. A quick dip in the swimmable canals, followed by carnitas at street food market Reffen and a Tuborg in a bodega is a formidable combination, we’ve tried it.
Our tip
It might be June but remember you’re in Nordic territory. Bring plenty of layers or your nipples may cut glass.
Lineup
Full lineup here.
Getting there
How do I get there?
Roskilde is located just 35 km from Copenhagen.
By train: There is a train station on the festival site located in the campsite. The train operates on a regular basis between the festival station and Roskilde Station. Each trip costs DKK 25. At night, the train takes you directly to Copenhagen with just one stop at Høje Taastrup.
By bus: Using Flixbus, you can travel from the biggest cities in Denmark directly to Roskilde Festival and the bus stops right at entrance East. There are also shuttle buses that operate between Roskilde Station and Roskilde Festival’s entrances. A trip costs DKK 25, and the buses operate round the clock.
By car: There are parking spaces in both East, West and South. They have varying prices, depending on how close to the entrances they are. You can either pay for one day or the full festival period. For more information on parking click this link.
Tickets
Pricing
Full festival Ticket: 2400 DKK
Making a Change Ticket: 2600 DKK
One Day Ticket: 1200 DKK
When can I get them?
Tickets on sale now
Where can I get them?
Tickets are available via the Ticketmaster.