Photo Credit: AiaSound
The years after the pandemic have taken a toll on live music festivals. That trend appears to be continuing into 2026 as Danish music festival AiaSound throws in the towel. After five years, the festival is taking a break.
“For five summers in a row, we have called Tiøren our home turf. We have erected tents, poured cold draft beefs, built stages and welcomed both Danish and International artists,” the organizers said on Instagram. “We have put up fences and created a free space where Copenhagen could dance and feel completely alive. And most of all—we have had the honor of welcoming thousands of guests and feeling the magic together with you.”
“But in 2026, the square will be quiet. We have decided to let the grass grow and give Tiøren—and ourselves—a breather and a break. Not because we lack the desire—but because it is the right thing to do. The festival industry has changed significantly, and there have never been so many strong players on the field as now. After five years of hard work, great ambitions, adversity, success, and everything in between, we have to be honest—right now it requires more than we can give.”
“AiaSound has been a love project from day one. Created by passion, will, long days, even longer nights, and a thousand small details no one sees—but everyone feels. It has been a privilege to build it and we are proud of every single summer, every single smile, and every single song that filled the air over Tiøren.”
“Now we turn down the music, turn off the draft beef system and pack up the tents. For this summer anyway. And instead we look back on five magical years that have offered everything we wanted to give to our guests—dance, song, love, and magic. Whether it will be a permanent ‘goodbye’ or a ‘see you again’ time will tell. Dreams have a way of finding their way.”
2025 was a hard year for music festivals. Over 40 music festivals in the United States called it quits by June 2025 with some high-profile closures including the Pitchfork Music Festival, Midtown, and Kickoff Jam. Meanwhile, the UK lost 20+ music festivals lost including Africa Oyé, Cambridge Folk, and many more. Smaller festivals are vanishing faster than larger tent-pole live music events.
