About the festival

Earthdance Garden Route 2026 takes place September 18–20, 2026, along South Africa's Garden Route, set against its rugged coastline, indigenous forests, and mountains. This year's theme, "The Heart & Beat of Humanity," honors the idea that peace begins within individuals, grows through connection, and is amplified when people move together. The festival is a psytrance and electronic music gathering, part of the globally celebrated Earthdance movement, uniting festival-goers through music, community, and connection, with its centerpiece being the worldwide "Prayer for Peace" ceremony that links thousands of participants across the globe in a shared moment of healing and unity. Earthdance itself was founded in 1997 and has grown into the world's largest underground charity dance event for peace, with over 700 events held in more than 50 countries — and South Africa hosting four annual editions, including Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, Cape Town, and the Garden Route.