{"id":7753,"date":"2026-09-01T14:57:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T12:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/?p=7753"},"modified":"2026-09-01T14:57:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T12:57:13","slug":"exit-in-montenegro-2026-two-festivals-two-coasts-and-personal-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/exit-in-montenegro-2026-two-festivals-two-coasts-and-personal-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"EXIT in Montenegro 2026: Two Festivals, Two Coasts, and Personal Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In the summer of 2026, Montenegro became a key venue for the global EXIT project. Instead of one large event, the organizers built the season around two different festival locations on the Adriatic: at the Velika Beach in Ulcinj in early July and at the Becici beach on the Budva Riviera in late August. Both events were part of the overall EXIT to Montenegro \/ EXIT 2 Montenegro project, but their concepts differed. Ulcinj received a new festival event with a distinctly digital profile, while Becici welcomed the return of the renowned Sea Dance Festival brand, which EXIT had been developing in Montenegro since 2014.<\/p>\n

It’s important to consider the date of the results: this material was prepared as of the morning of August 31, 2026. Ulcinj already has its statistics complete, while Sea Dance in Becici only concluded last night. Therefore, final data on the total number of visits and the economic impact of Be\u010di\u0107i have not yet been published. Where organizers and government agencies cite different figures, both versions are presented below, without attempting to artificially reduce them to a single figure.<\/p>\n

Why EXIT Came to Montenegro<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In April 2026, the Montenegrin government officially announced its support for two major international music events\u2014the EXIT to Montenegro project in Ulcinj and Sea Dance in Budva.<\/p>\n

Montenegrin budget support amounted to \u20ac1.5 million, with additional participation from the municipalities of Ulcinj and Budva. According to preliminary government estimates, the two events combined could generate at least 210,000 tourist overnight stays and over \u20ac40 million in direct tourism spending. This is a pre-festival forecast, not a confirmed economic impact.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Even before the program’s launch, interest was high: by June 16, EXIT reported over 40,000 registrations for Montenegrin events. Applications came not only from the Balkan countries, but also from the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the USA, Canada, Australia, the UAE and Brazil.<\/p>\n

The First Festival: EXIT to Montenegro in Ulcinj.\u00a0 Festival on Velika Pla\u017ea<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Velika Pla\u017ea (the Great Beach) in Ulcinj was chosen for the first Montenegrin EXIT event. This was a particularly important part of the concept: the festival was initially designed not as an indoor urban event, but as a major music event right on the Adriatic coast.<\/p>\n

The main program ran from the evening of July 3rd until the morning of July 6th, spanning three festival nights. Preceding it, from July 1st to 3rd, were additional events and warm-up acts. Key international artists included Argy, Jamie Jones, Maceo Plex, Monolink, Stephan Bodzin, Awen, Deer Jade, Space Motion, Konstantin Sibold, and Fiona Kraft, with the program complemented by regional and Montenegrin performers.<\/p>\n

Musically, Ulcinj proved to be the more focused of the two festivals, with house, techno, and melodic electronic music taking center stage. The location reinforced this concept\u2014the stage was located directly by the sea, and the visual design featured a large sculptural installation with 3D mapping. In addition to the nighttime performances, the program included daytime beach events and kitesurfing; the organizers reported approximately 30 riders participating in one of these displays.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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How many people actually attended the festival?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is where one of the most important statistical caveats comes in.<\/p>\n

The Montenegrin Police Department, the official government source, reported approximately 36,500 visitors over the three festival days after the festival concluded. Police also separately recorded approximately 15,000 people on the first day. According to their data, the festival proceeded without any public disorder, and no serious incidents related to the event were reported.<\/p>\n

The organizer EXIT, in turn, reported over 50,000 visitors over the three festival nights. This same figure was subsequently cited by some media outlets, citing the organizers.<\/p>\n

According to information published by the official EXIT 2 Montenegro project, Prelja \u0160krelja, Chairman of the Ulcinj Beach Operators Association, reported that beach business activity in early July was approximately 15% higher than in the same period last year. This was measured both in terms of guest numbers and spending at beach bars and restaurants. The Ulcinj Tourism Organization also stated that the festival significantly contributed to the city’s visitor numbers earlier in the month.<\/p>\n

Media Statistics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of Ulcinj’s most notable results was its digital audience. According to EXIT, by July 23, festival content related to the Montenegrin project had received over 42 million views. Materials were distributed through the festival’s own channels, artist pages, and specialized international music media.<\/p>\n

The Second Festival: Sea Dance in Becici. The Return of a Famous Brand<\/strong><\/p>\n

Becici was a completely different story. Here, EXIT didn’t create a brand from scratch, but rather brought the Sea Dance Festival back to Montenegro.<\/p>\n

The first Sea Dance took place in Budva in 2014 as a Montenegrin continuation of EXIT. The inaugural festival won the European Festival Award in the Best Medium-Sized Festival category, denoting the best European festivals with up to 40,000 visitors per day. Montenegrin government documents also confirm that the festival began in the country in 2014.<\/p>\n

The first four editions took place on Jaz Beach. In 2018, Sea Dance moved to Buljarica Beach. According to the organizers, the fifth edition in 2018 attracted over 47,000 people from nearly 30 countries.<\/p>\n

The last Montenegrin editions before this return ran until 2022; Sea Dance will not take place in Montenegro in 2023. Therefore, the 2026 festival was truly the brand’s return to the country\u2014and for the first time, to Becici Beach.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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How Sea Dance 2026 Was Organized<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The final schedule for the main festival included three nights\u2014August 28, 29, and 30.<\/p>\n

Unlike the more electronic-oriented Ulcinj, the Sea Dance program featured a broader genre range. It included techno, house, minimal, pop, and hip-hop. Three stages were organized: Main Stage, Dance Paradise Stage, and Homeground Stage.<\/p>\n

The first night was headlined by Charlotte de Witte, HUGEL, Enrico Sangiuliano, and RPR Soundsystem. The second evening featured British singer John Newman, Eurovision 2026 winner DARA, Who See, Bad Copy, Burak Yeter, Marcel Dettmann, and BIIA. The final night featured Boris Brejcha, Layla Benitez, Mita Gami, Voyage, Amna, and other artists.<\/p>\n

Peggy Gou was initially announced as a key performer, but the project’s official website later announced that she would be unable to perform at the festival due to a change in her touring schedule.<\/p>\n

As in Ulcinj, official statistics and the organizer’s data differ slightly.<\/p>\n

The Montenegrin Police Department stated that over 30,000 people attended the first night of Sea Dance. According to police, there were no serious public disturbances.<\/p>\n

EXIT organizers gave a more precise and higher figure of 39,000 attendees on the first night, stating that the audience represented over 100 countries.<\/p>\n

On the second night, from August 29th to 30th, police reported that over 20,000 citizens and tourists were on Becici beach. The night also passed without serious incidents or public disturbances.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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At the time of writing, official police statistics for the third night have not yet been published, so it is too early to provide a definitive total for all three days of Sea Dance. Over 100 Montenegrin Artists<\/p>\n

A key feature of Sea Dance 2026 was its extensive local program. Organizers announced 100 Montenegrin artists participating in the Be\u010di\u0107i festival program. Including the July program participants in Ulcinj, EXIT reported 122 local artists participating in the two Montenegrin events in 2026.<\/p>\n

For a state-funded project, this figure is particularly significant: part of the funding was allocated not only to the import of international headliners but also to the creation of a stage for the local music industry.<\/p>\n

Not Just Visitors: 30 Tons of Waste in Three Days<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Already on the morning of August 31st, another objective statistic about the scale of Sea Dance emerged.<\/p>\n

The Budva Municipal Service reported that after the third night, an additional 10 tons of waste had been removed from the festival grounds, bringing the total for the three days to 30 tons. Forty employees worked three shifts during the cleanup. On average, they collected approximately 500 large plastic bags of trash each morning.<\/p>\n

A particularly telling figure is that, according to the municipal service, approximately 80% of the waste was collected outside designated bins and containers. While there were 20 containers and 50 plastic bins on site, most of the trash still ended up directly on the beach and festival grounds.<\/p>\n

This is an important part of the results, which cannot be ignored amid talk of tourism success. A large-scale beach festival generates economic and promotional benefits, but also places a significant burden on public infrastructure and the natural environment.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Ulcinj and Be\u010di\u0107i: Two Different Tools for a Single Strategy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

From a tourism planning perspective, the choice of two locations was logical.<\/p>\n

Ulcinj was designed for the beginning of the season. Organizers and authorities specifically discussed the need to fill the so-called July gap\u2014the period when, after the start of summer, the high season has not yet reached its peak. The digital format and the vast Velika Pla\u017ea (Long Beach) made it possible to create a standalone destination festival: people were expected to travel to Ulcinj not just for a concert, but for both a vacation and a festival.<\/p>\n

Becici, on the other hand, became a tool for extending the season. Sea Dance took place on the last weekend of August, when tourist traffic was already beginning to decline. Organizers leveraged an existing brand with over a decade of history and brought a wider range of artists across genres. The Budva Tourism Organization reported that during the festival, the city’s occupancy was comparable to peak season.<\/p>\n

Thus, the two events formed a kind of “bracket” around the Montenegrin summer: Ulcinj enhanced the beginning of the season, and Sea Dance enhanced its end. EXIT in Montenegro: Personal Impressions of the Ulcinj and Becici Festivals<\/p>\n

The two EXIT festivals in Montenegro left completely different impressions. Despite belonging to the same festival brand, the events in Ulcinj and Becici differed significantly in organization, venue selection, visitor comfort, crowd size, and the caliber of the invited performers.<\/p>\n

Ulcinj: A True Beach Festival<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Ulcinj festival was memorable primarily for its well-organized space and the unique atmosphere of a true beach party.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Tickets were available free of charge: they were handed out at the entrance and at tourist kiosks. Parking was available, making it much easier to attend.<\/p>\n

A vast stretch of beach was dedicated to the festival. The uniform sandy surface proved practically ideal for this format and created the unique vibe of a big party by the sea. There was no sense of a temporary venue\u2014the venue itself naturally became part of the festival. One of the most noticeable visual elements was a large statue with beautiful illuminations. It was particularly striking in the evening and at night, significantly enhancing the atmosphere of the event.<\/p>\n

The amenities deserve special mention. The venue boasted excellent, spacious restrooms with lighting and running water. For a crowded music festival, this is an important detail, directly impacting the overall experience and comfort of attendees.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the crowds were not overwhelming. There were no crowds or pressure points; people could move around the venue freely and comfortably near the stage. This made the festival feel light and relaxed.<\/p>\n

Ulcinj’s main drawback was its musical program: compared to the Becici festival, it featured less renowned musicians.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Ulcinj’s strength was not so much the big names as the atmosphere itself: a spacious sandy beach, a relaxed atmosphere, convenient infrastructure, and good organization created the feeling of a truly comfortable beach festival.<\/p>\n

Becici: World-Class Performers and a Completely Different Scale<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Becici festival left almost the opposite impression.<\/p>\n

Its main advantage was the significantly stronger lineup of world-class performers. The musical program was undoubtedly one of the main reasons to attend. The Rotko Stjuart performances left a magnificent impression.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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The festival featured three stages, one of which was dedicated to local musicians. The main stage was truly impressive in its size. The sound was powerful and high-quality, and the visuals were spectacular. The technical level of the main stage made the festival seem like a truly large-scale event.<\/p>\n

However, against this backdrop, numerous organizational shortcomings were particularly noticeable.<\/p>\n

Unlike Ulcinj, admission was charged at 5 euros. Ticket sales were located far from the entrance area. Due to poor organization, crowds and pressure formed at the entrance, and the wait time in line reached up to an hour.<\/p>\n

Parking was not specifically arranged for the festival. However, paid buses from seven cities in Montenegro were organized, departing on schedule: one for the opening, and a return one after closing.<\/p>\n

The festival grounds themselves also left a mixed impression. A significant portion of the event took place not on a proper beach area, but in a designated area\u2014an unequipped parking lot.<\/p>\n

In the main stage area, the dance floor surface consisted of a huge number of sharp stones. For a place where thousands of people are expected to stand, walk, and dance for hours, such a surface was extremely uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

Even more questions arose in the home stage area. A large amount of construction debris remained on the grounds: awnings, polyethylene, plastic pipes. All this created an additional risk of tripping and falling, especially at night and with large crowds.<\/p>\n

Only the third, least popular area of \u200b\u200bthe festival was set up directly on the beach.<\/p>\n

In Becici, the statue familiar from the Ulcinj festival reappeared. However, here it was not illuminated. Therefore, the visual impact this element created in Ulcinj was no longer there.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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The restrooms were also a serious drawback. Instead of spacious restrooms with lighting and running water, as in Ulcinj, Becici had inconvenient portable toilets without lighting or running water.<\/p>\n

Another fundamental difference was the number of attendees. The crowds were enormous. It was practically impossible to get to the main stage. While Ulcinj’s main advantages were spaciousness and a lack of crowding, the opposite was true in Becici.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the main stage became one of the festival’s strongest elements: it was truly large, and the quality of the sound and video was impressive.<\/p>\n

As a result, Ulcinj was remembered primarily for its atmosphere and comfort, while Becici was remembered for the scale of the musical program and the technical level of the main stage. The former festival was much more pleasant in terms of space organization and visitor comfort, while the latter was significantly stronger in terms of the quality of performers, but at the same time presented much more complex organizational challenges.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the summer of 2026, Montenegro became a key venue for the global EXIT project. Instead of one large event, the organizers built the season around two different festival locations…","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7760,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[3,12,7,6],"tags":[209,300,353,226,88,86,101,103,102,309],"class_list":["post-7753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editors-pick","category-our_events","category-main-stories","category-montenegro_news","tag-balkan","tag-balkantravel","tag-becici","tag-budva","tag-festival","tag-montenegro","tag-starlight","tag-starlight-group","tag-starlightgroup","tag-ulcinj"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7753"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7776,"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7753\/revisions\/7776"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starlight-club.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}