Ready for some brilliant news? Flow Festival has just confirmed the first names of its 2026 edition, taking place in Helsinki from August 14 to 16, with a programme that continues to expand its electronic footprint while preserving the diversity that has shaped its identity. We last attended in 2023, when the nice weather, effortless organisation, and the unusually considerate crowds revealed a festival with its own quiet way of doing things. Flow still operates in that space between large-scale ambition and an atmosphere that feels surprisingly personal.
Next year’s selection reflects that balance. Florence + the Machine brings a show built around emotional storytelling thanks to their new album, the incredible Everybody Scream, while Zara Larsson reconnects mainstream pop with the momentum of dance culture. PinkPantheress enters as one of the most defining voices of the moment, turning internet-born instincts into songs that feel direct without losing nuance.
Sombr adds another layer to the lineup with writing that moves seamlessly between restraint and intensity, creating pop that feels at home in both. Clipse reappears after years apart, a reunion that highlights the lasting impact of their minimalist, sharply observed vision of hip-hop and the influence that followed in its wake. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds continue a long run of performances that refuse to settle into familiarity. Their presence forms a counterpoint to Turnstile and Lambrini Girls, who bring a different kind of release, echoing the collective energy we saw in Suvilahti in 2023. Flow understands that a festival can shift moods without losing coherence.
Electronic music remains central to that idea. Kettama carries the momentum of a scene in constant movement, Oklou builds on a catalogue defined by careful craft and forward-thinking production, and Honey Dijon foregrounds the roots of club culture with an approach based on knowledge rather than nostalgia. Nu Genea’s live project continues its exploration of Mediterranean and global connections, offering a performance shaped by rhythm and ensemble interplay. Finnish talents complete the frame and reflect a city that welcomes different approaches to sound. Vesta, Pearly Drops and Olga represent a local scene in which contrast is part of the foundation.
If this first announcement is any indication, Flow Festival 2026 will again bring together artists, ideas and audiences in ways that feel both deliberate and instinctive. And as always, we will be there to follow where it leads.
