Dour Festival: Music · Rock
Dour Festival is a major eclectic music event in Belgium, at the Plaine de la Machine à Feu in Dour, five days every summer since 1989.
About Dour Festival
Every summer since 1989, the festival gathers around 250,000 festival-goers at the Plaine de la Machine à Feu for five days of eclectic music: rock, electro, hip-hop, reggae, dub and more cross paths across half a dozen stages. Founded by Carlo Di Antonio and Marc de Fays as a modest one-day event, it has grown into one of Wallonia’s most notable music gatherings, known for its bold eclecticism, large campsite and warm atmosphere throughout the long weekend.
Why go?
Because few Belgian festivals dare mix such a wide range of styles on one site: rock, electro, hip-hop, reggae and more experimental sounds follow one another without hierarchy, drawing a crowd from across Europe to discover and rediscover artists.
What to expect
Five days of non-stop concerts across half a dozen stages, a huge campsite that turns into a genuine temporary town, and a line-up mixing international headliners with new discoveries, from rock to electro, hip-hop and reggae. Between sets there’s room for meeting fellow festival-goers, browsing stalls, and soaking up an atmosphere that runs through the whole site, from the first night to the last set.
The festival in detail
History of Dour Festival
Founded in 1989 by Carlo Di Antonio and Marc de Fays, the festival started modestly: one day, five bands (including Bernard Lavilliers) and around 1,000 festival-goers. From 1993, it expanded to three days with 32 shows and 9,000 spectators, and introduced camping in 1994. The current five-day format was adopted from 2015. Originally centred on the rock scene, it gradually opened up to hip-hop, reggae and later electronic music, growing into one of Belgium’s most eclectic events, year after year.
★ Festivals.be insider tip
With several stages running at once, it’s worth mapping out which acts you don’t want to miss ahead of time — the line-up shifts quickly from one side of the site to the other. The campsite quickly becomes a genuine temporary town — arrive early for a good spot and pack enough to be self-sufficient for five days.
Ticket types
A day pass starts around €80, a combi pass for the whole festival around €240. Packages with camping or VIP access are available at higher rates. Given the size of the event, booking early is recommended.
