This year marks our first time planning a trip to Dancefestopia. But between the Phase 1 lineup and the fact that it’s a camping festival, it was too hard to ignore.
Founded in 2011, Dancefestopia has grown into a seven-day music and camping festival held just outside Kansas City at the Wildwood Outdoor Education Center. Billed by organizers as a 100% independently operated event, the festival combines large-scale bass music programming with an extended camping experience.
The 2026 edition takes place Monday, September 7 through Monday, September 14. The main venue programming runs Thursday through Sunday while campground access opens ahead of the main weekend.
Dancefestopia 2026 Lineup (Phase 1)
Dancefestopia has released the Phase 1 lineup for 2026, with a second announcement scheduled for March 22. More coverage is on the way as additional announcements arrive.
Leading the Lineup
Phase 1 is topped by four artists who sit at the center of modern bass and electronic festival programming, with Thursday night getting a dedicated spotlight of its own.
GRiZ
GRiZ’s sets blend live instrumentation with bass-forward production, leaning heavily into funk, soul, and crowd-driven momentum. Whether performing with saxophone in hand or behind the decks, his shows tend to feel celebratory while still hitting hard enough for late-night festival crowds. At a camping-focused festival like Dancefestopia, GRiZ fits naturally into both daytime and after-dark programming.
Excision
Excision is known for pushing sheer volume, weight, and visual intensity, with sets built around heavy dubstep drops and tightly synchronized production. His performances often anchor the loudest, most aggressive moments of a festival weekend, drawing massive crowds and setting the tone for late-night stages. For fans who prioritize sound system pressure and maximal production, Excision remains a central draw.
Zeds Dead
Zeds Dead’s appeal comes from their ability to move fluidly across bass, house, hip-hop, and experimental electronic sounds within a single set. Their performances tend to evolve over time, balancing high-energy moments with deeper, more atmospheric stretches that reward longer attention spans. That range makes them especially well-suited for extended festival nights and diverse crowds.
Crankdat
Crankdat headlines Thursday’s programming, setting the tone for the weekend with high-energy bass house and festival-ready remixes that thrive in kickoff slots. As the only artist announced for Thursday so far, his placement signals a clear launch point for the main run of the festival.
Also Announced
What makes the Phase 1 announcement work is how deliberately it spreads out the energy. LSDREAM offers a more immersive, melodic counterweight to the punchier, drop-driven approach of Ray Volpe, while Sippy anchors the dirtier, heavier side of the lineup. It’s a mix that feels built for wandering between stages as the night goes on rather than locking into one mood all weekend.
Additional artists from Phase 1 include a blend of bass, dubstep, and experimental electronic acts, with more names still to come when Phase 2 is announced in March.
Music, Stages & Programming
Dancefestopia is set to host more than 250 artists across five stages spread throughout the venue and campgrounds. The festival’s main stage, the Emerald Stage, anchors the venue programming and is described by organizers as featuring large-scale production, including fireworks, lasers, and PK sound systems. The Emerald Stage also hosts the Thursday Pre-Party, which opens the main weekend programming.
Additional stages support late-night sets, workshops, and smaller performances throughout the week. Music is expected to continue late into the night inside the main venue, while campground areas observe quiet hours.
Art, Activities & Workshops
In addition to music, Dancefestopia incorporates art installations and interactive experiences throughout what organizers refer to as the “Emerald City.” In prior years, these areas have included projection installations, pop-up games, and interactive spaces scattered across the grounds.
Because the venue operates as a children’s summer camp during the year, certain camp facilities have also been incorporated into the festival experience in past editions. Activities offered at various times have included a ropes course with a zipline, canoe access on the pond, fishing near the Lollipop Stage, and swimming pool access via add-on passes.
Workshops are typically scheduled throughout the weekend, with past offerings including hoop dancing, vision boards, and clay sculpting sessions.
Camping at Dancefestopia
Camping is a core component of Dancefestopia and is structured differently than many large festivals. Tent-only camping areas are spread throughout designated forested and field sections of the property rather than a single open field.
Camping is free-form within designated areas, allowing attendees to set up where space is available. Organizers ask campers to be mindful of the space they use in order to accommodate others.
Unless attendees purchase Car Camping or RV Camping, vehicles are parked in a designated camping lot and belongings must be carried into the camping areas. Wagons or carts are recommended, and golf cart assistance is available for a fee. Based on our experiences at other festivals with similar setups, a wagon can really make or break the start of your festival.
Quiet Hours
Dancefestopia’s campground guidelines outline daily quiet hours from 2:00 AM to 11:00 AM, a policy intended to give campers a chance to get some real sleep between long nights. We have never been to the fest, if it’s enforced, it will likely come as a relief to anyone planning to pace themselves across the week and a disappointment to the one person who always seems committed to keeping the party going until sunrise.
Late-night music and programming are still expected to continue inside the main venue, keeping higher-volume activity separate from the campground during overnight hours.
Admission, Camping & Tickets
Dancefestopia offers multiple ticket options ranging from 3-day admission passes to full 7-day bundles. Admission passes and camping passes are sold separately, unless purchased as part of a bundle.
Key things to know:
- Everyone attending must have a ticket (children are not admitted for free)
- Camping requires both a camping pass and an admission pass
- Parking is not included and must be purchased on-site for $60 (cash only)
VIP, Super VIP & Cabins
VIP and Super VIP ticket options include access to designated viewing and lounge areas near the Emerald Stage, with amenities such as flushable restrooms, private bar areas, and climate-controlled lounge spaces. Super VIP ticket holders also receive access to a limited-capacity viewing area closest to the main stage.
Limited on-site cabin rentals are also available within the venue grounds. Cabins are rented separately and do not include admission or camping passes. Cabin amenities vary but may include indoor sleeping accommodations, showers, restrooms, and climate control.
All information about Dancefestopia’s ticket and camping options is on one page on their website.
Looking Ahead
With Phase 1 of the 2026 lineup now announced and Phase 2 scheduled for March 22, more artist additions and scheduling details are expected in the coming months. We’ll be sure to check back with updates before we head off for Kansas!
Connect with Dancefestopia:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | TIKTOK
Listen to the official Dancefestopia Spotify Playlist:
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