BEAUTY PARTY
Bøgeskoven, Skanderborg
The beech forest is not just a backdrop
The trees are close around you before you even hear the music. That's the first thing you notice about Smukfest. The forest comes first and the party grows out of it.
Over 50.000 people party here under the beech trees, and yet you can find a spot of forest floor all to yourself. You walk from the packed throng in front of the Beech Stage and twenty meters in between the trunks you sit with a cold beer and the sound somewhere behind you. It's the change that people come back for.
News 2026
Atmosphere
Practical
More space for large arm movements
40 years in the forest, and it still doesn't stand still. The festival site will be larger in the coming years. More air between the stages, more space to stand close without standing on top of each other.
But that's not why people come back. They come for the weirdness. For the feeling that something could happen around the next tree, and that no one is quite in control. Smukfest has become a big machine, and at the same time a forest party that refuses to behave itself. That's what the whole party is about.
From the Book Scene to the Secret Nooks
In front of the Bøgescenen you stand close to the crowd when the biggest names play, and the bass is in your chest. That's where most people start. But that's rarely where the best memories end.
Smukfest is experienced just as much on the small stages. Under a tent, where the air is thick and warm. With a view of the lake from the Star Stage. Or at a pop-up concert you stumble upon on your way somewhere else and suddenly stop. The frames are small, and that affects the distance between the artist and you.
Champagne at six, burger at three
Festival food sounds like lukewarm sausage in a greasy bun. Not here. At Smukfest you can stand with fresh oysters and a glass of champagne at six o'clock, and a sloppy burger in your hand at three in the morning, and both are made by someone who means it. 80 eateries, and the level doesn't drop just because the sun has set.
The 65 bars are small worlds of their own. One serves drinks high up in the treetops. Another is a brown bodega that stands in the middle of the forest as if it had always been there.
The city that arises in the grass
Outside the forest lies an entire town that didn't exist the week before. Tent after tent, ropes crossed, a grill that has seen better days. It's at the campsite that people really get to know each other.
KærligHeden is the wild corner with its own music, which plays even before Smukfest officially opens and continues while the festival is on. Sleep is optional. Further out are the quieter areas for those who want to put their feet up once in a while. You sit with a lukewarm can of beer and a stranger who ten minutes later is no stranger anymore. This is where the days come together. When the scenes inside the forest close down, the party out here is far from over.
News from Smukfest 2026
The beech forest never stands still, and in 2026 the festival will take the biggest leap forward since the inauguration of the new beech stages in 2020.
Read below and get an overview of the biggest news that awaits in Skanderborg in 2026.
The Moon Moves to Sherwood
In 2026, the festival site will get a new visual landmark when the Moon stage moves from its current location to Sherwood by the main entrance. With a donation of 3 million kroner from the Salling Foundations, the stage will be reborn in a completely new design, created in collaboration with scenographer Christian Albrechtsen.
The new tent will accommodate 3.000 spectators under the cloth, while the structure is designed so that 10.000 guests can watch from outside. The move also marks a farewell to The Hood stage, as Månen takes over the central role in the area.
New food market becomes the social heart of the forest
When the Moon moves, a new central square will emerge in the middle of the beech forest. This area will be dedicated to food communities with plenty of seating and quiet meeting places where guests can enjoy their meals. The initiative is a direct response to the public's desire for more space for socializing around food.
The ambition is to create an absolute must-visit area where the most creative stagers and food enthusiasts can present their take on festival gastronomy.
EKKO: A new world of electronic music
Smukfest is expanding its musical universe with the new EKKO stage, dedicated exclusively to electronic genres. Here, sound, light and visuals merge to create a unique communal experience with space for around 5.000 audiences.
Although the big night parties at Bøgescenerne continue, the genre now gets its own permanent home in the forest, where the magic can grow even greater. The program for EKKO will be announced in the spring of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions about Smukfest
When is Smukfest held?
The festival in Bøgeskoven always takes place in week 32. In 2026, the dates are from August 2 to 9. This is where Skanderborg transforms into the festival center.
Payment with wristband (Walther)
Smukfest is cashless, but works a little differently than other festivals. Here you pay with the chip in your festival wristband. You deposit money into your “Walther account” via the Smukfest app or in the machines at the site. This means you can leave your credit card deep in your pocket once you have filled up. Any excess money can be refunded after the festival.
80 restaurants and gourmet in the forest
You won't be living on boring fast food. Smukfest is known for its towering gastronomic level. With over 80 eateries and 65 bars, there is literally something for everyone. You will find everything from oysters and champagne to the classic steak sandwich and vegan specialties. Please note that it is not allowed to bring your own drinks into the festival site in the forest.
Camping and accommodation
Smukfest is also camping. The most popular areas such as KærligHeden often require you to leave quickly. If you have not purchased a specific accommodation type (such as Tenthouse or Hotelt), the general tent areas are first-come, first-served. Remember to check the rules for camping and gear on Smukfest's own website before packing your car.
Bus and train to the festival
Getting to Skanderborg is easy. With a special Smukfest bus ticket you can travel unlimitedly for 16 hours throughout the Central Denmark Region for a fixed price. The ticket is valid for all Midttrafik buses as well as night buses, the Light Rail and the Midtjyske Jernbaner. Remember that you must be able to present a valid festival ticket or wristband along with the bus ticket. From Skanderborg Station, shuttle buses run to the festival site and camping areas.
Free parking at the Giraffe and Elephant
If you are coming by car, aim for the festival's two large parking lots called Giraffen (Horndrupvej 4) and Elefanten (Hylkevej 3). Parking is free here. Follow the yellow signs for “Festival-P” as soon as you approach the city.
Shuttle buses run from the parking lots to the festival area. Important: Do not try to park inside Skanderborg town itself or on the residential roads. This will result in fines and traffic chaos.
Moments from the Beech Forest
It's about more than just the program. It's the feeling of being there. We describe the atmosphere on the site, life at the campsite and the energy in front of the scenes. Read along here and feel the rush from the forest again.
13.000 new square meters in the beech forest
Smukfest has opened 13.000 extra square meters and created more space without inviting more guests in. At the new Torv you can eat, relax and meet dancers between concerts. In ZIRKUS, jazz, cigars and a cabaret atmosphere hide down in the forest, while EKKO draws you into electronic rhythms and laser lights. Three different areas give the festival more elbow room, more contrasts and new experiences between the stages.
EKKO transforms the beech forest into an electronic party
Smukfest's new stage quickly became one of the festival's biggest draws. Between the trees, electronic rhythms, laser lights, mirrors and a construction that is adapted to the forest right down to the individual branches meet. When darkness falls, the area becomes its own rave party. Even the organic effects on the screens are surprising, because they are created analogously to ingredients from the kitchen cupboard and completely without AI.
Meet the volunteers behind Smukfest
Behind the concerts, the bars and the big party stand thousands of volunteers who make Smukfest work. We meet some of them at the Skraldebaran, where colorful outfits, old traditions and a strong community bind the team together. For many, volunteer work has become a permanent part of life, and they return year after year for both the tasks, the friends and the very special atmosphere behind the scenes.
Melanie C delivered girl power at Smukfest
Melanie C took the Bøgescenen stage with a strong voice, lots of energy and a mix of new songs, old solo hits and Spice Girls nostalgia. The audience was just getting settled, but Sporty Spice worked her way over the edge of the stage and made the entire lawn shout “scoool”. The concert might have had its last power on a more intimate stage, but the voice and the well-known girl power were still intact.
Punk Rock Factory gave Smukfest a punky Disney boost
What happens when you take the soundtracks of your childhood and give them double the tempo? The star stage exploded into an unexpected folk festival, where “Let It Go” turned into a mosh pit, and “Mamma Mia” had the whole place screaming along. It was disciplined chaos, nostalgia at its best, and proof that Disney works brilliantly as punk rock.
Carl Emil Petersen touched something deep in the Castle Church
A very special magic occurs when the bass of the festival is exchanged for the silence of the church. In front of the baptismal font we got very close when Carl Emil delivered a concert so intense that you could hear a pin drop. These were stories of fatherhood, roots and a presence that brought tears to the eyes on the church pews. A rare breather in the middle of the party.
Love at Smukfest
Here, you never say no to a beer bong. We went on a trip to the youthful parallel world, where bartenders look like Emil Lange, and where the concept of “joint scoring” has taken on a whole new meaning. It’s the story of new friendships, the importance of wet wipes, and the party that continues long after the music has stopped in the forest.
The beauty party ends peacefully
Sunday is the day when the forest breathes again. The crowds are gone, and the square is taken over by families with children and smiling guests, enjoying the last of the “Pure Love” at a leisurely pace. We caught the atmosphere as the Danish stars closed the party, while the first tired guests lined up for the bus with their backpacks full of memories.
Sex, glitter and the difficult dilemmas
What do you choose: A hot night or a week in the beech forest? We took the pulse of the guests with a series of sharp questions. The answers offered everything from philosophical reflections on wellies versus glitter to a clear winner in the duel between morning champagne and the sloppy night burger.
Smukfest is just love
It starts with a “hug card” from a stranger and ends with a euphoric party under the treetops. We were there on a Thursday full of contrasts, where Suspekt made the forest boil, before world star Sam Smith delivered a concert so present and moving that it felt like a collective embrace of 60.000 people.
The Helpers: The Heart of Smukfest
17.000 volunteers make the wheels turn in the forest. But what makes people spend their holidays pouring draft beer and collecting trash? We met Maja, Christian and Preben for a chat about community, waiting lists and the special “Smukfest family”, where people return year after year.
Anti-everyday life and community across ages
How do you create a party where the average age is 39 but the energy feels like 20? We spoke to spokesperson Søren Eskildsen about the recipe for the special community in the forest. It's about the concept of "anti-everyday" and creating spaces where generations meet over a beer. Here you get the story of how music and whimsy bind us together.
Culture in Aarhus
EKKO transforms the beech forest into an electronic party
Behind Smukfest is a festival that only the volunteers know about
13.000 new square meters provide more elbow room at Smukfest
Green in Aarhus was the day when 32.000 people said goodbye to Jacob Haugaard
