The beats will be booming at Hart Plaza this weekend as the latest installment of the Movement electronic music festival takes over the riverfront in the heart of downtown Detroit.
Below you’ll find the full schedule of 115-plus artists on tap to perform Saturday, May 23, through Monday, May 25, at the annual Memorial Day weekend fest, which has become one of the most distinctive cultural traditions in techno’s birthplace.
Here are some top bullet points ahead of Movement 2026:
∎ This marks the 20th anniversary of Movement stewardship at the hands of Paxahau, the Detroit events firm that took the festival reins in 2006. Previous incarnations of the event, which was founded in 2000 as the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, were overseen by producers including Carol Marvin and techno DJs Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson
∎ On Wednesday, Paxahau’s Jason Huvaere and Sam Fotias were honored with testimonial resolutions from Detroit City Council for their contribution to Detroit’s music legacy. Also recognized was Sam Fotias, president of Audio Rescue Team, who has long overseen the festival’s sound production.
∎ The city council action came days after Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield issued a proclamation declaring May 18-25 Detroit Techno Week, heralding Movement as “one of the longest-running dance music events in the world” while helping foster “local and international awareness of Detroit’s creative talent, innovation and cultural legacy.”
∎ Three of the festival’s six signature performance spaces – the Movement main stage, Pyramid Stage and Stargate Stage – have been aesthetically reimagined, including new structuring, banners and signage and lighting systems.
∎ Several of this weekend’s performance have been specifically curated to celebrate Paxahau’s anniversary benchmark, including special sets linking the fest to its homegrown roots:
Kevin Saunderson, joined by his DJ son Dantiez, will revisit music from his late-’90s E-Dancer project (9:20 p.m. Sunday, Movement Stage). Carl Craig will make a rare appearance under his “69” moniker, which nods to his birth year (8:25 p.m. Monday, Movement Stage). Eddie Fowlkes will perform a first-ever back-to-back set with the Martinez Brothers (10 p.m. Sunday, Stargate Stage).
Topping the 2026 bill are main-stage headliners Sara Landry (10:30 p.m. Saturday), Carl Cox (10:30 p.m. Sunday) and Dom Dolla (9:30 p.m. Monday). Landry will become the techno fest’s second-ever female headliner, following Charlotte de Witte’s starring role in 2023 and 2025.
∎ Detroit visual designer Tony Whlgn has been named the 2026 artist-in-residence, and his murals and installations — collectively titled “Universal Sound Systems” — will adorn Hart Plaza. The artist-in-residence program is a long-running Movement collaboration with the local art gallery 1XRUN.
∎ The music and dancing won’t stop at Hart Plaza’s boundaries: Throughout the weekend, a slew of afterparties will spring up across the city well into the night and early morning, including 11 officially sanctioned Paxahau events. That list is available here: https://movementfestival.com/events
General admission passes are still on sale ($398.43 for three-day tickets, $227.45 for single-day), with some single-day VIP passes ($299.99) also available. Note: Three-day VIP passes and Saturday VIP passes are sold out, though fans can sign up for a waiting list at Tixel.com.
2026 Movement festival, artist schedule, stages and set times
SATURDAY
Movement Stage
4 p.m.-5 p.m. Audion (Live)
5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Voices From The Lake
6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Borderland (Live)
7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Collabs3000 (Chris Liebing & Speedy J)
9 p.m.-10:30 p.m. 999999999
10:30 p.m.-12am Sara Landry
Waterfront Stage presented by JARS
3 p.m.-4 p.m. AK
4 p.m.-5 p.m. JMT
5 p.m.-6 p.m. DJ Godfather
6 p.m.-7 p.m. Miss Bashful (Live)
7 p.m.-8 p.m. Zack Fox b2b Jyoty
8 p.m.-9:10 p.m. X-Altera
9:20 p.m.-10:20 p.m. Dopplereffekt (Live AV)
10:30 p.m.-10:50 p.m. Peezy
11 p.m.-12am Danny Brown
Stargate Stage
(Detroit Love Showcase)
2 p.m.-3 p.m. K’Alexi Shelby
3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Kyle Hall b2b Byron the Aquarius
4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. John Collins
6 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Dames Brown
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Stacey ‘Hotwaxx’ Hale
8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Stacey Pullen
9:30 p.m.-9:35 p.m. jessica Care moore
9:35 p.m.-11 p.m. Carl Craig b2b Cajmere
Underground Stage
3 p.m.-4 p.m. Luke Hess
4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Terrence Dixon (Live)
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Mark Flash
8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Nastia
9:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Dax J (Live)
10:30 p.m.-12am Ellen Allien b2b DJ Stingray
Pyramid Stage
3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Peter Croce b2b Eddie Logix
4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Colette b2b DJ Heather
6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Octo Octa
7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Eats Everything
9 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Claude Vonstroke
10:30 p.m.-12am Richie Hawtin
Detroit Stage
2 p.m.-3 p.m. Milan Ariel Atkins
3 p.m.-4 p.m. DJ Roach
4 p.m.-5 p.m. Dru Ruiz
5 p.m.-6 p.m. Rebecca Goldberg (Live)
6 p.m.-7 p.m. Ataxia b2b Mister Joshooa
7 p.m.-8 p.m. STS (Live)
8 p.m.-9 p.m. Duck Trash
9 p.m.-10 p.m. Sheefy McFly
10 p.m.-11 p.m. Disc Jockey George
SUNDAY
Movement Stage
4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. DJ Sphinx
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Donato Dozzy
7:30 p.m.-9:10 p.m. Eli Brown
9:20 p.m.-10:20 p.m. E-DANCER (Kevin Saunderson & Dantiez)
10:30 p.m.-12am Carl Cox
Waterfront Stage presented by JARS
3 p.m.-4 p.m. Tammy Lakkis
4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Heidi Lawden
5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. TEED
6:45 p.m.-7:45 p.m. The Dare
8 p.m.-9 p.m. NEIL FRANCES presents CLUB NF
9 p.m.-10:30 p.m. DJ Harvey
10:30 p.m.-12am Barry Can’t Swim
Stargate Stage
2 p.m.-4 p.m. Beige
4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Morgan
5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Ryan Elliott b2b Ogazón
7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Skream
8:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Josh Baker
10 p.m.-12am The Martinez Brothers b2b Eddie Fowlkes
Underground Stage
3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Trovarsi
4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Lindsey Herbert
6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. DJ Bone
7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Oscar Mulero
9:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Stef Mendesidis (Live)
11 p.m.-12am Blawan (Live)
Pyramid Stage
(KMS Records Showcase)
2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Father Dukes
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. SYREETA
5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. The Saunderson Brothers
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Kevin Saunderson
8 p.m.-10 p.m. ANNA
10 p.m.-12am Maceo Plex
Detroit Stage
(Underground Music Academy Showcase)
3 p.m.-4 p.m. DJ STAKXX
4 p.m.-5 p.m. KESSWA
5 p.m.-6 p.m. Zoe Talley
6 p.m.-7 p.m. DJ Killa Squid
7 p.m.-8 p.m. Lady Witch
8 p.m.-9 p.m. hypemelo
9 p.m.-10 p.m. Something Blue
MONDAY
Movement Stage
4 p.m.-5 p.m. Delano Smith
5 p.m.-6:20 p.m. DJ Holographic
6:20 p.m.-8:10 p.m. Green Velvet
8:20 p.m.-8:25 p.m. jessica Care moore
8:25 p.m.-9:20 69 (Carl Craig)
9:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Dom Dolla
Waterfront Stage
3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. BeatLoaf
4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. OPPIDAN
6 p.m.-7:15 p.m. RUDIM3NTAL
7:15 p.m.-8:15 p.m. Nia Archives (DJ Set)
8:15 p.m.-9:45 p.m. Special Request
10 p.m.-11 p.m. Overmono
Stargate Stage
2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Rimarkable
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Courtesy
5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Tiga
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. DJ Tennis b2b DJ BORING
8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. AYYBO
9:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Hot Since 82
Underground Stage
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Garrison XR
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Detroit Techno Militia
5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Mija
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. DJ Heartstring b2b X CLUB.
8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Boys Noize b2b MCR-T
9:30 p.m.-11 p.m. KI/KI
Pyramid Stage
(House Your Life showcase)
2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. DJ Taz
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Life on Planets
5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Tinzo & Jojo
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The Ritual with Anané & Louie Vega
8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Mochakk
9:30 p.m.-11 p.m. DJ Minx
Detroit Stage
2 p.m.-3 p.m. Ryan Spencer
3 p.m.-4 p.m. Meftah
4 p.m.-5 p.m. Hazmat Live
5 p.m.-6 p.m. Salar Ansari
6 p.m.-7 p.m. SILLYGIRLCARMEN
7 p.m.-8 p.m. Whodat
8 p.m.-9 p.m. Keith Worthy
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit gears up for the 2026 Movement electronic music fest
Reporting by Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
