Aegis Festival: Paradise & Perseverance in the Lebanese Mountains

Last summer, in the idyllic remote village of Arnaoon amidst the forests-capped mountains of Lebanon, just 15 minutes away from the coastal city of Batroun, Aegis Festival’s 2024 edition took place, defying the odds at a time of such political tension in the region, when most people were warned of travelling to Lebanon.

From July 12th to July 14th, a massive crowd of people from across the globe came together to welcome a spattering lineup of local, regional and international electronic acts across three open-air stages: the main stage, the cliffside stage, and SceneNoise’s Selectpool, as they brought the Lebanese hilltops to life with 72 hours of non-stop house and techno. Along with a slew of renowned global headliners including the likes of Seth Troxler, The Blaze, Agents of Time and Hiroko Yamamura, Aegis Festival set a truly world-class stage that put a spotlight on a roster of regional talents, connecting the scene together at such a critical time, with a series of epic showcases from Lebanese-born collectives, Retrogroove, Somewhere… and Fantome De Nuit, alongside Saudi label WTR and Egypt’s Nacelle.

Beyond the music, there were a myriad of themed areas that collectively made up Aegis Festival, from the art maze and wellness space, where a wide range of activities such as yoga and sound healing sessions took place, to the adventure park, the marketplace and food court.

Amidst that fun and blissful chaos of running between stages, we caught up with the key figures behind the Aegis Festival, uncovering how the festival got its start, the challenges they faced to make it happen and what projects like this mean for the future of Lebanon.