Insomniac Announces Revamped Wasteland Festival for 2026

Wasteland Festival returns on September 4-5, complete with an expanded footprint and takeovers from Mutate, Basscon, and Unreal Germany.

For over a decade, Basscon Wasteland has been America’s premier hardstyle festival. Without fail, every year has brought a stellar edition complete with legends of the genre, titans of hardcore, and the hottest rising homegrown stars. Insomniac is bringing back Wasteland this year with a twist on September 4-5 at the iconic NOS Event Center in San Bernardino, California.

In 2026, Wasteland Festival — as they now appear to be calling it — is no longer exclusively a hardstyle event. Instead, the gathering will be reimagined to include all hard dance subgenres. This means that the beloved Basscon will take a step back to make room for Insomniac’s newest hard techno brand, Mutate, along with international event organizer Unreal Germany, for its California festival debut takeover. With these additions, expect more artists, more room to dance, and more relentless energy to fuel your nights!

Wasteland Festival continues its expansion with the announcement of a larger footprint in the form of a third stage, an on-site afterparty, and extended hours each day. With Mutate and Unreal Germany joining the party, it seems that the hard techno bubble is inching closer to popping.

Two-day GA passes for Wasteland Festival start at $119.99, while two-day VIP passes start at $199.99. The VIP experience includes exclusive amenities such as expedited entry, VIP-only viewing areas, VIP-only restrooms, and a laminate and lanyard.

Will this push be sustainable beyond the initial hype, or will criticisms from EDC Las Vegas ring true in the near future? We don’t know, but we’ll be there to cover it all, so stay tuned for further details like the full lineup, festival map, and more that will arrive in the coming months!

The presale for Wasteland Festival begins on Thursday, February 5, at 11am PT via Front Gate, with general on-sale following at 12pm PT that same day. Head to the official website to sign up for first access to tickets, set times, and more.