Chicago’s biggest house and techno party just got even bigger.
ARC Music Festival has revealed its massive 2026 lineup and announced that the event is expanding to four days for the first time. The festival returns to Union Park over Labor Day Weekend, running September 4–7.
Since it launched in 2021, ARC has quickly become one of the world’s most influential gatherings for electronic music fans. Led by Chicago promoter Auris Presents, the festival brings in global headliners along with underground innovators, all anchored in the city that helped define the genre.
Leading the bill for this year are cinematic techno visionary Anyma, British electronic duo Underworld and house figure Michael Bibi. Chicago’s own Honey Dijon returns as one of the festival’s spiritual anchors and hard techno star Sara Landry will bring her ETERNALISM concept to the lineup.
Elsewhere on the roster: Brazilian crowd igniter Mochakk, house breakout Mau P, drum-and-bass powerhouses Chase & Status and globe-trotting selectors Vintage Culture and Damian Lazarus performing back-to-back. The lineup dives deep into electronic music’s many corners, with Berlin rave duo Brutalismus 3000, Dutch favorite Chris Stussy, tastemaker pairing Joy Orbison B2B Ben UFO and Chicago house legend Derrick Carter all set to perform.
Back-to-back sets (a core part of ARC’s DNA) will also bridge generations and scenes. Highlights include Detroit Love (Carl Craig, Moodymann and Stacey Pullen), Chicago icons The Blessed Madonna B2B Lil’ Louis and Green Velvet B2B Josh Baker. Meanwhile, techno heavyweights Nicole Moudaber, Paco Osuna and Dubfire will join forces for a rare three-artist B3B set.
The festival itself is also evolving: ARC will once again feature its signature stages—the massive Grid, the sun-drenched Expansions and the industrial Area 909—but 2026 introduces a brand-new stage environment called The Midway. (The concept is a nod to Chicago history, referencing both Midway Plaisance and Midway Airport.)
The party doesn’t stop when the festival gates close, either. ARC After Dark will return with its sprawling afterparty series running Thursday through Monday across venues around Chicago, giving fans even more chances to catch special sets, surprise collaborations and label takeovers.
Tickets, including new four-day passes, go on sale Friday, March 13, at 12 pm. If the lineup is any indication, Chicago’s Labor Day weekend is about to become one very long dance floor.