Escape Halloween Lineup 2026: Artists, Stages & Set Times

Every October, Insomniac's flagship Halloween festival transforms the NOS Events Center into a haunted playground for bass heads, house lovers, and everyone in between. The Escape Halloween lineup for 2026 has officially dropped, and it's packed with heavy-hitters and rising stars ready to soundtrack your spookiest weekend of the year. Whether you're planning your costume or mapping out your must-see sets, this is the guide you need.

RIKIO ROCKS has compiled everything announced so far, from headliners to stage-by-stage breakdowns and expected set times. We've pulled together official announcements and credible sources to give you a complete picture of what's coming to San Bernardino this fall. No fluff, just the details that matter for planning your festival experience.

Below, you'll find the full artist roster organized by stage, performance dates, and timing information as it becomes available. We'll also break down what each stage typically offers sonically, so you can prioritize based on your preferred genres. Bookmark this page, we'll update it as Insomniac releases additional waves and the official app schedule drops closer to the event.

Your festival prep starts here. We've built a dedicated hub for tracking the Escape Halloween lineup as announcements roll out, set times drop, and Insomniac makes any last-minute changes. This page serves as your single source for verified artist lists, stage assignments, and scheduling intel without having to check multiple platforms or dig through social media threads.

You'll get a complete artist roster organized by stage, day, and performance slot as soon as official information becomes available. We break down headliners, supporting acts, and special B2B sets in a format that's easy to scan, whether you're on your phone in line or planning your weekend from home. The hub also includes links to direct sources when Insomniac releases official graphics, videos, or app updates.

Every update on this page comes from official Insomniac announcements, their mobile app, or verified artist confirmations on their direct channels. We don't speculate or pull from unconfirmed leaks. When set times officially drop (typically a week before the event), we cross-reference the app schedule with stage graphics to ensure accuracy before publishing them here.

"We only publish what Insomniac has confirmed or what artists announce through their official platforms."

Our RSS feed automatically pushes new lineup additions and set time changes directly to your feed reader the moment we publish them. You can also bookmark this page and check back daily during the lineup announcement period (usually March through September) for wave releases. We update in real time on drop days, so you won't miss headliners or surprise additions buried in Instagram carousels.

Insomniac typically announces the Escape Halloween lineup in multiple waves starting in late spring, with the first drop revealing headliners and top-tier talent. Each wave builds anticipation by adding mid-tier acts, rising producers, and special performance formats like B2Bs or label takeovers. By September, you'll have the complete roster with stage assignments locked in for planning your two-day itinerary.

The first lineup wave usually drops in May or June, spotlighting the biggest names across bass, house, and techno. Expect to see established festival veterans mixed with artists who had breakout years in 2025. Insomniac saves a few surprise headliners for later waves to keep momentum building through the summer.

The complete artist list gets revealed through three to four announcement waves, typically wrapping up by late September. Each wave adds 30 to 50 artists, filling out the undercard with genre diversity across all five stages. You'll find the alphabetized roster on Insomniac's official event page and their mobile app once the final wave drops.

"Lineup announcements build from May through September, with final additions landing about four weeks before the festival."

Insomniac announces back-to-back performances and special format sets separately from standard lineup waves, often closer to the event. These typically include unexpected artist pairings, label showcases, and themed takeover hours that don't follow traditional solo set formats. Watch for these announcements in September when stage programming gets finalized.

The Escape Halloween lineup spans bass music, house, techno, trance, and hybrid experimental styles across five distinct stages. Bass dominates The Big Top and Sewer District, while house and techno anchor Feeding Grounds. Expect melodic and progressive sounds at Wicked Woods, with The Grimm hosting harder styles and underground talent throughout both nights.

Insomniac splits the Escape Halloween lineup across two nights with different artists performing each day, though some acts play both Friday and Saturday. Your ticket type determines which nights you can attend, so knowing who plays when matters for single-day pass holders. Multi-day attendees get the full roster but still need to plan around overlapping set times on both nights.

Friday night typically features a balanced mix of headliners and supporting acts across all five stages, with heavier bass programming dominating The Big Top and Sewer District. Insomniac announces day-specific assignments when the full lineup drops, usually in late September. You'll see approximately 60 to 70 artists scheduled for Friday alone, giving you plenty of options across genres from sunset through 2 AM.

Saturday's Halloween night roster traditionally includes the festival's biggest headliners and most anticipated special sets, as it's the peak attendance day. Expect more experimental programming and label takeover slots on Saturday compared to Friday's lineup. The artist count mirrors Friday with another 60 to 70 performers, though stage programming shifts slightly based on crowd flow patterns from the previous night.

Some artists play both Friday and Saturday with different set formats or stage placements each night, which Insomniac typically clarifies when set times drop. These dual performances often mean one night features a standard set while the other showcases a special B2B or themed performance. If you're attending both days, you can catch the same artist twice with completely different energy and track selections.

"Multi-day artists usually offer distinct experiences each night rather than repeating the same set twice."

The NOS Events Center transforms into five distinct performance spaces for Escape Halloween, each designed around different sonic identities and production themes. Understanding what each stage typically programs helps you prioritize your must-see sets and navigate between stages efficiently. Stage assignments get announced with the final lineup wave, usually in September alongside day-specific performer lists.

This main stage hosts the festival's biggest headliners with massive production and pyrotechnics that match the Halloween theme. You'll find bass-heavy sets from household names across dubstep, trap, and hybrid genres that draw the largest crowds both nights.

House and techno dominate this stage with deeper grooves and extended mixing that appeals to dancers who want consistent energy. Programming here typically features tech house heavyweights and underground techno selectors throughout both evenings.

The bass music haven showcases riddim, dubstep, and experimental low-end frequencies in a more intimate setting than The Big Top. Expect darker production design and heavier sound system tuning optimized for subsonic drops.

Melodic and progressive sounds fill this forest-themed stage with trance, progressive house, and emotive electronic music. Artists here deliver journey-style sets with peak euphoric moments rather than constant drops.

This stage hosts harder styles and underground talent including hardstyle, drum and bass, and emerging artists breaking into festival circuits. You'll discover rising producers alongside established names in faster BPM ranges.

"Each stage at Escape Halloween caters to specific genres, making it easier to find your crew and vibe throughout both nights."

Planning your escape halloween lineup experience depends on knowing exact set times before you arrive at the NOS Events Center. Insomniac releases the official schedule roughly one week before gates open, giving you enough time to map out your must-see artists and identify potential conflicts. You'll need a strategy for navigating overlapping performances and handling last-minute changes that happen during festival weekends.

Insomniac publishes official set times approximately seven to ten days before the festival through their mobile app and social media channels. The announcement typically happens mid-afternoon Pacific time on a weekday, with the app receiving the update first before graphics get posted online. You can expect the schedule between October 20 and October 23 for this year's event.

Download the Insomniac mobile app before set times drop, as it receives updates first and lets you build a custom schedule directly in the interface. Artist social media accounts usually share their individual time slots within hours of the official release, but the app gives you the complete schedule immediately.

Prioritize your top three artists per night and accept that you'll miss some performances due to overlapping times. Map out stage distances and factor in 10 to 15 minutes for transitions between locations to avoid rushing through crowds.

"Build your schedule around your absolute must-see sets and stay flexible with everything else."

Check the app each morning during the festival for updated schedules, as Insomniac occasionally adjusts times due to production delays or artist travel issues. Follow artist accounts for real-time announcements if they move to different stages or time slots after you've already entered the venue.

You now have everything you need to plan your Escape Halloween 2026 experience from start to finish. The escape halloween lineup delivers two nights of diverse programming across five stages, with official set times dropping roughly one week before gates open. Bookmark this page and check back as Insomniac releases additional waves and the festival app goes live with the full schedule.

Building stamina for a two-night festival weekend requires preparation beyond just planning your set list. If you're training for those long nights of dancing at the NOS Events Center, check out our CARDIO HITS 2026 Playlist on Spotify to keep your energy up during workouts. The playlist features high-energy tracks that mirror the festival intensity you'll experience in October, helping you build the endurance to stay on your feet from sunset to close both nights.