Nostalgia Beat Lovers festival returns to Casablanca for a third edition in June

Casablanca is set to host the third edition of the Nostalgia Beat Lovers festival from June 18 to 20, 2026, at the Vélodrome de Casablanca. The three-night event, described by organizers as one of the defining cultural gatherings of the Moroccan summer, brings together internationally recognized artists from the golden eras of pop, disco, dance, RnB, hip-hop, and eurodance. Following two previous editions that drew thousands of festivalgoers, this year’s installment is billed as the most ambitious yet, with a revamped production concept, a deeper lifestyle offering, and a lineup of legendary names that defined the musical landscape of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

A lineup spanning decades of global music history

The confirmed artist roster for this edition reads as a comprehensive survey of late 20th-century popular music. Gloria Gaynor, whose 1978 anthem “I Will Survive” became one of the most enduring recordings in music history, is set to perform alongside Earth, Wind & Fire, the soul and funk collective widely regarded as one of the greatest live acts of the disco era. Village People, Blackstreet, CeCe Peniston, Kaoma, Sandra, Willy William, The Weather Girls, DJ Cut Killer, and Luniz are also confirmed on the bill. Each night at the Vélodrome promises a sequence of high-energy sets built around songs that have crossed generational lines, with organizers emphasizing the festival’s appeal to audiences ranging from young adults encountering these artists for the first time to older attendees who grew up with the original recordings.

A redesigned 360-degree stage and production concept

One of the most significant changes for this third edition is a complete overhaul of the festival’s visual and spatial identity. The production team has redesigned the stage orientation entirely, adopting what organizers call a Vision 360° approach intended to improve sightlines, optimize crowd movement, and create a more immersive experience throughout the venue. This approach draws on concepts borrowed from major international festival productions, transforming the Vélodrome into what the organizers describe as a dedicated scenic space engineered to enhance each performance and deepen the bond between artists and the audience. The result, according to the press release, is a more fluid, more visually refined, and more premium live experience than in previous editions.

A lifestyle village and a World Cup viewing moment

Beyond the concert stages, the festival is expanding its footprint with a fully realized lifestyle village inside the Vélodrome. The space will feature a food court, artisan and creator corners, designated chill zones, Instagram-friendly installations, and free tango classes, positioning the event as a full-day destination rather than a purely music-focused gathering. Festival organizers have also programmed a notable highlight for June 19, when Morocco’s World Cup match will be broadcast live on a giant screen inside the venue, allowing attendees to follow the national team while remaining within the festival atmosphere. This integration of sport and cultural festivity reflects a broader effort to make the event relevant to as wide an audience as possible across all three days.

Institutional and corporate backing signal growing cultural ambitions

The third edition of Nostalgia Beat Lovers is supported by BMCI and the Fondation BMCI as official sponsors, alongside the City of Casablanca as an institutional partner. This combination of private-sector and municipal support underscores the festival’s positioning as more than a commercial entertainment product. Organizers frame it explicitly as a contributor to Casablanca’s cultural identity and its ambitions as a summer destination, arguing that recurring large-scale events of this type help establish the city as a major node on the regional cultural calendar.