The country’s best and biggest musical event rolls into town this week in the shape of Festival Estéreo Picnic 2024. We’ve got all the info you could ever want, from bands to bars and music to maps.
Whether it’s your first time at any event or if you’re a seasoned festhead who is new to Colombia, this guide will make your life easier. Festival Estéreo Picnic 2024 is a high-functioning event that is absolutely in line with modern music events around the world.
We’ve checked out the list of restaurants, bar prices and transportation options, all to save you time. Plus, links to some of the best local talent, when they’re on, full lineup guides, and even where to go if you or your mates are monged out.
Getting there and what to wear
The city is putting on extra nightly routes and services from the TransMilenio service until 4am. There are three different routes. One runs north, one to the centre and another towards Multiplaza. For the last three days, there’ll also be another northern route from Salitre El Greco TransMi station.
Arriving is easy enough. Both Simón Bolívar and Campín stations are not close but not too far. The entrance is at the Calle 60 / Carrera 60 roundabout. Get there with your wristband on and it shouldn’t take too long to get into the site unless you arrive with a mad crush.
Despite some rather optimistic claims from online services that it’ll be dry, poking your head out of the window tells you there’s a good chance of downpours at least on the first day. Take waterproofs if possible and plan to be in tents for some parts of the day. Layers make sense – it’ll be cold at night – and a small bag won’t be a problem either.
This being Bogotá, it’s also a good idea to bring sunscreen and sunglasses, both of which are merrily allowed in, as is makeup and minor tools like mascara pens. Unlike Rock al Parque, for example, you can stroll in with belts and all reasonable accessories. A bullet belt might be pushing it, but small chains are unlikely to be an issue.
It’s fine to bring in chargers and or powerbanks for your phone. But leave large scale recording devices at home and be aware that drones are certainly not welcome. You’re not allowed to bring in food and drink nor illegal drugs.
The Festival Estéreo Picnic 2024 bands:
Thursday
The weekend kicks off with probably the rockiest day of the lot. 90s megastars Limp Bizkit are Rollin’ up as headliners with Thirty SecondsTo Mars and Kings Of Leon acting as able undercards. For our money, though, it’s King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard that are the pick of the first day.
The opening band of the whole festival on the big stage is Maca & Gero, who spoke to us about friendship and the festival. Elsewhere, Buha 2030 are opening things up with their definitely-not-jazz saxorock on the CeraVe stage.
Full lineup: Kings Of Leon, Limp Bizkit, Hozier, Thirty Seconds To Mars, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Bad Gyal, ZHU, Floating Points, Future Islands, Leisure, The Virginia Valley, Laura Pérez, Maca & Gero, Lucas Hill, Mala Bengala, Buha 2030, Mariscos and Wide Awake.
Friday
This is easily the most fabulous day. Sam Smith and SZA are divas on the two big stages with showstoppers such as Greta Van Fleet loving it up further down the bill. Venezuelan performance artist and superstar DJ Arca is a less familiar name to many but the standout talent of the day at 8.45pm on the CeraVe stage.
We’ve profiled Anamaría Oramas today, opening with her mad jazz strings and woodwind. Okraa spoke to us from That London where he’s carved out a name for himself as a leading light in the ambient electronica scene and Matar Fuma, a homecoming king reestablishing himself in la nevera.
Full lineup: SZA, Sam Smith, Greta Van Fleet, Phoenix, Black Coffee, James Blake, Proyecto Uno, Arca, Four Tet, Omar Apollo, Nothing But Thieves, Overmono, Irepelusa, Verraco, Homie!, Divino Niño, Sa!koro, Akriila, Okraa, Matar Fuma and Anamaría Oramas.
Saturday
We’re not going to be the cool kids today – it’s all about the big name on the bill, Placebo. M.I.A. is another top-rate talent and Feid does what he does well. It’s a stacked day throughout though, with the Blessed Madonna and Dillom on the way up and Fruko y Sus Tesos being genuine salsa megastars.
Local acts today more than rise to the challenge. There’s the big man of rolo rap, El Kalvo, Ecuadorian rockeros Lolabúm and the Pacific heavyweights that are Afro Legends, all of whom we’ve profiled. Add to that More and Penyair and throw in the DJ collectives Nuclear Digital Transistor and Kaputt Takeover to make sure you’ll dance till dawn.
Full lineup: Feid, Placebo, M.I.A., Grupo Frontera, Tainy, Fruko y Sus Tesos, The Blessed Madonna, Whomadewho, Kittin, Poolside, Penyair, Saiko, Dillom, Tornall, El Kalvo, Lolabúm, Nuclear Digital Transistor, Afro Legends, More, Laurél, Swing de Sasha, Kaputt Takeover.
Sunday
It’s a punk day to finish, with not one but two seminal Californian bands in the form of Blink-182 and The Offspring, who taught many to count in Spanish. If you’re not a punkero, the rolo hip hop sound is represented with La Etnnia and Nicki Nicole brings the fire from Argentina. If it’s just alliteration you like, throw in Kevin Kaarl too.
Local bands on the last day include Oblivion’s Mighty Trash, crossing the Magdalena valley to bring their low-fi sound to Bogotá. Then there’s Nariñense sensation Verito Asprilla and more rolo rap in Ruzto. Los Dinosaurios Murieron Ayer are the pick of the rolo rockers.
Full lineup: Blink-182, Arcade Fire, The Offspring, The Blaze, The Vaccines, Kevin Kaarl, Nicki Nicole, La Etnnia, YSY A, Yves Tumor, Latin Mafia, Oblivion’s Mighty Trash, Verito Asprilla, Ruzto, Los Dinosaurios Murieron Ayer, Selene, Volcán, Caballos de Fuerza, Esteban Rojas y DJ Lolita.
Food, drink and how to pay
It’s a cashless festival. Everything such as food and drink will go through your bracelet, which can be charged here or at points within the festival grounds or via Efecty. You may be able to use cash and/or cards at the stalls selling clothes and the like, but anything with long queues will be cashless only. This works well and is efficient, so don’t worry.
There are some 50 odd places to eat, with veggie options at nearly half of them and two fully vegan options in the form of Stankov and De/Raíz. This means there really is something for everyone at Festival Estéreo Picnic 2024. Prices are predictably high but not crazy.
Thankfully, you’re allowed to drink at the event, with bars pretty much everywhere. The range is pretty limited and they don’t want people getting smashed, so prices are high and servings small. You’ll be running $16,000 COP to $18,000 COP for a nacional beer, clocking in at 330ml or smaller. Thankfully, there’s a craft beer area with similarly priced drinks too.
For those that are planning on using drugs, there is an Oasis centre in which you can chill out, drink some free fresh water and get medical help if necessary. They can also scan your drugs to check it’s not cut with rat poison and both advise and educate on drug-related matters. This is great work and highly trustable.
And that’s it. Festival Estéreo Picnic is known as a mundo distinto in Spanish, and this certainly means that you’ll be ready to make the most of this strange world’s various pleasures and delights.