Organised by the European festival association Yourope, the ceremony for the European Festival Awards honours the most outstanding festivals of the year. As the winner, Paléo, writes in a press release, “this prestigious award recognises the care shown by the Paléo community in welcoming audiences, the quality of its programming, and the values upheld by the association.”
The Best Major Festival Award, reserved for events welcoming more than 40,000 festival-goers per day, rewards “a festival of outstanding quality, both in terms of its line-up and the overall experience offered to the public.” An initial online vote mobilised 300,000 people across Europe, before a professional jury selected the winner among ten finalists. This award, therefore, represents recognition from both the industry and audiences from near and far.
This distinction comes at a particularly meaningful time, the festival writes. Alongside the production of the 2026 edition, Paléo is also preparing its 50th-anniversary edition in 2027. This award supports the organisation’s ongoing efforts to pursue innovation, creativity and sustainability as it approaches this milestone.
“This Best Major Festival title above all rewards a collective adventure and the exceptional commitment of the entire Paléo community, particularly its volunteers, who bring the Festival to life all year round to offer the public the most beautiful festival possible,” says Daniel Rossellat, President of Paléo Festival Nyon.
In 2025, Paléo received the Champion Award at the Arthur Awards for its work in safety and the Action Award at the Greener Festival Awards for the social impact of its sustainability policy.
