A Greener Future (AGF) has announced the winners of the 2026 International AGF Awards, recognising the most environmentally-friendly festivals, venues, tours and event organisations around the world.
Dutch electronic music festival DGTL (pictured) scooped the top prize at the event, the International Greener Festival Award, as well as the Greener Transport Award, with judges praising the festival’s use of renewable energy, public transport and cycling access, and its plant-based food offering.
“We are very happy with this recognition,” the festival’s sustainability manager, Esmee Bouwmeister, commented. “It’s really important that AGF and things like this exists because it creates a playing field and standard and we learn from it a lot.”
About the awards
This year’s finalists included 28 nominees from 14 countries, with awards presented across ten categories. The awards ceremony took place at the Royal Lancaster London, and formed part of the Green Events & Innovations (GEI) Conference, held in partnership with the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).
Other winners included Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena, which won the International Greener Arena Award; the Estonian Fashion Festival (Circular Event Award); India’s Echoes of Earth (Community Action Award); Belgian festival Paradise City (Greener Catering Award; Norway’s Øyafestivalen (Greener Power Award); and Portugal’s Boom Festival (Water & Sanitation Award).
Elsewhere, Spain’s Sonidos Líquidos received the Pied Piper Award for sustainability communications, while the Greener Innovations Award was presented to Sam Fender’s ‘People Watching’ European tour, which relied 100% on fully electric trucks.
“I can’t tell you how proud we are to get this nomination and award,” commented Owain Davies of OD Management and Richard Burnett of KB Events, who accepted the award on behalf of the Sam Fender tour. “The commitment from Sam and Owain to try and attempt [a fully electric truck tour], its groundbreaking. We’re at the frontline of driving sustainability at a transport perspective. Thank you very much indeed.”
The judging process
Finalists are selected from all AGF-certified greener events, festivals and arenas over the past year, with top scores across key sustainability criteria. All applicants undergo a detailed assessment, site visits, and analysis by AGF auditors.
Additionally, green innovations from festivals and events have been selected and are judged by an independent jury. Read more here.
