Cruel World Festival
- Dates
- Expected May
- Status
- No word yet
- Venue
- Brookside at the Rose Bowl
- Price
- Not announced
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Aug 13, 2026
Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, CA is not currently confirmed to be running. Froligo tracks its status, history and similar festivals still happening.
What happened to Cruel World Festival?
The festival's fourth edition ran May 17, 2025. No 2026 edition has been announced: the official site still displays 2025 lineup, pricing, and post-event messaging, with no new dates, tickets, or lineup posted for the year.
It ran from 2022 to 2025, 4 editions in all.
Reported by LAmag (May 19, 2025), Variety (May 18, 2025).
Similar festivals that are still going ahead are listed further down this page.
The experience
What's special
Cruel World is Goldenvoice's goth, post-punk and new-wave destination festival at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, built around era-defining legacy acts like Nick Cave, New Order, OMD, Devo and Duran Duran. It runs as a compact single-day event that trades in shared nostalgia for a very specific crowd, drawing fans who travel in for reunions and rare sets. The daytime Pasadena sun has historically been part of the experience, and much of the audience treats the festival as an annual gathering of a scene
What people love
The draw is the lineup itself: attendees single out once-in-a-lifetime legacy performances, with Nick Cave repeatedly named the best set people had ever seen at the festival and OMD, 'Til Tuesday and Alison Moyet also winning strong praise. Food earns unusually warm reviews for a festival, described as incredible with short waits at the bars, and the shared-scene atmosphere is a recurring highlight even when other things go wrong
Last time around (2025)
The 2025 edition (May 17) was defined by unusually grey, drizzly and cool weather, which most attendees welcomed as fitting the festival's mood and a relief from the sunburn of past years. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds drew near-universal acclaim as the standout set, while sound mixing was a recurring complaint across several acts including the Go-Go's, New Order and the Buzzcocks
Listen
Tap an artist to play them right here.
No official playlist linked yet. Find Cruel World Festival on Spotify.
Lineup
The next lineup not yet announced. Here's who played in 2025:
Getting there
Nearest airport BUR.
How do I get to Cruel World Festival?
By car
Most people drive to Cruel World Festival. The nearest major airport is BUR, and from there it is a straightforward drive to the venue. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
No scheduled intercity bus or public transit route to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
Taxi & rideshare
Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🚙 Car hire
Where
Venue
Brookside at the Rose Bowl
Camping & Accommodation
No camping or lodging details for Cruel World Festival yet.
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Pricing
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