RETROGRADE Festival Announced: A 2000s Music Throwback Is Coming to Costinești This August
Timbaland, Busta Rhymes, and Fat Joe set to headline Romania's newest summer festival at Nibiru, Costinești
Romania's festival scene is about to get a major dose of nostalgia. RETROGRADE Festival has officially been announced today — a brand-new, three-day music celebration dedicated entirely to the sounds and culture of the 2000s, set to take place from August 28 to August 30 at Nibiru, Costinești.
The Lineup
The inaugural edition of RETROGRADE doesn't hold back when it comes to headline power. The festival will be headlined by three titans of early 2000s hip-hop and R&B:
- Timbaland — the legendary producer and performer behind some of the decade's most iconic beats, from Missy Elliott to Justin Timberlake and beyond.
- Busta Rhymes — the high-energy rap powerhouse known for his lightning-fast flow and a string of inescapable hits that defined a generation.
- Fat Joe — the Bronx-born rap veteran whose anthems became staples of every early-2000s playlist and radio station.
Full lineup details, including supporting acts and stage schedules, are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
The Venue: Nibiru, Costinești
RETROGRADE will be hosted at Nibiru, the ambitious artificially created resort and themed park located in Costinești, on Romania's Black Sea coast. The venue is no stranger to large-scale music events — it is the same home that houses the beloved Beach Please Festival, one of Romania's most popular and fastest-growing summer music gatherings. Nibiru's immersive, purpose-built environment makes it a natural fit for a nostalgia-driven festival concept, offering festival-goers a unique setting that blends coastal summer vibes with a curated, experience-first atmosphere.
A Festival Built Around an Era
The 2000s were a golden age for hip-hop, R&B, pop-punk, and electronic music — genres that shaped the musical tastes of an entire generation now entering their 30s and 40s. RETROGRADE aims to bottle that cultural moment and bring it back to life over three nights on the Romanian Riviera. The festival's name itself is a nod to the idea of going back — revisiting the sounds, artists, and energy of a decade that remains deeply embedded in popular culture, from fashion to film to music streaming nostalgia playlists.
"RETROGRADE will be the festival of the 2000s. Festival of nostalgia, evergreen hits, songs that marked your childhood on MTV, the songs on repeat that you have known for 20 years from the radio."
Tickets and Information
Ticket sale details and official artist announcements are expected to follow shortly via the festival's official channels. Festivalgoers are encouraged to keep an eye on RETROGRADE's social media pages for early bird announcements and full lineup reveals. With a power lineup, a proven coastal venue, and a concept built on pure nostalgia, RETROGRADE Festival looks set to become one of the most talked-about events of the Romanian summer of 2026.
Stay tuned for updates on tickets, the full lineup, and everything else RETROGRADE.
