Best Kept Secret

Best Kept Secret is one of the most respected music festivals in the Netherlands.

It takes place at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, near Tilburg. The setting is a big part of the identity: water, trees, open fields, camping and a relaxed festival village atmosphere.

Best Kept Secret is often shortened to BKS. It is known for a carefully curated line-up rather than only the biggest mainstream names. You can expect indie, alternative, electronic music, hip-hop, pop, experimental acts and strong international bookings.

If Pinkpop is the classic Dutch giant, Best Kept Secret is the more curated festival weekend.

When is Best Kept Secret?

Best Kept Secret usually takes place in June.

In 2026, Best Kept Secret takes place on Friday 12 June, Saturday 13 June and Sunday 14 June at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek. The official festival site lists the 2026 edition as 12, 13 & 14 June, Beekse Bergen, NL.

The official ticket page also confirms that Best Kept Secret returns on 12, 13 & 14 June 2026, with weekend and day tickets available.

Because it is a popular festival with limited accommodation nearby, it is smart to arrange tickets and sleeping plans early.

Where is Best Kept Secret held?

Best Kept Secret is held at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek.

Beekse Bergen is best known as a safari park and holiday area in Noord-Brabant. During the festival, part of the area becomes a music festival site with stages, food, camping and accommodation options.

Visit Brabant lists the location as Lake Resort Beekse Bergen, Beekse Bergen 1, 5081 NJ Hilvarenbeek.

The location makes Best Kept Secret feel different from a city festival. You are not moving between clubs or streets. You are entering a full weekend environment.

What kind of music does Best Kept Secret have?

Best Kept Secret has a broad but curated music profile.

The festival often books indie rock, alternative pop, electronic music, hip-hop, post-punk, soul, experimental acts and artists that sit between genres.

It is not only for people who want huge radio hits. It is also not a niche underground festival. The strength of BKS is the balance: known headliners, respected artists, new discoveries and left-field acts in one programme.

The best way to enjoy it is to leave space for discovery. You may go for one big name and leave with three new favourite artists.

Why is Best Kept Secret popular?

Best Kept Secret is popular because it feels carefully put together.

The line-up is usually the main reason people buy tickets. But the setting also matters. The lake, the trees, the camping and the food programme give it a softer atmosphere than many large festival fields.

It feels less like a mass event and more like a long weekend built around music taste.

That is why BKS attracts people who care about the full festival experience: the artists, the sound, the food, the surroundings and the pace of the weekend.

Best Kept Secret 2026 line-up

The 2026 edition includes major international names and a wide mix of genres.

Festival listings and the festival’s published programme show a line-up including Gorillaz, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Jack White among the major names, alongside a broad programme of international and Dutch acts.

Line-ups can change, so always check the official programme before buying a day ticket for one specific artist.

If your main reason to go is one act, choose your ticket carefully and keep an eye on updates.

Tickets for Best Kept Secret

Best Kept Secret is a ticketed festival.

The official ticket page states that weekend and day tickets are available for the 2026 edition.

Common ticket types include weekend tickets, day tickets and tickets with campsite access. Some accommodation packages may include festival tickets, while others require separate arrangements.

Always buy through the official website or trusted ticket partners. Large festivals attract scams, especially when popular ticket types sell out.

Before buying, check whether your ticket includes camping. Do not assume it does.

Camping at Best Kept Secret

Camping is a major part of the Best Kept Secret experience.

The official FAQ says the campsite opens on Friday at 10:00 and closes on Monday at 12:00.

This means many visitors arrive before the music programme starts and stay until the day after the festival.

Camping is practical because Hilvarenbeek is not a large city with endless hotel rooms. It also helps create the weekend atmosphere. You wake up near the festival site, walk to the stages and stay inside the BKS world for three days.

If you camp, bring clothes for both warm and wet weather. June in the Netherlands can be sunny, rainy, muddy or all three.

Accommodation at Beekse Bergen

Best Kept Secret also offers accommodation options beyond regular camping.

The official accommodation page describes options such as bungalows, safari tents, hotel rooms and other Beekse Bergen packages. These packages can include accommodation and festival tickets.

These options are useful if you want more comfort than a tent. They also sell out early, especially for groups.

If you already have a festival ticket and later want an accommodation package, check the official instructions carefully. Packages and ticket combinations can have specific rules.

Festival opening times

The official FAQ lists the planned 2026 festival ground opening times as follows, subject to change:

• Friday: 14:00 to 04:00
• Saturday: 11:00 to 04:00
• Sunday: 11:00 to 00:30

These times show how much of a full weekend event Best Kept Secret is. It is not just a few evening concerts. It is a three-day festival rhythm.

Always check the final timetable before travelling.

How to get to Best Kept Secret

Best Kept Secret takes place at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, near Tilburg.

The official travel information gives separate instructions depending on whether you are going to the campsite, Lake Resort accommodation, Safari Resort accommodation or Safari Hotel. For example, visitors with camper, caravan or Lake Resort accommodation are directed to Beekse Bergen 1, Hilvarenbeek, while Safari Resort and Safari Hotel visitors are directed to Tilburgseweg 41, 5081 NJ Hilvarenbeek.

This matters because Beekse Bergen is a large area with different entrances. Follow the official route for your ticket or accommodation type.

Do not simply enter “Beekse Bergen” and assume you will arrive at the right gate.

Best Kept Secret vs Pinkpop

Best Kept Secret and Pinkpop are both major Dutch festivals, but they feel different.

Pinkpop is older, larger in cultural recognition and more mainstream. It is known for big headliners and a classic festival field experience in Landgraaf.

Best Kept Secret is more curated, more alternative and more tied to its natural setting at Beekse Bergen.

A simple way to compare them:

• Pinkpop is the Dutch festival classic.
• Best Kept Secret is the tastemaker weekend.

Both can be excellent. The better choice depends on your music taste.

Pinkpop is the Dutch festival classic. Best Kept Secret is the tastemaker weekend.

Practical tips

• Buy tickets through the official site or trusted partners.
• Check whether your ticket includes camping.
• Book accommodation early if you do not want regular camping.
• Follow the official travel route for your ticket type.
• Bring layers and waterproof clothing.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Do not plan every set too tightly. Leave room for discovery.
• Check the food programme as well as the music line-up.
• Bring ear protection.
• Arrive early if you want to set up camp calmly.

Is Best Kept Secret worth visiting?

Yes, if you like curated music festivals.

Best Kept Secret is not only about one headliner. It is about the full weekend: music, setting, food, camping, discovery and atmosphere.

It is especially strong for people who like indie, alternative and electronic music but still want a professional, well-organised festival.

If you want only the biggest radio hits, Pinkpop may be a better fit. If you want a more carefully shaped festival weekend, Best Kept Secret is one of the strongest choices in the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions