Jules Kozak
Founder of FestivalMates
Dutch festival-goer, 50+ events across Europe. Writing about EDM, solo raving, and building in public.
About Jules
I'm Jules — Dutch, Netherlands-based, and I've been to 50+ festivals across Europe over the past decade. Tomorrowland, Defqon.1, Awakenings, ADE, Mysteryland, DGTL, Loveland, Parookaville — I've done the big stages and the underground warehouses, the camping weekends and the one-day city festivals. Festival culture is where I've met most of my closest friends.
FestivalMates exists because I kept running into the same problem: my friend groups don't always overlap on genre. Some years I wanted to go to a techno festival and nobody in my circle was into techno. The existing apps — Radiate, Tinder Festival Mode — match by looks or location, not by what actually matters for festival compatibility: music taste. I decided to build the app I wanted. I'm building in public, documenting the process, and shipping features in evening and weekend sessions.
On the tech side, FestivalMates runs on Next.js 14 with TypeScript, Supabase for auth + database + storage, Spotify's Web API for real listening data, PostHog for analytics, Stripe for Pro subscriptions, and Vercel for deployment. Every compatibility score (the “Mate Score”) is calculated from your actual top artists and top genres — no self-reported interests, no guessing.
Festivals attended
A selection of the festivals I've been to and written about.
Writing
18 posts on festivals, music culture, and building FestivalMates.
Awakenings Festival 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to Europe's biggest techno festival
Your first Awakenings? Here's everything — the Hilvarenbeek site, what makes it the world's biggest pure-techno event, how to navigate it, and tips from someone who has been multiple times.
Fusion Festival 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to Europe's most underground gathering
Your first Fusion Festival? Here's everything — how to actually get tickets, what to expect at Lärz Airfield, the music, the culture, and why this is unlike any other festival in Europe.
Hideout Festival 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to Croatia's beach party week
Your first Hideout? Here's everything — Zrće Beach, the clubs, the boat parties, what music to expect, and how to make a week in Croatia work as both a festival and a holiday.
Higher Love Malta 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to the Mediterranean's best house and techno festival
Your first Higher Love? Here's everything — the Malta setting, what makes it one of the most underrated boutique festivals in Europe, and how to make the most of a week in the Mediterranean.
Nuits Sonores 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to Lyon's urban electronic festival
Your first Nuits Sonores? Here's everything — the Lyon setting, the free street events, what makes it one of Europe's most distinctive urban electronic festivals, and how to navigate a city that becomes a festival.
OZORA Festival 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to Hungary's legendary psytrance gathering
Your first OZORA? Here's everything — Dádpuszta, the culture, what to expect from 11 days at Europe's most iconic psychedelic gathering, and how to actually survive it.
Creamfields 2026: The complete first-timer's guide
Going to Creamfields 2026 for the first time? Everything you need — tickets, camping, lineup, getting there, and how to find your crew.
Radiate alternatives in 2026: 5 apps for finding festival friends
Looking for a Radiate alternative? Here are 5 apps for finding festival friends in 2026 — compared by matching, features, pricing, and which one actually works for European ravers.
Sonar 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to Barcelona's electronic festival
Your first Sonar 2026? Here's everything — Sonar by Day vs Night, the Barcelona venue layout, ticket types, and tips from someone who has been multiple times.
Sziget 2026: The complete first-timer's guide to the Island of Freedom
Your first Sziget 2026? Everything you need — the island layout, camping zones, music stages, Budapest tips, and how to survive six days of festival chaos.
Best Festival Apps in 2026: A Complete Comparison
An honest comparison of the best festival apps in 2026 — FestivalMates, Radiate, EDMtrain, Bump, and Frontstage. Features, pricing, and which one is right for you.
Defqon.1 2026: The Complete First-Timer's Guide to the Holy Grounds
Your first Defqon.1 2026? Here's everything — POWER HOUR, camping at the Holy Grounds, ticket info, and tips from the harder styles community.
The Ultimate Festival Packing List for 2026: What to Actually Bring
The only festival packing list you need for 2026. Camping essentials, outfit tips, health gear & direct links to buy everything. Don't forget the earplugs.
How FestivalMates Matches Ravers by Music Taste
A deep dive into how FestivalMates uses your Spotify data to calculate music compatibility. Learn about the 60/30/10 scoring algorithm, five match tiers, and why shared artists matter more than shared genres.
The Complete First-Timer's Guide to Tomorrowland 2026
Your first Tomorrowland 2026? Here's everything — tickets, budget, DreamVille camping, what to pack, and tips from someone who's been 6 times.
Going to a Festival Alone: The Complete Guide for Solo Ravers
Thinking about going to a festival alone? This guide covers everything from safety tips to making friends, packing, and why solo festivals are actually amazing.
Best EDM Festivals in Europe 2026: The Ultimate Guide
The definitive guide to the best EDM festivals in Europe for 2026. From Tomorrowland to Time Warp, here are the events every electronic music fan should know about.
How to Find Festival Friends: 5 Ways to Build Your Crew
Want to go to a festival but don't have a crew? Here are 5 proven ways to find festival friends — from apps to Reddit communities to on-site strategies.