The sun may have dipped below the horizon, but what Sunny Side left behind still lingers. Over a weekend of deep grooves, sun soaked stages, and non-stop dancing, Malta transformed into a haven for real house heads.
Despite a grey start to the day prior to the festival, with heavy rainfall briefly casting doubt over the weekend, Sunny Side (in it’s second edition) lived up to its name. By the time the festival had kicked off, the skies had cleared and the sun was shining. The previous weather was no match for the energy already building on the island, and stepping into UNO on Friday, it was clear it was going to be an unforgettable weekend.
Friday night saw a magical union between Half Baked and Det Gode Selskab, who came together to craft a beautiful vibe at the Treehaus stage in UNO. The energy was high from early on, with Tod Louie b2b Thomas Refvik setting the tone perfectly with a three-hour journey that took us from golden hour into the depths of night. Their set was in full flow with warmth, groove-driven beats and full of good energy. Later on in the night saw Sam Bangura b2b Harry McCanna, who kept things tight with their signature Slapfunk sound, setting the crowd for a lesson in house. Then to close out the Treehaus, Sonja Moonear took full control, delivering a set that was intricate, playful, and full of unexpected twists — a truly wonderful two hours that held the crowd in a groove right through to 4am. A highlight came when she dropped the newly-minted UK cult classic ‘Sweatbox’ by Harry Wills & Mikey Sebastian — a cheeky curveball that sent the dance floor into a frenzy.
Over on the Tropicana Stage, the vibe was something else — an open-air stage under the Maltese sky. There was magic in the atmosphere from the moment Carlos Valdes opened with Bootshonk a.k.a. Shonky’s ‘White Ghost’ — a moment that caused pure elation in the crowd. Carlos delivered a killer set, brimming with feel-good energy and slick selections. Then came Ryan Elliott, taking the reins and elevating things further. As fate would have it, both Ryan and Carlos were celebrating their birthdays that weekend — and it showed. The vibe was electric, a proper party, and the dance floor was locked in. Ryan Elliott’s set was one of the most eagerly awaited of the weekend — by both promoters and punters alike — and it absolutely delivered. Among the many standout moments was ‘Insane’ by DJ Romain — a deep house gem originally produced in 1997 but only recently released on streaming platforms. As the vocal sample kicked in, hands shot into the air, and you could feel it etching itself into everyone’s minds — a proper goosebumps moment, and with that only being 10 minutes into the set, it was a sign of things to come for the next 2 hours. Another unforgettable highlight came when Ryan dropped Magik J’s ‘Come on Girl’. With one of the grooviest bassline’s heard all weekend, it locked the crowd into a real rhythm — pure dance floor magic and a moment to savour.
Saturday afternoon into evening brought a change of scenery as we made our way to the north of Malta, arriving at the breathtaking Tortuga Beach Club for a sun-soaked beach party hosted by Love On The Rocks & Why? Not Club Zanzibar. Located along the rugged coastline, the club’s stunning location offered panoramic views of the crystal-clear waters, with dramatic rocky views adding to the natural beauty of the setting. The atmosphere was relaxed yet vibrant, with the sounds of the music drifting across the beach club as day turned into evening. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the vibe grew even more magical. With sets from Owen Jay, JNJS, and a killer back-to-back from Paramida b2b Enrica Falqui, it was a day to remember — a perfect blend of breathtaking views and smooth grooves that carried us into the evening and back over to UNO for night 2.
Saturday night seen a new stage open at UNO with the Roots stage being used giving the Tropicana a nights rest ahead of Sunday. Yoyaku took over both stages with a star studded lineup across both including Jonny Rock b2b Magda, Lamache b2b Bruno Schmidt, Margaret Dygas, Sweely and many more! Lamache b2b Bruno Schmidt delivered a masterclass in minimal house, weaving together two hours of fresh, cutting-edge selections. Their set was a crate digger’s dream—packed with rare gems and unreleased cuts that had heads turning track after track. A standout moment came with Moray’s ‘Liguria Universal,’ a quirky, bouncy piece that barely breaks 1,000 streams on Spotify. It’s a perfect example of how deep these two dig to craft a set that felt both timeless and entirely new. For those in attendance, it was two hours of pure discovery.
As temperatures got even warmer, the final day opened with two unforgettable boat parties sailing across the Mediterranean, soundtracked by sunshine and funky rhythms. Kicking things off at midday, Trommel took the helm with a lineup featuring Nesta and Hamish & Toby, setting the tone with warm beats and effortless energy. Later, Rhythm Point kept the momentum going as Hugo Martinez and Doudou MD delivered slick, sun-soaked sets. With clear skies, calm seas, and just a whisper of wind, the conditions couldn’t have been better—a perfect setting for dancing into the sunset.
Meanwhile, over at Treehaus, Dungeon Meat and Sunny Side Up teamed up for an electrifying closing takeover. Sets from Puis, UJ/DV, Georgia, Carista, and Dungeon Meat brought relentless energy and it was the two-hour finale from Tristan da Cunha and Brawther (a.k.a. Dungeon Meat) that truly stole the show on Sunday evening. Packed with brilliant IDs and high energy, what should of felt like a festival slowing down in its final few hours, was instead turned into a surge of energy that felt like the opening set on the first day. Their set featured standout moments like Lucas Alexander’s remix of “Dreams” by Smokin Betas, the unreleased Tino’s “Set You Free”, and countless others—cementing their set as one of the highlights of the weekend.
Beyond the music, the real magic of the weekend came from the people. From the artists who gave it their all, to the crowd who kept the energy high and came for all the right reasons, it was the people who made it unforgettable. A special thank you to the incredible team behind the scenes, especially Danny and Luke for building such a welcoming and genuine community. The smiles never faded, and the atmosphere they created set the tone for the entire weekend. Massive thanks as well to all the staff and volunteers who made everything run so smoothly. Their energy, attention to detail, and positive spirit helped shape the whole experience. It’s that feeling that was shared on boats, dancefloors, and in every little interaction—that made this festival truly special.
And the most exciting part? This was only the second edition of Sunny Side Festival. It’s already built something strong, and now has the platform to grow even more. We already can’t wait to be back on the island in 2026.