The 19th EXIT music festival opened its gates in Serbia's northern city of Novi Sad on Thursday afternoon, with the British rock band The Cure starting the festival in front of the largest ever daily crowd of over 56,000 people at the Celtic Petrovaradin Fortress.

The Cure played after their opening act 65daysofstatic in heavy rain.

The opening ceremony was traditionally held at midnight under the moto Peace on Earth, Peace with Earth which is meant as a an appeal to save life on the planet.  

The first day of the festival will include performances on 40 stages across the Petrovaradin fortress by the likes of Lost Frequencies, Maceo Plex, The Selecter and DJ Carl Cox on the Dance Arena stage.  

The festival closes on July 7.