Tomorrowland festival in ‘race against time' to open after fire destroys stage

Telegraph

17-07-2025

One of the world's largest dance parties will go ahead on Friday without its famous main stage after it was destroyed by fire.
More than 400,000 people are set to descend on the town of Boom, in Belgium, for the Tomorrowland festival which has come to be internationally renowned as much for its elaborate stage designs as its headline acts.
Fans have paid up to £5000 for the multi-day event where some of the biggest names in the electronic music scene — including David Guetta — were expected to perform in a 'magical universe made entirely out of ice'.
A sound and light stage show was meant to symbolise melting glaciers that revealed 'a unique source of light, energy, and power that originates from powerful, red-coloured crystals and rocks'.
But the plans were thrown into chaos on Wednesday night as a fire broke out while staff were reportedly testing a firework cannon that would have been used during the performance.
Tomorrowland promoters said in a statement that the 'beloved' art installation was severely damaged.
'It's impossible to put into words what we're feeling,' they said.
'This wasn't just a stage. It was a living, breathing world.'
Images shared on local news sites and social media showed flames and plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland.
No one was injured during the fire and the festival's 14 smaller stages were undamaged.
Tens of thousands of festival-goers set up tents in the campsite on Thursday despite uncertainty over the event plans, while other devastated ticket-holders demanded refunds.
Tomorrowland organisers outlined two scenarios for the music performances as they promised to find 'possible solutions'.
'It's a race against time, but we're doing this together with the best and most amazing people in the world,' they said in a statement published on the event's website on Thursday evening.
'What we can confirm is that we will be able to welcome everyone tomorrow.'
If the burnt structure can be safely secured and a new stage set up overnight, the festival grounds may open as planned on Friday afternoon.
'If we are unable to open at full visitor capacity, DreamVille [the campsite] and the festival grounds will function as two separate areas on Friday to ensure the safety of all guests,' the festival organisers said.
Debby Wilmsen, the Tomorrowland spokeswoman, said staff were 'devastated' but that 'we're going to keep going, we're going 100 percent'.
'We can also throw a party without a main stage,' Ms Wilmsen said.
The fire on Wednesday night was not the first time Tomorrowland has been impacted by fire.
In 2018 when the festival held a special event in Spain, a crowd of 22,000 people was evacuated after a stage was engulfed in flames.
Fans fled in terror as the inferno took hold, sending smoke billowing into the sky as the massive speaker system caught fire.