The annual Tomorrowland festival is expected to attract around 400,000 attendees over its two weekends, with a significant portion of them choosing to stay at DreamVille, the on-site camping area which accommodates 38,000 guests per weekend.
A significant fire erupted at the Tomorrowland music festival site in Boom, Belgium, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, just two days before the renowned electronic music festival was scheduled to commence its first weekend. The blaze “severely damaged” the main stage, the centerpiece of the elaborate festival design.
The fire reportedly started on the right side of the main stage and rapidly spread, consuming much of the massive structure. Videos circulating online showed dramatic scenes of flames engulfing the stage, accompanied by plumes of thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Eyewitnesses and local residents reported hearing what sounded like fireworks during the blaze, leading to speculation that pyrotechnics being tested for the festival might have played a role, though the official cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Several dozen DJs and electronic music stars, such as David Guetta, Lost Frequencies, Armin van Buuren and Charlotte de Witte, are to perform from Friday for the first weekend, with two-thirds of the events split between the now destroyed “Mainstage” and the “Freedom Stage”.
Founded 20 years ago by two Belgian brothers, Tomorrowland has become an internationally-renowned event. A winter festival is now held in the French ski resort of Alpe d’Huez and another in Brazil.
Tomorrowland has become an internationally-renowned event
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. Approximately 1,000 staff members were present on the site, carrying out final preparations for the festival, and all were safely evacuated. There were no festival-goers on site at the time of the fire.
Despite the extensive damage to the main stage, Tomorrowland organizers swiftly released a statement confirming that the festival would proceed as planned. They announced that DreamVille, the festival’s campsite, would open on Thursday, July 17, as scheduled, and all Global Journey activities in Brussels and Antwerp would also take place. The organizers emphasized their focus on “finding solutions” for the festival weekend, which is set to run over two consecutive weekends (July 18-20 and July 25-27).
The main stage at Tomorrowland is celebrated for its intricate and immersive designs, which typically align with the festival’s annual theme. This year’s theme, “The World of Orbyz,” was meant to be brought to life through the stage’s fantastical elements. The destruction poses a considerable logistical challenge for the organizers, who now face the immense task of adapting the festival layout and performance schedules to accommodate the loss of the primary stage.
before fire Europe’s largest and most anticipated music festivals
Local authorities and emergency services responded promptly to the incident, working to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby wooded areas. While the smoke was declared non-toxic, residents in the surrounding areas were advised to keep windows and doors closed. Investigations into the exact cause of the fire are ongoing.
The incident marks a significant setback for one of Europe’s largest and most anticipated music festivals, which annually draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe. While the show is set to go on, the absence of the iconic main stage will undoubtedly alter the experience for attendees and test the resilience and adaptability of the Tomorrowland team.
