A massive fire destroyed the main stage and venue of the Tomorrowland festival in Belgium. The incident occurred one day before the event was set to begin.
Tomorrowland, one of the largest European dance music festivals, will be held in a different format. This decision was made due to the massive fire that destroyed the main venue right before the event's opening.
According to residents of Boom, a commune near Antwerp and close to the festival platform, news of the fire emerged on July 17, 2025. Early that morning, local authorities advised citizens to close their windows and doors to prevent acrid smoke from entering their homes.
Emergency responders speculate that the fire was caused by fireworks. The night before reports of the emergency emerged, festival organizers were testing pyrotechnic systems, which are an integral part of the event. The organizers did not confirm or deny the city services' version of events.
It should be noted that, thanks to the organizers' reasonable actions, no one was injured. According to Tomorrowland's administration, the incident will affect the festival's format but will not cause its cancellation. The platform will open on July 18, 2025, as planned.
The organizers said they are "making every possible effort to resolve the issue with the central area of the festival." Despite the damage, "other stages, venues, and festival property were not affected." However, the organizers advised visitors to check the event's website frequently for updates about the festival's format.
Founded in 2005, Tomorrowland has become the largest dance music festival in Europe over the past 20 years. Each year, the event welcomes around 400,000 guests.
