Tomorrowland Mainstage Engulfed by Flames Days Before Festival Kickoff

Witnesses describe disbelief as fire destroys iconic stage, organizers vow event will proceed.

A catastrophic fire has decimated the iconic mainstage at Tomorrowland 2025, casting a shadow of uncertainty just days before the world-renowned festival was set to open its gates. Attendees and staff alike expressed shock as the blaze consumed the massive structure on Wednesday, July 16.

Scene of Disbelief and Devastation

Kay Soesbergen, a catering company employee working at Tomorrowland’s DreamVille camping area, recounted the harrowing experience. Initially observing smoke billowing from the festival grounds, the situation escalated dramatically when fireworks began to ignite amidst the inferno. A subsequent call from a supervisor confirmed the terrifying reality: the mainstage was on fire.

“I looked [in that direction] and saw a really big [cloud] of smoke coming from the festival area. That’s kind of when we were like, ‘Okay, something is wrong.’ But then the fireworks start going off, and then we knew it was really wrong. Then I got a call from one of my supervisors who told me that it was the mainstage on fire.”

—Kay Soesbergen

Videos circulating widely captured the chaotic scene, with fireworks erupting as the stage burned fiercely, reducing the elaborate structure to its skeletal scaffolding. Firefighters worked for an estimated two to three hours to extinguish the blaze. Staff like Soesbergen were directed to a holding area for supplies while emergency services battled the flames.

Festival’s Future Uncertain, But Defiance Prevails

Despite the significant loss, Tomorrowland organizers have stated their firm intention to proceed with the festival as planned, commencing Friday, July 18. However, the mainstage will be absent for both this weekend and the following one.

“Our production team will now do everything to make something beautiful out of it. We’ll have to make some changes, but the intention is for all the big artists to perform. We hope to be able to provide more clarity on this on Thursday.”

—Debby Wilmsen, Tomorrowland spokeswoman

Debby Wilmsen, the festival’s long-time spokeswoman, addressed the situation in a press conference, emphasizing that cancellation is not on the table unless authorities deem the site unsafe. The festival anticipates welcoming approximately 400,000 attendees across its two weekends, a figure that highlights the scale of the event.

The loss of the mainstage represents a profound blow to Tomorrowland. Known for its yearly evolving, intricate designs, the stage serves as the festival’s centerpiece, drawing massive crowds and hosting performances from its most prominent artists. This year’s design had been in development for two years, underscoring the magnitude of the loss for both organizers and fans, with some attendees already requesting refunds.

“The Tomorrowland mainstage is a project on its own. It’s something that’s super special, and not only the people working for Tomorrowland, but everybody around the globe who loves it and looks forward to the reveal of the Tomorrowland mainstage and what’s going to happen there. So there was a lot of disbelief that this was the situation. The first hour and a half [of the situation] was really about disbelief.”

—Kay Soesbergen

Investigation Underway

The cause of the devastating fire remains unknown, prompting the public prosecutor’s office in Antwerp, Belgium, to launch a thorough investigation. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident. Tomorrowland’s DreamVille camping area is still scheduled to open to festival-goers on Thursday, July 18, as originally planned.

While festivals have historically contended with extreme weather events, from tornadoes to earthquakes, a fire of this magnitude striking a mainstage so close to the event’s commencement is unprecedented. The situation highlights the unique challenges faced by large-scale outdoor events. For instance, a stage collapse at the #Soundstorm festival in Saudi Arabia in 2022, though not fire-related, also resulted in significant disruptions and widespread concern about event safety.