Cover Tomorrowland, one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world, has announced that The Magic of Tomorrowland will debut in Shanghai this year
Tomorrowland, one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world, has announced that The Magic of Tomorrowland will debut in Shanghai this year
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Tomorrowland announces a series of firsts with The Magic of Tomorrowland: the first Tomorrowland festival in China, the first in Asia and the first to be held indoors. Here’s what we can look forward to in November
For the first time, the globally recognised Belgian music festival Tomorrowland is coming to China. Set for November 22, 2025, The Magic of Tomorrowland will take place at the Hero Dome on Shanghai’s Bund waterfront, marking the festival’s debut in the country, its first in Asia—and its first indoor showcase anywhere in the world.
Organised in collaboration with Hero Esports, INS Land and title sponsor Budweiser, the event will adapt Tomorrowland’s large-scale production values to an enclosed venue. It will feature an immersive stage design, integrated visual and sound technology and a cross-cultural programme of international headliners and rising Chinese artists.
Above The Magic of Tomorrowland aims to feature Chinese performers and on a global stage, alongside international acts.
The Magic of Tomorrowland aims to feature Chinese performers and on a global stage, alongside international acts.
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Themed “Paperworld”, the event is positioned as a more intimate and theatrical interpretation of the Tomorrowland experience. According to organisers, it will centre on storytelling and audience participation, blending the festival’s signature staging with elements specific to the Shanghai location.
Beyond the November event, the partnership signals longer-term ambitions. Tomorrowland’s artist agency One World Artist and INS Land have announced plans to collaborate on future projects that would spotlight Chinese performers abroad and introduce international acts to the Chinese market.
“This won’t be a traditional outdoor festival. This will be a fully immersive indoor show—designed specifically from the ground up to create intimacy, intensity and impact, no matter the weather or the world outside. You’ll experience the sound, the stage design, the storytelling—all the signature elements that define Tomorrowland—reimagined through the lens of China, and brought to life in one unforgettable space,” said Clinton Lau, head of music festivals at Hero Esports and head of music at INS Land.
Above Tomorrowland’s Winter 2025 edition in Alpe d'Huez featured both indoor and outdoor stages.
Tomorrowland’s Winter 2025 edition in Alpe d'Huez featured both indoor and outdoor stages.
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Ticketing details and artist line-up announcements will be released in September, with exclusive pre-sale opportunities available to early registrants. Fans can pre-register via the INS Land WeChat mini-programme and app, and also join the official Tomorrowland WeChat community to access early ticket sales, giveaways and other offers.
Founded in Belgium in 2005, Tomorrowland has grown from a local electronic music event into one of the world’s most recognisable festival brands. Its flagship festival in Boom, Belgium, draws hundreds of thousands of attendees annually from around the globe, while spin-offs in Brazil and France have helped establish its global footprint.
The winter 2025 edition of Tomorrowland, held in the French ski resort of Alpe d’Huez, also featured indoor stages and was a preview for the kind of immersive, climate-controlled environment that will be replicated in Shanghai.
With The Magic of Tomorrowland in Shanghai, organisers are looking to introduce this evolving format to a new audience, adapting the brand’s large-scale appeal for an urban, indoor setting in Asia.
Thailand has also recently announced that the country will host a Tomorrowland festival in 2026, to be held in Chon Buri province.
In the meantime, this year’s flagship edition of Tomorrowland in its home country is set to open in a couple of weeks, kicking off on July 18 to 20, and then again on its second weekend on July 25 to 27 in Boom, Belgium. Featuring the theme “Orbyz”, the festival expects about 400,000 people from all over the world to attend.
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Images: courtesy of Tomorrowland
Kristine Fonacier is a widely published journalist and author, covering lifestyle, business, politics and travel. She was the editor in chief at the Philippine editions of Esquire and Entrepreneur, and the founding editor of Grid magazine. At Tatler, she was previously the regional editor for T-Labs, Power & Purpose and Asia’s Most Influential.
