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In an extraordinary turn of events, Tomorrowland 2025—one of the world’s most iconic electronic music festivals—has pushed forward with its opening weekend after a devastating fire destroyed the original Mainstage just days before kickoff.
On Wednesday, July 16, a fire broke out on the massive Mainstage structure in Belgium. The blaze rapidly engulfed much of the stage’s intricate design, with black smoke billowing above the grounds. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and approximately 1,000 workers were safely evacuated.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been triggered during a pyrotechnics test, though the exact cause remains under investigation by Belgian authorities. The incident left fans and organizers shocked, casting uncertainty over the fate of the first weekend, scheduled to begin- today, July 18.
Despite the scale of the destruction, Tomorrowland organizers responded swiftly and decisively. By the morning of July 17, they had confirmed that the festival would proceed with all programming intact, albeit with some adjustments. The gates would open two hours later than initially planned—at 2 p.m. instead of noon—to allow for last-minute preparations.
In a remarkable feat of logistics and determination, a brand-new Mainstage was constructed in less than 48 hours. This was made possible in part by salvaging elements from Metallica’s WorldWired Tour stage, which had been in storage in Austria. Crews worked around the clock to erect a new, more minimalist structure featuring large digital screens, lighting rigs, and a simplified design that forgoes the original stage’s elaborate architecture and pyrotechnics.
The replacement stage officially went live at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 18, with opening performances by Odymel and Pegassi. As the sun dipped below the Belgian horizon, thousands of festival-goers gathered in front of the new stage, showing overwhelming support for the comeback. Festival spokesperson Debby Wilmsen praised the enormous effort, stating that the team had “put their heart and soul into rebuilding” and that “Tomorrowland is stronger and more united than ever.”
Meanwhile, the rest of the festival grounds—including DreamVille camping and over 15 other stages—remained unaffected by the fire. All scheduled performances are continuing as planned across the July 18–20 and July 25–27 weekends. Headliners such as Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Charlotte de Witte, John Summit, Alok, Armin van Buuren, and Axwell are still slated to perform on the rebuilt Mainstage and other iconic venues like the Freedom Stage.
Fan reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. Many took to social media to express admiration for the organizers’ quick recovery efforts, calling the rebuilt stage a “miracle” and hailing the resilience of the festival spirit. While some lamented the loss of the original spectacle, most attendees agreed that the show must—and will—go on.
