Massive Fire Destroys Main Stage at Tomorrowland Festival Site Days Before Opening

A massive fire destroyed Tomorrowland’s main stage just two days before the festival’s opening in Boom, Belgium, prompting organisers to evacuate staff and implement emergency plans to keep the event on schedule.

Just two days before the world-famous Tomorrowland festival was set to begin, a massive fire broke out at the festival’s main stage in Boom, a town located north of Brussels, Belgium, causing significant damage and raising uncertainty about the festival’s opening.

Videos shared widely on social media captured the dramatic scene, with thick plumes of black smoke and fierce flames engulfing the iconic stage, while fireworks could be seen and heard exploding in the background. Although no festival-goers were present at the time of the incident, around 1,000 staff members working on site were safely evacuated, according to local broadcaster VRT.

In an official statement released on Wednesday, Tomorrowland organisers confirmed that the main stage had been “severely damaged” due to what they described as a "serious incident and fire". The cause of the blaze remains unknown, and an investigation is reportedly underway.

Despite the setback, organisers remain committed to proceeding with the event. “We’re going to make it a great festival,” said Debby Wilmsen, spokesperson for Tomorrowland. “It will be without a main stage, but hopefully we can do something else – though I can’t say much about that yet.”

The Tomorrowland team reportedly worked overnight on alternative plans for the main stage area. By Thursday morning, the festival’s DreamVille campsite had already welcomed the first wave of attendees, signalling that efforts to ensure the event goes ahead are well underway.

The 2025 edition of Tomorrowland was expected to draw around 200,000 attendees from around the globe, with headline acts including David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, Charlotte de Witte, and Amelie Lens.

Local residents expressed their shock over the incident. Morgan Hermans, who lives near the festival grounds, told CNN: “There was just a big cloud of fireworks and smoke very near us, so that was a bit scary. It’s one of the biggest events of the year. Our town is very small, so to welcome people from around the entire world is crazy – and so much fun. It’s a big deal, so everyone in Boom was a bit terrified for a few seconds.”

The first Tomorrowland festival was held in 2005 and has since grown into one of the largest and most celebrated electronic dance music festivals in the world. This year’s fire marks one of the most serious incidents in its two-decade history.

As festival organisers scramble to implement contingency plans, fans around the world await further updates on how the show will continue without its signature main stage – often a defining element of the Tomorrowland experience.