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Tomorrowland, one of music’s biggest festivals of the year, is fast approaching! Tomorrowland 2024 promises to be just as huge, loud, colourful, and earth-shattering as previous iterations, and with dates and lineups announced, all that’s left to do is mentally prepare for a week of pure bliss and oblivion.
Seeing as 489 of you voted Tomorrowland as the live event you’d spend ALL your money on in our Voice of a Generation survey, we thought we’d give you a guide. Whether you’re a Tomorrowland veteran or this is your first time stomping the festival grounds, this guide to Tomorrowland is sure to arm you to the teeth so you’re ready to take it all on! And this is the festival’s 20-year anniversary, so you know it’s going to be epic af.
The dates
Tomorrowland 2024 will be held between the Friday 19th of July to Sunday the 28th of July. The festival is split into two weekends for double the party, so you can either attend on Weekend 1 between the 19th and 21st, or on Weekend 2 between the 26th and 28th. Or, you can do both, and explore Belgium on your time off – Belgian fries and waffles are the perfect cure for festival blues.
The venue
As always, Tomorrowland 2024 will be held in Belgium at the Provinciaal Recreatiedomein de Schorre. Year round it’s just a regular green park that you can enjoy strolls and picnics in. But over Tomorrowland’s two weekends it completely transforms with the extravagant drippings of that year’s theme.
The theme
Speaking of… Tomorrowland 2024’s theme is LIFE. Celebrating 20 years of music, dance, party, and friendship, the festival is going all out with their neon decorations and impressive light installations (as per).
“Tomorrowland Belgium 2024 will revolve around the theme ‘LIFE’, taking the People of Tomorrow back to a vibrant era in Silvyra, a world of lush nature, when the conjunction of the two moons is about to happen.” If this sounds confusing to you, don’t worry, each Tomorrowland theme is accompanied by fantasy lore, and you can learn more about it on their official website here.
The lineup
Tomorrowland’s line-up (and whole vibe) is all about EDM (electronic dance music). Heavy beats and unique mash-ups are what you can expect when you take to the field, and you’ll be swaying your hips, jumping up and down, and bobbing (or banging) your head all night long.
The headliners for Weekend 1 and Weekend 2 differ slightly, though are mostly the same, so choose your tickets accordingly, and they include EDM heavy-hitters like Friction, John Newmand, Agents of Time, and Swedish House Mafia.
What should I expect?
Tomorrowland is more than a music festival, it’s honestly an other-worldly experience, so you should expect just that. It’s huge, both literally and figuratively, so prepare to do a lot of walking between stages and even to food and drink stalls. It also gets crowded, so if you’re going with a friend make sure you stick together or have a way of finding each other if you do need to separate!
Tomorrowland has its own form of currency called ‘pearls’ which you can buy and load to your bracelet over the weekend. These pearls will buy you food and drink, as well as other unique extras, so it’s important you keep your bracelet at all times and understand how it all works.
Image source:Michal Soukup / unsplash
Some top tips:
- Bring bottle lids and pringle lids: Why? Because you’ll be given drinks with no lids at the festival, so if you want to move around and dance without worrying about spilling your beverage, or if you simply want to refill a bottle, these will come in handy! The pringle lids fit the cups they give you and make for a great hack. Though, it’s best to bring a reusable bottle if you can.
- Use the first day to scout: Tomorrowland has different stages and once the crowds start packing in it’ll get a little hard to navigate. So use the daytime to visit the venue and scout out which stages are which, and who will be playing where, that way you can see the artists you really want.
- Explore, explore, explore: Tomorrowland is a trip and even if certain stages aren’t your vibe, the intricate decorations and set-pieces are jaw-dropping all on their own. Take your time in Dreamville and soak in the magic of this fantasy land.
- Buy more pearls: buy more pearls than you actually need. Firstly, you never know how much you may end up spending (unless you’ve diligently budgeted!), and second, you can refund any leftover pearls you don’t end up using at the end of the festival – so there’s no money lost!
- Hydrate constantly: listen, Tomorrowland is fun, but it’s also tiring on the body, especially if the weather predicts glowing sun. Always keep a bottle of water on you so you can hydrate as you go and avoid mid-festival fatigue. This is the same for snacks – keep a few on you for a quick pick-me-up.
- Keep your valuables secure: we’d like to think most people attending Tomorrowland are there for a good time, but some people just have to ruin everything (boo!), so it’s best to leave your valuables at home, and keep those you can’t travel without. Pickpockets will be about, so watch out.
- Know your limits: It’s really easy to get swept up in the action, and though we definitely encourage getting out there, living your life and having fun, you’ve got to take care of yourself and know when it’s time to head to bed.
Other than that, expect heaps and heaps of excitement and fun at Tomorrowland, and just let loose and embrace the madness.
What should I pack?
The key to festival packing is to pack as light as you can. Bring a change of clothes (undies and socks included!), a few toiletries so you can freshen up, though you’ll most likely be foregoing hot showers, or showers at all, for a few days, and some kind of rain poncho in case the weather takes a turn.
Other packing essentials include:
- A small bag: something you can easily carry around with you all day to hold your phone, water bottle, and snacks.
- Sunscreen and sunglasses: maximum sun protection is advised, even if heavy sun isn’t on the forecast! If you’re spending all day outside you’ll be hit by those UV rays either way, so reapply sunscreen throughout the day.
- A cap: same as above, you’ll want a hat to protect your eyes, and you’ll also look really cool, so…
- A power bank: always make sure your phone is charged if you’re planning on taking pictures and videos. Having a fully charged phone is also a super important safety element so you can find your festival buddies should you get separated, and contact anyone you need.
- A good pair of shoes: you’re going to be doing A LOT of walking and A LOT of dancing, so prioritise comfort over style when it comes to footwear. Your toes will thank you at the end of a long day.
- A reusable bottle: you’re going to want to hydrate a lot, and the best way to do this while also being as responsible as possible is to keep a reusable water bottle with you so you can refill it any time of day without contributing to the use of single-use plastics.
- Ear plugs: this will be handy for when you want to go to sleep, whether the music is still going or not, but they can also be incredibly useful while walking through the festival as well. As you can imagine, Tomorrowland gets very, very loud.
- Sustainable glitter: who doesn’t love a bit of glitter at a festival? We know we do, but what we love even more than being sparkly and glamorous, is doing it in a sustainable way. Sustainable glitter is really easy to find, so there’s no excuse.
- Snacks: you. Need. Snacks. Anything from power or protein bars, trail mix, or even brioche, as long as you can pack it in your bum bag and carry it with you throughout the day for energy, you’re golden.
Need more tips on sustainable festival packing? We’ve got a handy dandy guide for you, and Tomorrowland have their own check-list as well.
Accommodation
When it comes to Tomorrowland accommodation you have a few options. You can stay in DreamVille, Tomorrowland’s dedicated grounds for the thousands of people joining the festival to eat and sleep.
Various DreamVille packages exist with accommodation ranging from a plot of land on which you can pitch your own tent, to pre-pitched tents with different levels of luxury, and the ‘mansion’ which is akin to a hotel or AirBnb. DreamVille is an on-location accommodation spot and these packages can be purchased on top of or alongside entrance tickets.
Festival-goers can also choose to stay outside of the Tomorrowland venue and opt for hotels or hostels in the neighbouring town of Boom or in the city of Antwerp a little further out. Belgium’s public transport system is very well arranged, with trains that can take you all over the country, and local bus services as well. If you choose to stay in Boom, there is a dedicated Tomorrowland bus shuttle which will take you straight to the festival, though if you choose this option you’ll have to do a little more planning, especially in the evenings.
Camping essentials
If you choose to go for the camping option and opt for a DreamVille plot of land for your own tent, you’ll need a few things (aside from the obvious tent and pegs).
- Camp light or torch: Something to light your way in the early hours of the morning is ideal, as is something to light up the inside of your tent so you’re not constantly stumbling around in the dark.
- Microfiber towel: As mentioned above, unless you opt for a hotel or hostel stay, you’re most likely not going to get a shower. But microfiber towels that you can pour a little bit of water on are a game changer when it comes to giving yourself a little refresh.
- Wet wipes: same as above, and you never know when toilet paper might run out…
- Roll mat or blow up mattress: anything is better than spending nights on the cold hard ground, even if it’s just a thin yoga mat to offer some padding through the night. Trust us, there’s nothing worse than waking up hungover and having a body that feels broken to go with it.
If this all sounds as amazing and dazzling as it promises to be, then get ready for Tomorrowland 2024 by travelling in and around Belgium a few days before – that way you get the best of Northern Europe and some relaxation, before a totally mind-shattering experience.
