Electronic festivals are where the magic happens – unforgettable beats, epic drops, and memories that last a lifetime. But some of the best festivals have taken their final bow, leaving a void in the hearts of ravers across the globe. Let’s take a trip down memory lane with these 5 iconic EDM festivals that need to make their comeback:
1. EDC New York
It’s no surprise that Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas is one of the top tier electronic music festivals in the United States. But did you know there used to be another EDC festival in the U.S., right in New York? Debuted in 2012 at New Jersey’s Met Life Stadium, EDC New York took over the electronic scene on the East Coast. The festival featured many legendary artists over their few years of operation, including Avicii, EDX, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Skrillex– to name a few. However, after EDC New York’s 2016 festival, Insomniac CEO Pasquale Rotella announced that the festival would be taking a break in 2017 and hasn’t returned since.
In my opinion, with the rumors of Electric Zoo not returning to New York this year- or ever again- a prime opportunity has presented itself for EDC to mark their return to New York.
2. Mysteryland USA
Another great festival announced their retirement too early, but this time it was Mysteryland USA. Their flagship festival, known simply as ‘Mysteryland’, has been a staple of electronic festivals in Europe since 1993, when it became one of the first house music festivals ever. Europe’s Mysteryland has been continually held each year in the Netherlands. But the same cannot be said for Mysteryland USA. This festival debuted in 2014 at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts- the very same venue where Woodstock was held in 1969. Unfortunately, Mysteryland USA was also short-lived and was cancelled in 2017.
3. Tomorroworld US
A third U.S. festival was cancelled in the same time period as the previous two, and this time it was Tomorrowland’s sister festival. In September of 2013, the first international edition of Tomorrowland– the renowned electronic music festival held annually in Belgium- made its spectacular debut in the Chattahoochee Hills near Atlanta, Georgia. This festival drew in about 140,000 visitors from over 75 countries. In 2015, the festival was cancelled on the third day (except for Dreamville campers) due to inclement weather, limited transportation, and poor planning. Thousands were left stranded, some even sleeping on the side of the road without food or water. Several near-riots and looming lawsuits later, TomorrowWorld announced that the festival would be cancelled indefinitely.
