After celebrating over three decades of music, art and sustainability, Mysteryland, organized by ID&T, has solidified its status as the world’s longest runninng electronic music festival. Being much more than a generic festival and offering much more than just music, there is absolutely no wonder that Mysteryland has grown exponentially since its first edition in 1993 and that it keeps attracting both new and old visitors each and every year.
EDMHouseNetwork had the honors of attending Mysterylands 2024 edition, and while we knew that we were in for something extravagant and amazing, we definitely didn’t expect to get this blown away by the experience. Here is how it all went.
Arriving at the festival
Friday at 14.00, we got dropped off by the kiss and ride zone at the South entrance that was located closest to the camping area. After a little walk, we were finally able to see the camping area and colorful flags waving in the wind, and the ‘’this just became real’’ started kicking in.
Considering that the first acts of the festival didn’t actually start until 17.00 that day, we got very surprised by the amount of people who had already arrived or were arriving at the camping area around the same time as us. This actually resulted in us having a bit of a difficulty with finding a spot to camp at the beginning, but we did manage to resolve it as we discovered that the camping opened up a little bit at the time to ensure that no one would take up too much unnecessary space.
A solution that resulted in finding a spot and putting up your gear taking a bit more time than usual, but that also made sure to preserve space and that everyone would get a comfortable amount of space to camp on. Something that other festivals might want to take in consideration, and future visitors might want to keep in mind when visiting future editions of Mysteryland.
As we were unpacking our gear, we noticed that neither of us has brought camping chairs with us, which, as any seasoned camper should know, is a crucial element when you go camping at a multiple-day festival and want your back and legs to actually survive. Fortunately, the issue was resolved quickly as a Recycle Store with gear collected from other festival grounds was available on site. A great initiative that not only reduces waste but promotes a circular economy encouraging the reuse of tents, air mattresses and other items.
Camping
In terms of the basics, the Mysteryland camping had you covered with a store that offered a variety of different food and drinks during the day and at night, flushing toilets and comfortable shower cabins. There were also three different cozy chill areas hosted by the Camping Guardians where one could go if you didn’t feel safe, had questions, wanted to charge your electronic devices or just hang out. All little things that might be considered ‘’basic’’ in general, aren’t always a guarantee but strongly improve the level of quality of a festival camping experience – by the words of some of the campers that we got to speak with.
For those who were interested in taking a bit extra care of themselves and turning the camping experience into a spiritual journey, there were also more than enough options for self-care such as ice bath courses, cocoa ceremonies, tarot card readings, shamanic trance journeys and even the possibility to marry yourself. The comfort zone area also offered a wellness area with jacuzzies and cabanas, which made this the perfect place to unwind and recover after long days and walks at the festival area.
Compared to a lot of other festivals, Mysteryland also made sure to creatively utilize the camping area as a space where you could enjoy DJ’s performing on stage, different kinds of food and a variety of different fun activities. This area was called The Hangout where you for example could find stages such as ‘The Church’ (yes, the building literally looked like a church) and ‘’The church square’’, where DJ’s such as Freddy Moreira, The Good Girls Club and Club TNT could be found playing during the day or at night.
The Hangout was also where the pool was located and where you could either watch or participate in a pool chair dance-off, aquarobics or pool parties, led by the famous Bartmeister. If you were lucky, this was also where you could get the opportunity to witness a rare flamingo dance performed by the kind of flamingos that you’re unlikely to have seen before. For those who were afraid of birds and water, there was always the option of staying on dry land and playing some analog games at the Arcade.
Mysteryland of course also provided the option of comfort camping for those who prefer a bit more ease, luxury and tranquility. At the comfort camping area, one could find pre-set up tents, a swimming pool, jaccuzis, a sauna, pétanque, a restaurant and more. If you like the sound of classical music during breakfast, live music at the bathhouse and live music by a campfire on top of that, then the comfort camping area is definitely the accommodation option for you.
Festival area
The production design of a festival is critical as it shapes the entire experience, from the atmosphere to the way attendees interact with the space. It’s what gives a festival its unique identity that aligns with the festivals theme and values. A well-designed festival environment is what encourages attendees to participate and explore, and invites them to engage more deeply with their surroundings.
At a time and age when there are far more festivals available than what we are able to attend, there are unfortunately a lot of festivals that take the easy way out and aren’t willing to put the right amount of time, effort or money into these elements of design, besides the elements that are visible at the stages. Mysteryland however, has clearly understood that it takes far more than strong lineups and majestic stages to create a visually and emotionally compelling experience for their audience.
In our experience, entering the festival area at Mysteryland was like travelling to a different universe and exploring magical uncharted landscapes in combination with jumping down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. Colorful pathways, art installations, the sound of music pulsing through the air with each beat guiding you deeper into the exciting and unknown.
Every corner offered something new and exciting to discover, whether it was a hidden rave in the middle of the woods, a karaoke room shaped like a old telephone booth or a telephone hanging in the tree with which you could call a random stranger at the opposite side of the festival area.
A fun fact about the decoration is also that almost all décor items were made from recycled materials or completely re-used but implemented in a new and creative way. The décor items were not only reused from previous editions of Mysteryland, but also previous editions of other ID&T Group festivals such as Sensation and Defqon1.
The commitment to the combination of sustainability, creativity, immersive and interactive design, is definitely one of the aspects that sets Mysteryland apart from other festivals and creates a journey to a world where imagination and reality blend together seamlessly.
Stages
Over 300 different artists performed on 22 different stages for over 125,000 visitors from nearly 100 nationalities at Mysteryland 2024. The stages at Mysteryland were however not just places where artists performed, but handcrafted, creative, immersive places that pushed the boundaries of production design and embodied the festivals core values.
Each stage had its own unique atmosphere, theme and design, and the dancefloors ranged from being outdoors to being located in massive tents filled with LED screens, laser shows and the worlds most advanced sound systems. Perfectly accommodating all the different genres that Mysteryland is known to welcome into the lineups, in their own particular way.
In combination with the previously mentioned décor, finding the way to the stages felt like being on a playground where the secret pathways, hidden parties and quirky surprises made the experience feel like a treasure hunt. While some stages were so grand and majestic that they were impossible to miss as you were walking around the festival area, others had to be looked for to be discovered as they couldn’t be found on the festival map.
The stages were scattered all over the festival area which was very big, and it could take over 20 minutes to walk from a stage at the south area to one at the north. We visited them all and can only say that each and every one of them made their own strong and absolutely unique impact. Below you will get a glimpse of the ‘’smaller’’ stages while the following section of the article is devoted to the mainstages and end shows.
Area 2
Located in the south part of the area, Area 2 (also called The Groove Arena, YEREYRE and Joy depending on the day), was one of the stages that set the tone for the rest of the weekend by already being open Friday. The stage was actually a big greenhouse that contained tropical plants, with the DJ booth placed in front of it and a boiler room kind of setting so the audience could enjoy the vibes both behind and in front of the DJ.
Area 2 was located among trees that were dressed in LED-lights which gave the area a forest rave kind of vibe. The weekend kicked off with Le Twins at the DJ booth and throughout the weekend you could enjoy the beats of East End Dubs, Joella Jackson, Prunk & Paige Tomlison and many others.
Area 3
Area 3, or ‘’Elrow’’ as the stage was actually called throughout the whole weekend, was the place where you could experience what a psychedelic trip feels like, simply by looking at the trippy, colorful, glow in the dark décor and performers. The Elrow stage got kicked off by DAF, followed by MEDUZA, George Privatti, Franky Rizardo and others who played here throughout the weekend.
Area 4
Area 4, or ‘’Sofa Sessions’’ as it was also called, was the place where musical talent and creativity came together and the unexpected was to be expected. The stage looked a bit like a combination between a terrace and greenhouse, mixed with a library and office where the desk was the DJ booth. Beside an actual dancefloor, the audience could enjoy the music while sitting down as sofas, couches and comfortable sitting was scattered throughout the floor and outside of the area. Music that could be enjoyed here was by DJ’s such as Ginton, Franky-B, Brass Rave Unit and De Sluwe Vos.
Area 5
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Area 5, which was also called ‘’Sound Rush’’ and ‘’Trance Energy’’ throughout the weekend, was the place where we spent the most of our Friday night. The stage which was located under a dome-alike tent, made a strong impression thanks to the huge LED-screens around the DJ booth and beautifully incorporated images and colors that were perfectly synced to the music.
On the Friday we got to enjoy some harder kicks by B-Front, Bass Modulators, Keltek, Atmosfearz and Sound Rush, who all delivered a nice balance between new and old bangers. On Saturday and Sunday, the stage turned into a trance paradise with DJ’s such as Laura van Dam, Sander van Doorn, Nifra and David Rust at the DJ booth.
Area 7
Area 7, Also called Vunzige Deuntjes, was one of Mysterylands most vibrant spots and the home of urban music genres such as hip-hop, R&B, dancehall and afrobeat. Translated from Dutch, Vunzige Deuntjes means ‘’Dirty Tunes’’ and is a popular concept in the Netherlands with its roots in urban nightlife.
The stage being covered by a huge colorful tent that gave off a bit of tipi vibes, had a laid back yet lively atmosphere and this was where you could really witness some good dancing by festival goers feeling the groovy, tropical beats and urban anthems. Music that could be enjoyed at this stage was by artists such as Bryan MG, Fiesta Macumba, Freddy Moreira, Dopebwoy and Boef.
Area 8
Area 8 that was also called ”Nachtcollege” and ”Mirage of Melody”, was all about techno. The design of the stage was relatively simple but very effective and what made the most powerful impact was the sound. On Saturday the stage was taken hostage by hard techno DJ’s such as Cynthia Spierling, AnD, DIØN and Rush, and handed over to more melodic techno DJ’s such as Argy, Kölsch and ARTBAT on the Sunday.
Area 9
This year, Mysteryland created a brand-new stage for all the hardstyle lovers called the ‘’Hardstyle Elite’’ stage. This stage used to be called the Q-dance stage during previous years and was located outdoors, but has now transformed into Mysterylands biggest indoor stage instead. The line-up for this stage was packed with heavy hitters such as Phuture Noize, Brennan Heart, Devin Wild, Sub Zero Project and Sefa.
Paardenrave
From Dutch to English, Paardenrave translates to ‘’Horse rave’’, and was located close to the entrance of the camping area. This was also one of the stages that was already open during the Friday, and definitely helped setting a strong tone for what the rest of the weekend would be all about. In order to get to this stage, one had to go through a foresty area dressed with all kinds of quirky horse and barn related items before arriving at a Merry Go Round Carousel stage.
Lady Joker
A stage of surreal splendor that welcomed into Lady Joker’s Bedroom, a realm where reality blurred with the fantastical. Lady Joker is a Amsterdam-based creative collective that blends live electronic music theater, dance and visual arts. Their performances are characterized by vibrant vocals and immersive storytelling, often drawing on mythology and ancient tales. The collective is also known for its unique handcrafted costumes, which were present at the Lady Joker stage during Mysteryland 2024 which created a concept that fit perfectly into the Mysteryland landscape, giving off a surreal, playful energy and gave off a unique ‘’theatrical clubbing’’ vibe. This is also where DJ’s such as Arjuna Schiks, DJ Isis and Beard2Beard official could be heard.
The Psychedelic Farm
While walking around at Mysteryland already felt like being in a different realm, The Psychedelic Farm stage was the place that really got you tripping and to question reality. It was a world full of bizarre surprises and a range of different unique characters. One of these characters was Gloria, a big pink pig (don’t worry, she wasn’t actually a real pig and no animals were harmed during the event) that was laying outside the farm snoring and rolling her eyes from time to time.
If you looked into the peepholes in her belly, you would witness something that we at EDMHouseNetwork definitely were captured by, but until this day can’t really describe in words. So all we can say on this point is that you need to get tickets for next year and hope that Gloria will still be there so you can experience it for yourself. In terms of music, The Psychedelic Farm was where you could discover the sounds of a Mariachi band, and see the performance of Boer (Farmer) Harm and Tonno Disko.
Mainstages and end shows
One of the aspects that Mysteryland is renowned for is their impressive mainstages and end shows. This year, things got taken to the next level in terms of both mainstages as Mysteryland not only upgraded their Pyramid stage in terms of design, but also incorporated some truly unique and mesmerizing elements to the end show of their mainstage.
Area 6 (Pyramid Stage) Drumcode/NMNH
Mysterylands Pyramid stage has had a variety of different impressive designs. This year, the stage had futuristic designs with towering structures that resemble giant trees or organic forms. The large canopies supported by a complex framework gave the stage an almost natural look, and the mix between nature and modern architecture created an enchanting experience.
On Sunday, the stage was dominated by heavy techno hitters such as Parfait, Dyen, Stella Bossi and I Hate Models. For the end show, 999999999 took the stage and delivered a set that took the audience by storm. One of the visitors who actually didn’t like techno but went for the end show at the Pyramid stage because he was curious over what it would look like, even told us that 999999999 played so good that he might have gotten converted.
In combination with the amazing light and firework show, the end show at the Pyramid stage was definitely one that the audience will never forget. This year, Mysteryland also made the decision to fully dedicate the Pyramid stage to techno. A big treat for all the techno lovers who during future editions will get the opportunity enjoy top-tier lineups in an amazing setting.
Area 1 – Mainstage
Mysterylands mainstage with its two large hands that presented a grand Mystery Box, embodies the festivals core values of Peace, Love and Mystery. A positive pandoras box that symbolizes the unleashing of all that’s good in the world, a reminder of boundless joy, creativity and unity – aspects that often seem hidden in our everyday lives these days. As the box got activated, it released an explosion of vibrant energy and connection, inviting everyone to embrace the wonders of the present moment and opportunity to rediscover the beauty of shared experiences.
The stage in itself was already mind-blowing and watching artists such as Bakermat, Fedde le Grand, Maddix, and Vini- Vici on this stage throughout Saturday and Sunday was already an experience that is now permanently imprinted on our membranes. Let’s not forget to add the important fact that Charlotte de Witte performed a powerful techno set as the closing act on Sunday and officially went down in music history as the first female artist to close the Mysteryland stage.
After a weekend full with so many crazy experiences, impressions and views we were having a hard time believing that there is anything left to top it all with, even though we had been informed that something really special would be happening during the end show on Sunday. Now on after hand, we can hands down say that we definitely weren’t prepared for what we were still about to witness.
In collaboration with the world’s biggest beer brand BUD and TWOFIFTYK DRNS, Mysteryland put on an end show with 600 fully integrated drones that were a part of the entire finale. All the disciplines such as fireworks, 3D video and lighting operated in full synergy with the drones, which has never been done anywhere before. Thanks to this, the stage expanded from an initial 30 meters to a whopping 120 meters and filled the sky with wonder. You can watch the full endshow at Mysterylands Youtube Channel here.
And this wasn’t even all of it. As a perfect addition to the theme ‘’Celebrate Life’’ that the show was centered around, Mysteryland incorporated Genevieve Coté to perform her famous nature sounds during the finale. For those who don’t know, Genevieve Coté is known from Britains Got Talent where she wowed the judges with her unreal animal impressions.
All these different elements combined and weaved together in perfect symmetry and harmony, created something that would have been mesmerizing and beautiful to begin with the stage and fireworks alone, but now transformed into something truly magical, jaw-dropping and never before seen.
Sustainability
Besides being a leader in the creative field, Mysteryland also cares about our planet and is proving to be a leader in terms of sustainability. A great example of this is that Mysteryland, in 2015, won the EE Music Award for the highest reduction in energy consumption of all European festivals,
Mysteryland 2024 was, just as the 2023 edition, almost completely powered by locally generated green energy which is a unique feat. Approximately 80% of the festivals power consumption consisted of green grid power while the remaining 20% consisted of flexible, sustainably generated energy. Thanks to this initiative, around 60 thousand liters of diesel which would have been used to power the festival otherwise, was saved. To visualize it in a different way, this equals to one million kilometers driven by car. Something that is not only unique for the Netherlands but exceptional for the rest of Europe on this scale as well.
Another sustainability initiative taken by Mysteryland 2024 was the previously mentioned Recycle Store, where campers could rent items collected at other festivals such as Awakenings Festival and Defqon.1. Besides this, Mysteryland of course honor the opportunity to return to Haarlemmermeer year after year, and make sure to leave the terrain as untouched as possible by collecting every single cigarette butt, cup and piece of garbage after the festival is over. In terms of water, Mysteryland is under the opinion that water belongs to all of us and had therefore made sure to make water available for all the visitors for free. You could either bring your own container and fill it up at one of the water bards, or get a special, limited edition Mysteryland water bag at the same spot. Upon entrance, each visitor also got a free token for their first free cup, can or bottle, that could later be traded in at one of the bars for a new container or recycle coin.
Food
Mysteryland 2024 offered a range of different dishes that could be purchased at one of the many unique food courts scattered around the festival terrain. To make sure that everyone could find something tasty to eat no matter their dietary preferences, a lot of the food options were vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and diary free. Some examples of the delicious food options were Vietnamese spring rolls, Italian pizzas, Argentinian empanadas, Dutch poffertjes, a fresh BBQ bowl and many more.
Something that’s worth mentioning is that the fries at Mysteryland 2024 were hyper-local and that the potatoes were sourced from the land of the farmer where the festival camping is located. 5 food trucks and 20 air fryers were deployed by FrietHoes at Mysteryland 2024, and the collaboration between Mysteryland 2024 and the farmer Lars Kraak is quite unique as it ensured that the festival goers could enjoy locally sourced fries directly from the ground they slept on. EDMHouseNetwork can also attest to the fact that the fries were delicious!
Conclusions
To us at EDMHouseNetwork, there is absolutely no wonder that Mysteryland is the longest running electronic festival in the world and 2024’s edition was nothing less of an unforgettable experience that makes using the word ‘’immersive’’ feel like an understatement. We had a sense of wonder and excitement from the moment that we saw those colorful flags at the camping waving in a distance, and the second we set our foot on the festival area it was like jumping down a rabbit hole of adventures that didn’t let us out until the weekend was over.
The festivals dedication to its core values of peace, love and sustainability was present at every turn, from the repurposed beautiful décor to recycling and the eco-friendly initiatives to reduce energy consumption. The carefully curated stages with their variety of different genres offered something for everyone and the same applied to camping and food options, as well other kind of activities. At a time and age where its easier to create division than unity, Mysteryland definitely sets itself apart from other festivals with its ability to embrace and cater a broad spectrum of needs, tastes and experiences.
With this in mind, there is also no wonder that Mysteryland has so many visitors who continue coming back each year. The question that we asked ourselves however, is what lays behind the success of a festival of such a grand scale, when there are so many different elements that can go wrong but need to come into place in order for everything to work as a whole.
There are probably many answers to this, and one of them is that the crew behind Mysteryland and ID&T consist of a big amount of very talented, hard working and experienced people. We do however also think that there is something bigger hiding behind it, and more specifically, the story behind the theme of Mysteryland 2024 and ID&T’s tagline ‘’Celebrate Life’’.
For those who don’t know, on September 1st 24 years ago, the brother of one of the founders of ID&T passed away at a very young age. His passing made his group of friends – the very people behind ID&T – realize how short life is and that we need to celebrate it while we can. This message became deeply personal for ID&T and ‘’Celebrate Life’’ has ever since laid at the heart of everything they do.
September 1st this year, coincidentally fell on the Sunday of Mysteryland, which made the already spectacular, one-of-a-kind end show with ‘’Celebrate Life’’ written by drones in the sky, something even more special, meaningful and deep to the people of ID&T. And we here at EDMHouseNetwork strongly believe that it’s also exactly this love, passion and devotion to celebrate life that not only left the visitors in awe during the end show, but makes them keep coming back for more, year after year.
With that said, Mysteryland is indeed not just a festival but a place with a pulsating heart and soul, deeply rooted in something bigger and more powerful than just what the ear can hear or eye and see. We’d like to give a big thank you to Mysteryland and ID&T for allowing us to be a part of this extraordinary experience and hope to see you next year too.
If you are as excited for next years edition which will take place at 22- 24 of September, make sure to pre-register via this link!
