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Dance Valley 30th Anniversary: From 8,000 Visitors to Europe’s Largest One-Day Dance Festival
Dance Valley 30th Anniversary: From 8,000 Visitors to Europe’s Largest One-Day Dance Festival
Dance Valley celebrates three decades of electronic music history as the Netherlands’ most iconic dance festival returns to Spaarnwoude for its milestone 30th anniversary on August 9, 2025.
As one of Europe’s longest-running electronic music festivals, Dance Valley has shaped the landscape of dance music for the last three decades. From its humble beginnings in 1995 to becoming the Netherlands’ largest one-day dance festival, this Spaarnwoude institution continues to set the standard for outdoor electronic music events.
The Birth of a Legend: Dance Valley 1995-1999
Dance Valley’s story began in 1995 with a revolutionary concept: bringing electronic music outdoors into nature. What started as a modest gathering of around 8,000 visitors in the hills of Spaarnwoude quickly evolved into something extraordinary.
“Dance Valley felt like something new. Something you just had to be a part of,” recalls a 1997 festival-goer, capturing the pioneering spirit that defined these early years.
The festival’s rapid growth was remarkable – expanding from a single stage to seven stages within just four years. Early headliners including DJ Dano, Carl Cox, and Da Goose helped establish Dance Valley’s reputation as a must-attend event for lovers of electronic music.
Peak Years: Dance Valley 2000-2003
The early 2000s marked Dance Valley’s ascension to legendary status. The festival’s peak year came in 2001, when over 100,000 visitors descended upon Spaarnwoude, making it the largest one-day dance festival in Europe.
Despite challenging weather conditions in 2001, the festival’s spirit remained unbroken. “There were so many people… it felt like all of the Netherlands came to dance,” remembered one attendee from that historic year.
This period featured performances by electronic music royalty including Tiësto, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, and Mauro Picotto. Carl Cox himself noted, “Dance Valley set the standard for what a one-day festival could be.”
Musical Evolution: Dance Valley 2004-2019
From 2004 onwards, Dance Valley broadened its musical horizons while maintaining its core identity. The festival became a showcase for electronic music’s diversity, featuring everything from techno to hardstyle, trance to minimal.
Notable performers during this era included Marco V, Ferry Corsten, Richie Hawtin, and Sasha & Digweed. Ferry Corsten praised the festival’s curation: “Dance Valley brought everything together. You’d walk from one sound to another without it ever clashing.”
The iconic hill at Spaarnwoude remained the coveted spot for headlining acts, while new generations discovered the festival that had become a cornerstone of Dutch festival culture. Artists like Nervo, Chuckie, Lucas & Steve, and Benny Rodrigues graced the stages during this period.
Nicky Romero, reflecting on his early career, shared: “My first major festival was Dance Valley. You never forget that.”
Resilience Through Challenges: 2020-2024
The global COVID-19 pandemic forced Dance Valley’s cancellation in 2020-2021, but the community’s passion never wavered. “Even when there was no music, you could feel that Dance Valley was alive,” expressed one devoted fan.
The festival’s return in 2022 marked a renewed focus on quality, atmosphere, and the original spirit that made Dance Valley special. The post-pandemic years featured a perfect blend of rising talents and seasoned veterans.
Dance Valley 30th Anniversary: The Ultimate Anniversary Celebration
Over 70 Artists Across Nine Stages
Dance Valley’s 30th anniversary promises to be its biggest edition yet. Over seventy artists will perform across nine stages on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the festival’s spiritual home in Spaarnwoude.
Headliner Highlights
The Dance Valley 30th anniversary includes:
- Boris Brejcha brings his unique “high-tech minimal” sound
- Martin Garrix makes history as the first-ever mainstage closer
- Tiësto returns to where he helped build his legendary status
- Ferry Corsten celebrates 25 years of Gouryella with a special anniversary set
Stage-by-Stage Breakdown
The main stage features Boris Brejcha, Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Ferry Corsten’s 25 Years Gouryella celebration, and Nervo. Martin Garrix’s historic mainstage closing set marks a defining moment in Dance Valley history.
Trance lovers can immerse themselves in sets by Giuseppe Ottaviani, Ferry Corsten, and Markus Schulz, with veteran duo Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo providing a unique closing performance at the Transmission stage.
Rebl City & The Raw Style Stages are the place to be for the hardstyle community. Lovers of the harder styles get double the excitement with Rebl City featuring Act of Rage, Darkraver, Partyraiser, Radical Redemption, and Wildstylez. While the Raw Hardstyle stage delivers harder sounds from Malice, Noisecontrollers, Riot Shift, and Sickmode.
The Voltage stage promises good vibes with DJ Jah, Chuckie, and DJ Moortje, while the Lucas & Steve stage showcases Gregor Salto, Housequake, Julian Jordan, and Quintino.
The Crown Jewel: Dance Valley 30 Years Stage
Perhaps the most anticipated attraction is the special “Dance Valley 30 Years Stage,” featuring legendary artists who helped build the festival’s reputation:
- Ronald Molendijk
- Dimitri
- Billy Nasty
- Tom Harding (returning from DJ retirement after more than 7 years)
- Yoji Biomehanika
- Marco V
- DJ JP
The return of MC Marxman as the festival’s voice adds another layer of nostalgia for long-time fans.
Tom Harding, reflecting on the festival’s enduring appeal, noted: “From muddy shoes to mainstage madness. Dance Valley has always been different—and it still is.”
Why Dance Valley Remains Essential
After three decades, Dance Valley continues to stand out. Its enduring appeal stems from a unique combination of historic significance as one of Europe’s pioneering outdoor electronic music festivals, musical diversity that spans all electronic genres under one roof, and its iconic location in the natural amphitheater of Spaarnwoude.
The festival’s ability to maintain a genuine community atmosphere that brings together different subcultures, while seamlessly blending legacy acts alongside emerging talent, creates intergenerational connections that few other events can match. This distinctive formula has kept Dance Valley not just relevant, but essential to the global electronic music scene.
The Future of a Festival Legend
As Dance Valley enters its fourth decade, the Dance Valley 30th anniversary edition serves as both a celebration and a statement of intent. The festival that began as “something new” in 1995 continues to evolve while honoring its roots.
With over 100 acts having graced its stages and countless careers launched within its grounds, Dance Valley’s influence on electronic music culture extends far beyond the Netherlands. The Dance Valley 30th anniversary edition promises to honor this legacy while writing new chapters in dance music history.
Dance Valley 30th anniversary takes place Saturday, August 9 at Spaarnwoude.
Tickets and additional information are available at dancevalley.com.
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A State of Trance returns to London on November 14th 2026 at Drumsheds, marking the brand’s first indoor UK festival edition and 25th anniversary.
Following two successful outdoor editions at Silverworks Island, A State of Trance will return to London in 2026, this time moving indoors to Drumsheds. Taking place on 14 November 2026, the event will be part of ASOT’s 25th anniversary celebrations, marking the brand’s first indoor festival edition in the UK.
Set at one of London’s premier rave venues, ASOT London will bring a festival-sized production, delivering the ASOT experience at full scale. While the full line-up is yet to be announced, the brand’s icon, Armin van Buuren has been confirmed as the first name to join the celebration.
The Drumsheds edition will also mark another major UK appearance for Armin in 2026, following his recent show at Barking Park and a performance in Bristol.
Looking back at ASOT’s two previous instalments in the British capital, the event has welcomed some of the biggest names in trance, including Ben Hemsley, Nifra, Gareth Emery and Cosmic Gate.
The move to Drumsheds will allow organisers to take the event to the next level. Given the brand’s famous large-scale indoor shows at its home in Rotterdam, the venue feels like a natural fit for a more immersive visual and stage design experience.
Following an almost sold-out debut in 2023 and a second show that welcomed up to 20,000 ravers in 2025, demand is high for the Drumsheds edition. Pre-sale access goes live at 10am on Tuesday 9 June. Fans can sign up for the ticket sales via the official ASOT London website.
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Ultra Europe 2026 Drops Phase 2 Lineup with Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, DJ Snake and more confirmed for Split this July
Ultra Europe 2026 has dropped its Phase 2 lineup, adding more names to its return to Split, Croatia from July 10 to 12, 2026 at Park Mladeži. Now heading into its 12th edition, the festival’s latest announcement brings in Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, DJ Snake, AFROJACK, and Subtronics, joining a Phase 1 lineup that already included Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, FISHER, John Summit, and Amelie Lens. The update gives the 2026 edition a much fuller look across the Ultra Main Stage and RESISTANCE, while keeping more names saved for the next announcement.
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Phase 2 Adds Trance, Big-Room, Bass, Techno and House to Ultra Europe 2026
The Ultra Europe 2026 Phase 2 lineup strengthens both sides of the festival. The new additions bring more mainstage names into the July weekend, while RESISTANCE also gets a heavier presence through techno and house bookings. With Phase 1 already led by names such as Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, FISHER, John Summit, and Amelie Lens, this second announcement gives the 2026 edition a fuller lineup across its main festival stages.
Phase 2 additions:
- Adam Beyer
- AFROJACK
- Armin van Buuren
- CamelPhat
- DJ Snake
- Hardwell
- Jamie Jones
- Nico Moreno
- Oliver Heldens
- Subtronics
- HALO
- Maddix
Subtronics Stands Out Among Returning Ultra Europe Regulars
While several Phase 2 additions are familiar names for Ultra Europe, Subtronics still gives the 2026 announcement one of its more interesting talking points. He played Ultra Europe 2024, appearing on the same day as AFROJACK and DJ Snake, so his 2026 booking is not a debut. What makes it worth noting is the context around the booking. Ultra Europe has long been associated with mainstage EDM, house, techno, and its RESISTANCE programming, while large-scale bass bookings have not been as constant in the festival’s Croatia lineup. Bringing Subtronics back after 2024 keeps that part of the lineup visible and gives the July weekend a different pull next to the festival’s more established returning names.
For many of the other additions, Ultra Europe 2026 reads as a return to artists with a longer history in Split. Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, AFROJACK, and DJ Snake have all appeared at past editions, while Adam Beyer, CamelPhat, Jamie Jones, and Oliver Heldens have also been part of previous Ultra Europe lineups in recent years. That matters because Phase 2 is not relying only on newness. It brings back names already tied to the festival’s mainstage and RESISTANCE identity, then places Subtronics inside that structure as one of the less typical bookings for the Croatia edition. For a lineup that already had Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, FISHER, John Summit, and Amelie Lens in Phase 1, this second announcement makes the 2026 edition feel more complete without giving away the full final lineup yet.
Ultra Europe 2026 Still Has More Names To Come Before July
With Phase 2 now out, Ultra Europe 2026 has a much clearer outline, but the lineup is still not complete. The festival has already confirmed a strong mix of mainstage names, RESISTANCE artists, and newer additions across the first two announcements, while the poster also confirms that Phase 3 is still on the way. That next update will likely help fill out the remaining stage programming, daily structure, and support acts as the festival moves closer to its July return to Split.
For now, the 2026 edition already has enough confirmed names to show how Ultra Europe is building its 12th edition. Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, DJ Snake, Amelie Lens, Sara Landry, Adam Beyer, FISHER, John Summit, and Subtronics give the lineup both familiar Ultra names and bookings that widen the festival’s appeal. More artists are still expected to be announced before Ultra Europe 2026 takes over Park Mladeži from July 10 to 12, with tickets and updates available through the festival’s official channels.
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Why Armin Van Buuren Nearly Quit Music in 2011 Despite Reaching a Peak in Trance
At the Winter Music Conference 2026 in Miami on March 25, Armin Van Buuren joined Stephen Campbell and Tim Sweeney for a keynote discussion on the future of electronic dance music. During that conversation, he opened up about a period in his career that did not match how things looked from the outside, explaining that 2011 was the year he came close to walking away from music altogether. That detail gives more weight to the story because 2011 was not a low point in public terms. By then, Armin Van Buuren was already operating at a high level across trance, radio, and international touring, which makes the idea of nearly stepping away during that period far more striking.
Why Armin Van Buuren Considered Walking Away at His Peak
When Armin Van Buuren reflected on that period, the reasoning was not tied to visibility or output. He stated, “I almost quit music in 2011,” referring to a point where the connection to the music no longer felt as direct as it had before. That distinction matters because the surrounding context was stable. His presence in trance was already established through years of releases, radio broadcasts, and festival performances, and his role within the genre had been reinforced repeatedly through that consistency. The uncertainty came from within the process itself, where repetition and structure began to change how the music was felt rather than how it was received.
The conditions around that period also show how a fixed routine can begin to limit creative space at that level. Touring cycles, radio commitments, and production schedules continued without interruption, which left little room to step back and engage with music outside of expectation. At the same time, trance was moving through a phase where its position in the wider electronic scene was being questioned, which added another layer to how the genre was being experienced from within. He addressed that directly when he said, “Trance isn’t a dirty word anymore,” pointing to a shift in how the genre was perceived and discussed. That combination of internal disconnect and external pressure created a point where continuing was no longer assumed, even at a stage where everything externally remained intact.
What Brought Armin Van Buuren Back to Music
What brought him back was not a change in schedule or a reduction in expectations. It came from recognising what had shifted in his relationship with the music. He explained, “I felt like I lost the connection with the music,” which clarifies that the issue was not fatigue alone, but distance from the core reason he started. That moment reframes the entire situation, because it places the turning point inside the music itself, not in the surrounding structure. Reconnecting with that feeling allowed him to continue, not as a response to external demand, but as a decision grounded in whether the music still held meaning.
That return is closely tied to trance as a genre and to the role it has played across his career. A State Of Trance continued to expand beyond a radio format into large-scale events and stages, maintaining its position as a central platform for trance globally. His sets across festivals and ASOT-branded shows remained consistent, but what changed was the basis on which that consistency was maintained. Instead of operating through routine, the continuation came from restoring a direct connection to the sound, structure, and progression that define trance. That shift explains why the period did not result in withdrawal, but in a continuation that carried more clarity, where the music itself remained the point of reference rather than the system around it.
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Why This Moment Still Matters in Electronic Music
The significance of that period is not limited to one artist. It highlights how continuation in electronic music is not determined solely by visibility, output, or position within a genre. Even at a stage where everything appears stable, the decision to continue can shift if the connection to the music changes. In Armin Van Buuren’s case, the moment came after years of sustained involvement in trance, which makes it a reflection of how long-term careers develop rather than a reaction to short-term conditions. The question was not whether he could continue, but whether continuing still held the same meaning.
Looking at what followed, his ongoing presence across global festivals, releases, and A State Of Trance shows how that connection translated into continuity over time. The period in 2011 did not interrupt his trajectory, but it did redefine the basis on which it continued. That is what gives the moment weight. It shows that staying active in electronic music is not only about maintaining a position, but about maintaining a relationship with the music that remains consistent across different stages of a career.
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