EDM Festival News
Scream or Dance Brought a Huge Halloween Weekend to Jakarta
Scream or Dance brought a huge Halloween weekend to Jakarta for its fifth edition with 30,000+ attendances across two days
Five editions in, Scream or Dance has become one of Jakarta’s established Halloween music festivals. This year, it returned for another two-day edition at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) on October 31 and November 1. The festival recorded more than 30,000 attendances across the weekend. Its 2026 lineup included a world-exclusive Ben Nicky B3B Weird Genius B3B Wukong performance, along with Jeffrey Sutorius appearing as Dash Berlin. The edition also brought another first for the festival, with Scream or Dance entering DJ Mag’s Top 100 Festivals at No. 71.
A World-Exclusive B3B and the Return of Dash Berlin
The fifth edition included several bookings created specifically for the weekend. Ben Nicky, Weird Genius and Wukong performed together for the first time in a world-exclusive B3B. The collaboration brought an international artist together with two names closely connected to the Asian electronic music scene. Jeffrey Sutorius also performed as Dash Berlin, adding another notable appearance to the two-day lineup.
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Elsewhere, Cheat Codes, Jonas Blue, DubVision, Mark Sixma and Dennis Sheperd represented the international side of the festival. Indonesian artists remained equally visible throughout the weekend. Dipha Barus & Friends, Whisnu Santika and Ramengvrl & Friends were among those performing. That combination of overseas bookings and Indonesian names has remained part of Scream or Dance across its first five editions.
Into the Blooming Garden Gave This Year Its Halloween Theme
For 2026, Scream or Dance introduced Into the Blooming Garden, a concept inspired by melancholy, longing and psychedelic imagery. Those ideas influenced the festival’s visuals and appeared across its stages and interactive activities throughout JIExpo. Halloween remained at the centre of the weekend, while the concept gave organisers a specific theme for both days.
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The production also included pyrotechnics and drone shows throughout the festival. Festivalgoers added to the Halloween side of the weekend with elaborate costumes and themed looks across the venue. Costumes have long been part of Scream or Dance, and the fifth edition continued that tradition alongside the production created for Into the Blooming Garden.
Two Venue Changes Complicated the Weeks Before the Festival
The month before Scream or Dance became more complicated when organisers had to relocate the festival twice. Organisers originally announced Ancol Beach City International Stadium before changing the location to PIK 2. They later confirmed Jakarta International Expo as the final venue, only weeks before the scheduled dates.
The changes also affected people who had already booked accommodation near the earlier venues. According to the organisers, the festival team assisted and compensated attendees whose plans were affected by the relocations. Despite the changes, Scream or Dance kept its original October 31 and November 1 dates and completed both days at JIExpo.
Five Editions of Scream or Dance in Jakarta
Scream or Dance began with the idea of creating a dedicated Halloween music festival for audiences in Indonesia. Five editions later, that idea remains central to the event. Co-organisers Shaheen Alkubaysi and Darrell Tjong, both 27, have also prioritised affordable ticket pricing while bringing international electronic music artists to younger audiences in the country.
“We do it for the Culture, We do it for the Youth in our Country. We keep prices affordable and do our best to bring our family & friends world class entertainment,” Shaheen Alkubaysi said.
The fifth edition recorded more than 30,000 attendances across two days and gave the festival its first DJ Mag Top 100 Festivals entry. It reached No. 71 on the 2026 list. After two venue changes in the weeks before the event, Scream or Dance still completed another full Halloween weekend in Jakarta.
