UNTOLD celebrated 10 years of existence in August 2025, bringing together their boldest edition so far. Spanning across 235,000 square meters, this is the world’s third best festival and this year featured: 200+ global and local artists from top live acts such as Post Malone and Metro Boomin to superstar DJs with unique tailored shows like Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, Alok, Don Diablo, Dom Dolla, Steve Angello, and more , eight stages, multiple music spots, over 50 brand activations, 63 food vendors, and unique experiences.

Besides this, its mainstage, situated inside Cluj Arena, featured 1020 square meters of screens, 1130 light fixtures and an impressive 25-tonne centrepiece. It is the most ambitious stage design ever created by the UNTOLD team.

However, the festival has come a long way since its first edition, now welcoming over 470,000 ravers from over 150 countries. Bogdan Buta, the festival’s founder, spoke with EDM House Network about his journey organising events, as well as UNTOLD’s history, challenges and future.

Bogdan Buta: From student parties to sold-out festivals

What is now one of the biggest and best festivals in the world, was once just a dream to Buta. He started organising student parties in his university years, going from events with 1,000 people to outdoor celebrations that welcomed 5-10,000 party-goers.

“It was quite a journey … but we’ve managed to bring together the right team in order to achieve this,” says Bogdan Buta who in 2025 had 470,000 people from over 150 countries travel to Cluj-Napoca for UNTOLD.

The experience gained from organising various student parties, paid off for the founder of UNTOLD after the first edition, which brought 150 artists, including Avicii and premieres for Romania, and attracted 240,000 festival goers worldwide. The first UNTOLD ever was crowned Best Major Festival at the 2015 European Festival Awards, a premiere for a festival to receive this recognition after only one edition.

Speaking about what made winning the prestigious award possible, Buta says: “I was looking up to all these amazing festivals that were happening out there, like Tomorrowland or Coachella or EDC or Ultra.”

He states he was also thinking of all young people who would probably never experience those festivals. He wanted to offer them the chance to live unforgettable moments with UNTOLD.

What started as an ambition for Buta and his team, turned into years of experience, blending magnificent ideas into some of the best festival productions.

“I think we’ve proven it year after year, that we can make the impossible possible,” reflects the founder of UNTOLD on what have been ten outstanding editions so far.

With a feeling of gratitude and pride, Buta reflects on what keeps the strive for more alive, saying: “The best recognition is when you see the energy of the people, you see it in their eyes. Artists that play all over the world on the biggest stages and they are so impressed of what’s happening here. It’s very heart-warming and inspiring and gives us energy to go further.”

What is UNTOLD’s x factor?

Among its unique feelings, special shows from artists, massive production, great food and unmatched brand activations, UNTOLD excels when it comes to safety. It is one of the few festivals where people of all ages can attend, whether alone, with friends, or with family. It provides a secure environment for everyone to enjoy life to the fullest.

UNTOLD’s commitment to safety is remarkable, as it remains at the core of the organisation while production grows bigger every year. This is one way the UNTOLD team proves its professionalism with every edition.

“It’s like when you try to create a dish, you go, you select the best ingredients, but then it becomes also this talent of how you blend them together in order to create a special flavour … I think we’ve managed to identify some key success factors and we’ve managed to build them together in a pretty unique way that brought a lot of people together from the very first edition,” highlights Bogdan Buta regarding how UNTOLD balances scale, creativity, and a welcoming atmosphere.

UNTOLD’s biggest challenge

Looking back on a dark global period, founder Bogdan Buta says the pandemic was UNTOLD’s greatest challenge.

“We were completely shut down and yeah, it was very hard, but going back to how we are, we didn’t give up,” recalls the founder.

As a result of their resilience and ambition, UNTOLD returned in 2021, becoming one of the only festivals to take place during the pandemic. The crew worked tirelessly to prove they could run the event safely, demonstrating their commitment to delivering the best experience for all Untolders.

What’s next for UNTOLD

With ten years of experience, countless memories created and a notorious reputation, the festival is ready to raise the bar even higher. If UNTOLD X was mind-blowing, then UNTOLD 2026 promises to surpass any expectation.

Founder Bogdan Buta explains the edition will cherry pick all good things from past years, polishing the future of UNTOLD. Titled “UNTOLD ONE,” it will offer fans the opportunity to be part of a new journey: “People became loyal fans, but they started coming from the 5th or 7th edition. They were so grateful for the experience, but there was this regret that they were not part of the first edition … this [UNTOLD ONE] is more of a conceptual opportunity.”

Buta calls it their next big challenge, uniting everyone in an even more impressive way. He wants to give attendees the sense of levelling up to a new chapter.

Considering UNTOLD’s history, one thing is certain: it never disappoint. Expect breathtaking production and surprises beyond imagination. Passes for UNTOLD ONE are now available on the official website. Follow this link, to secure your chance of being in the 2026 crowd at the lowest price.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by UNTOLD (@untoldfestival)