Tomorrowland brought its signature festival to Shanghai for a second edition of The Magic of Tomorrowland in China. Working with Hero Esports, INS LAND and Budweiser, the organizers turned Hero Dome into a two-day celebration of electronic music that drew thousands of fans, whom Tomorrowland calls its “People of Tomorrow.” Both days sold out.

A sold-out show in a new waterfront district

The festival took place at INS SEA, a newly developed waterfront destination in the western Huangpu district of Shanghai. Inside the purpose-built indoor venue, music, fashion, food and technology came together in one immersive space. The result was an intimate, high-energy atmosphere.

Hero Dome, developed by Hero Esports and INS LAND, hosted an ambitious main stage. An 88-metre stage, paired with 72 moving ceiling screens, surrounded the crowd with visuals and carried Tomorrowland's distinctive stage design into the venue.

Adapting Tomorrowland to a new city

The scenery was built entirely in China, showing how the festival's core experience could be reshaped for a new setting without losing its focus on creativity, technical craft and the audience experience. The production followed local safety requirements, and sustainability was considered throughout the planning.

Debby Wilmsen, a Tomorrowland spokesperson, said China had welcomed the festival warmly and that returning for a second year with local partners was a real privilege. She described Shanghai's edition as one of a kind, from the stage and the lineup to the crowd, and said the team was proud to watch the local EDM scene grow alongside it.

Danny Tang, CEO and co-founder of Hero Esports, said the company was glad to work with Tomorrowland again alongside its sister company INS LAND. He said the goal is to create experiences that bring people together, and he hoped to bring that spirit back to Shanghai and to more events across China.

Day one: Axwell, Lost Frequencies and a standout B2B

The opening night spanned melodic house, progressive sounds and driving techno, building to a headline set by Axwell of Swedish House Mafia. Lost Frequencies brought his melodic, uplifting sound to the stage, while Cassian and Kevin de Vries teamed up for a back-to-back set that blended their different styles. MORTEN and Linska also played, and Chinese DJ Sally opened the day, setting the tone for the weekend.

Across the night, the program showed how broad electronic music can be, placing international headliners and local talent under one roof.

Tiësto closes the two-day celebration

Dutch electronic music icon Tiësto headlined the second night and closed the event with a set inside Hero Dome. ARTBAT and R3HAB joined forces for a back-to-back built on driving rhythms and expansive soundscapes. Miss Monique and Alison Wonderland added their distinctive sounds, Joel Corry brought his mix of dance music and high-energy performance, and Chinese artist Evin King represented the local scene on closing night.

Taken together, the two nights connected internationally recognized artists with China's fast-growing electronic music community.

Sunset sets and new names

Away from the main stage, Paperworld by Budweiser offered a cozier, more intimate space for discovering artists. Hauzer opened with an energetic set, followed by Nosi, Bhaskar and Carly Wilford. DJ L, Zok and Mansun Lui completed the sunset program, creating a separate musical mood within the festival grounds. The additional stage gave visitors a smaller, closer way to experience the festival alongside the main-stage show.

The main stage in numbers

The production combined international creative direction with extensive local work. Scenery, decorative elements, food stalls, merchandise areas and costumes were all produced in China.

• 88-metre-wide main stage
• 15,000 m³ of scenic structures
• 20,000 m² of stage design
• 2,867 m² of brand-new LED screens
• 72 ceiling screens
• 692 moving lights and laser fixtures
• 120 L-Acoustics speakers
• 56 CO₂ effects (without CO₂)
• 32 bubble machines
• 14 confetti effects
• A 20-metre catwalk with 24 performers in locally crafted costumes

More than a concert

The festival extended well beyond the stage, offering hospitality, food, brand activations and exclusive merchandise. Visitors could explore different zones and activations, and China-exclusive merchandise was created specifically for local fans.

Food was a major highlight, with around 15 participating brands serving Chinese regional dishes, Western dining, Thai street food, drinks and sweets. The mix of established restaurants and newer concepts let visitors sample a wide range of flavors between performances. Standouts included:

• Yongfu: a Michelin one-star restaurant with a three-diamond rating from the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, bringing its Ningbo cuisine to the festival.
• Qingxi Hui: two Michelin stars and three Black Pearl diamonds, known for Chaoshan cuisine.
• Xiding: the high-end Xiding Family Banquet brand, a Michelin one-star restaurant, sharing its popular Xiding Sea Cucumber Dumplings.
• LES NUGAES: a Michelin Plate Award holder serving high-end French cuisine from the Yongfu Group, without a Black Pearl rating.