I’m sitting here at home in Los Angeles, nearly 5,000 miles away from a town called “Boom” in Belgium where the annual Tomorrowland festival takes place. It’s been a little over a week since the festival ended for me, and while I can’t help but think about all of the magical moments from this year’s edition, I also sit here thinking about what keeps me coming back to this worldwide phenomenon.
It is without a doubt that Tomorrowland has become one of the world’s most recognized events. Known for over the top production, other-worldly stage designs and meticulous attention to detail, the festival has built a beloved reputation that has set the standards for festivals and events across the globe. While coupling the world’s biggest artists with an incredible production that transports you to another realm, the festival has changed the way we look at festivals.
But Tomorrowland is not just a music festival, it’s way more than that. If you’re thinking of making the journey to this event, here are three reasons why, besides the music, that you should attend.
The People
The Tomorrowland organization works very hard to ensure a diverse attendance at the festival. Through a rigorous registration process, organizers make sure all countries and nations are represented at the festival. The festival is one of the most diverse places on earth, and they have the numbers to prove it. Every year, ambassadors and “Top 20” attendees from each country are selected to maintain the diversity of the Holy Grounds.
Once you make your way to Tomorrowland, you are guaranteed to be surrounded by nearly 200 countries around you. Let that sink in for a moment. There are not many places in the world that I can think of where you have every single country equally represented around you. It’s incredible that this is able to happen. What brings these people together is, of course, the love and passion for music, but also something greater — the shared idea that we are all one. The idea that we can come together from all across the globe to unite for a moment in time with all problems aside. This is just one reason why you should attend Tomorrowland, aside from the music.
The Friendships
When you get all of these cultures together, a beautiful thing happens: lifetime friendships are formed. For the past four years, our small group friends from Tomorrowland has evolved into a group of 60 likeminded people from all across the world. Music has brought us together, but because of the festival, our small group of friends has turned into a global family. The relationships and friendships we have built are some of the most unique and endearing I have ever encountered.
The truth is that it takes a lot to get to Tomorrowland. It takes a lot of effort to travel to a different country and takes even more effort to coordinate a group of 60 people. But when that happens (though not always easy), the magic comes to life. The ability to bring so many people together from all over, for one weekend, is an incredible testament to the strength of our friendship. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my entire life, and it’s because of Tomorrowland. Our group has managed to secure tickets year after year against all of the odds when millions try to get their chance at experiencing Tomorrowland. If that’s not legendary, then I don’t know what is.
So, if you are looking to meet new people, go to Tomorrowland. The friendships you create will stay with you forever. They might actually change your life.
The Memories
Whether it’s dancing at the main stage or discovering new artists nestled in the forest, Tomorrowland is the perfect place to create new memories. Every corner of Tomorrowland yearns for new memories to be made. Tomorrowland is like a dream, but it does not have to be. You can expect to make memories in the most oddly of places, and that’s what the festival is about. Combining a diverse group of people with new friendships allows you to create some of the most majestic memories to be made.
I can’t begin to explain how many memories I have made at Tomorrowland, in the most unlikely of places. I’ve met people who have come to Tomorrowland because they have lost a loved one, I have seen a DJ throw down an epic set in the bathrooms, and I have had the wildest conversations with random people back at our campsite. These memories are ones that will stay with me forever. For me Tomorrowland it’s not just seeing the world’s biggest DJs on massive stages… it’s the company that I am with that makes Tomorrowland special. Music aside, these memories are why you should go Tomorrowland. These memories will never leave you. These memories, for me, has made life more exciting.
For the past four years, I have been lucky enough to attend Tomorrowland. This experience for me is more than just a festival. It’s all of the above.
With that said, I would like to share a special thanks to everyone who has made this chapter of my life so special:
To the Belgians: thank you for welcoming this American into your country with open arms. Thank you for spreading the warmth of your country and showing me your home every summer.
To the Germans: thank you for being one of the most incredible groups of people I have ever met. Your hearts of full of love and unity. And for that, I am forever grateful. You are the definition of “unite forever.”
To the Australians: thank you for being you. Thank you for bringing a taste of your world into my life. Your energy does not go unnoticed.
To the Austrian: your wild behavior and love for the music is unparalleled. Thank you for sharing that with me and bringing your love of this music everywhere you go.
To the Czechs: thank you for your smiles and your positivity. I am so lucky to have met such beautiful people with such beautiful souls.
To the Swedes: thank you for representing Sweden last year, and for instantly connecting through our love for Avicii. You boys completely changed my experience last year and I am so glad you joined our group this year. Words can not explain how much our friendship means to me. Welcome to the family.
To the Americans: we are the lucky ones. I am so happy that we are able to represent America with such a vibrant and diverse group of people. Not a lot of Americans make it abroad, nonetheless to Tomorrowland. Year after year, it makes me so proud to be ambassadors of our home.
To Mr. Dubai: four years ago you invited me on a journey that would change the course of my life forever. I am forever thankful for this and I will never forget writing this chapter with you.
All photos credit: Tomorrowland
