Tomorrowland brought its immersive indoor music experience, The Magic of Tomorrowland, back to Shanghai on Oct 17 and 18 at Hero Dome in Huangpu district.

More than 10,000 people attended the festival on its first day, including visitors from Russia, the United States, France, Australia, and Canada. Overseas visitors and attendees from outside Shanghai accounted for 85.6 percent of the audience, underscoring the event's strong appeal beyond the city.

"China has always opened its arms to us, and returning for a second year alongside our local partners is a privilege," said Debby Wilmsen, a spokesperson at Tomorrowland. "Shanghai's Tomorrowland is one of a kind — the stage, the lineup, the crowd. Seeing the Tomorrowland experience take root here and watching the EDM scene grow with us is something we're truly proud of."

The event was held in Shanghai for a second consecutive year in partnership with Hero Esports, INS Land, and Budweiser. Inspired by Planaxis, one of Tomorrowland's signature themes, this year's event transformed Hero Dome into a fantastical underwater world of music, light, and art installations. Chinese teams handled the stage design and on-site production, tailoring the experience to the venue.

An 88-meter-wide main stage, large-scale sculptures, and artistic installations created an immersive deep-sea setting. The foam-sculpture installations totaled about 15,000 cubic meters, and the stage-design elements had a combined surface area of nearly 20,000 square meters. The production featured nearly 3,000 sq m  of LED displays, including 72 suspended screens, plus nearly 700 lighting and laser fixtures and 120 speakers from French audio manufacturer L-Acoustics, creating Tomorrowland's signature immersive audiovisual experience.

Beyond the performances, the festival offered several Tomorrowland merchandise items created exclusively for the Chinese market and tailored to local fans. A total of 15 food and beverage brands operated on site, serving regional Chinese cuisine, Western food, Thai street food, drinks, and desserts.

As part of a citywide initiative involving shopping districts and businesses across Shanghai, festivalgoers could present their ticket stubs at designated locations to enjoy special offers and exclusive perks on dining, shopping, sightseeing, and entertainment.

Danny Tang, co-founder and CEO of Hero Esports, said the organizers hope to use creativity, technology, and live production to bring Tomorrowland's imagined world to life, creating a place where people can make their own memories and leave looking forward to the next gathering.

Source: Shanghai Observer