Festivals Keep Floundering: Mysteryland Announces a Break for 2026, With Plans to Return In 2027

Mysteryland’s organizers, ID&T (International Dance & Theatre) have announced that the iconic dance festival will take a break for 2026. Mysteryland 2025 will serve as the final celebration for this festival in its current format. Here’s what’s happening.

This year’s Mysteryland will unfold from August 22-24 at the well-known former Floriade Grounds in Haarlemmermeer. Organizers are planning an impressive sendoff, featuring an expansive lineup that includes Marlon Hoffstadt, Hardwell, Benwal, Indira Paganotto, Eric Prydz, Adriatique, and more. Mysteryland has become renowned for pushing production boundaries and the 2025 edition promises to showcase even more drones, fireworks, pyrotechnics, 3D visuals, and lasers.

The iconic pyramid main stage will again serve as the backdrop for performances and immersive end shows. Visitors can anticipate massive crowds, intricate visual storytelling, and headline performances. The festival’s closing event on Sunday is expected to be a drone-powered spectacles surpassing previous editions. So why is Mysteryland taking a break next year?

Organizers cite rapidly growing production costs—nearly double since the pandemic—as a key challenge underpinning the cause. Costs have increased across materials, beverages, and staffing. Additionally, evolving audience preferences have compelled the team to rethink the festival experience. ID&T emphasized the challenge of introducing major innovations while simultaneously delivering a full-scale event every year.

“When we moved from Ruigoord to the Floriade site back in 2003, that was also a moment of reinvention,” a Mysteryland spokesperson says. “It gave us the space to evolve Mysteryland into what it is today. We’re certainly not planning to say goodbye to this unique and special location, but honestly, it’s refreshing to be able to imagine such an iconic festival from the ground up and take the time to do it right.”

“ID&T has been creating events for decades, and it’s precisely by constantly adapting to the times that we’ve stayed relevant for so long. Mysteryland has represented innovation in the festival world since 1993—and as far as we’re concerned, it will continue to do so for the next 30 years.”

Mysteryland’s pause reflects growing pressures in the live events sector. Several major European festivals have announced cancellations or postponements in the last five years. Glastonbury in the United Kingdom was postponed for 2026, and in the past Germany’s Fusion Festival and Primavera Sound Barcelona have each adjusted or paused their shows due to similar issues, ranging from cost concerns to changing audience expectations. This trend highlights a challenging period for festival organizers across the continent.