Shanghai – – October 18, 2026 -- The second edition of The Magic of Tomorrowland in China sold out two nights at Hero Dome, with Axwell headlining day one and Tiësto closing day two.
The festival ran in INS SEA, a newly developed waterfront destination in Shanghai's western Huangpu district. Tomorrowland staged it with Hero Esports, INS LAND and Budweiser, turning the purpose-built indoor venue into a two-day electronic music event for thousands of visitors.
An 88-metre stage and 72 moving ceiling screens surrounded the crowd
The scenography was built entirely locally. Organisers say the production followed local safety requirements and included sustainability in its planning.
According to the organisers, the mainstage numbers included:
- 15,000 m3 of scenic structures
- 20,000 m2 of stage design
- 2,867 m2 of brand-new LED screen
- 692 moving lights and laser fixtures
- 120 L-acoustic speakers
- 56 CO2 effects (without CO2), 32 bubble machines and 14 confetti effects
- A 20-metre catwalk with 24 performers in locally crafted costumes
Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen said returning to China for a second year with local partners was a privilege.
Axwell, Lost Frequencies and a Cassian and Kevin de Vries B2B opened the weekend
Day one built toward Axwell of Swedish House Mafia. Lost Frequencies played, and Cassian and Kevin de Vries performed a back-to-back set. MORTEN and Linska also performed, and Chinese DJ Sally opened the day.
Tiësto closed night two after ARTBAT and R3HAB teamed up
The second night ended with a headline set from Dutch artist Tiësto. ARTBAT and R3HAB played back-to-back, Miss Monique, Alison Wonderland and Joel Corry also performed, and Chinese artist Evin King featured on closing night.
Paperworld by Budweiser hosted sunset sets from Hauzer and others
A smaller stage, Paperworld by Budweiser, offered a more intimate setting. Hauzer performed alongside Nosi, Bhaskar and Carly Wilford, while DJ L, Zok and Mansun Lui completed the sunset programme.
About 15 food brands served Michelin-recognised cuisine
The food offering included some 15 brands spanning Chinese regional cuisine, Western dining, Thai street food, drinks and sweets. Yongfu brought Ningbo cuisine, and Qingxi Hui served Chaoshan cuisine with two Michelin stars. Xiding offered its Sea Cucumber Dumplings, and LES NUGAES, from Yongfu Group, served high-end French cuisine with a Michelin Plate Award. China-exclusive merchandise was also on sale.