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Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) Photo by sebastiaan stam on

Top 10 Interesting Facts About Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

The Netherlands is known as one of the most charming countries in the world. It boasts of an entertainment hub. One of the characteristics is its impressive live music and festival scene.

But in October there is an event that puts Pinkpop and Lowlands to shame. Amsterdam Dance Event, or ADE for short, is a five-day electronic music festival by night, and conference by day, taking place across several venues in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.

1. It Is The Most Influential And Educational Gathering For Electronic Music And Its Industry

Photo of Dance. Photo by Georgia de Lotz on

Of course, Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is the most upfront, influential and educational gathering for electronic music and its industry. With its conference, festival, and educational breeding ground, ADE can create not only the biggest yearly industry tent-pole moment but also a solid foundation for future generations of electronic music professionals.

2. The First Event Was Held In 1996

The first ADE was held in 1996. It was the brainchild of Zijlma, the current head of Conservatorium Haarlem, and the Buma/Stemra Foundation, which advocates for the copyright rights of composers, lyricists, and music producers in the Netherlands.

It is interesting to note that in 1996, the event had only one venue, a hotel on the Vijzelgracht in central Amsterdam, and served as a business event for members of the Dutch music industry. Due to its success, it was brought back a year later.

3. It Has Grown Significantly Over the Years

Amsterdam City. Photo by Azhar J on

One of the most interesting facts about the Amsterdam Dance Event is its sheer growth over the years.  Since 2018, the yearly event has been organized by the Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation, which hosts over 1.000 events in nearly 200 venues across the city. Hundreds of thousands of people from all around the world descend on Amsterdam to celebrate the world of electronic music.

This new and significantly larger event completely transforms the atmosphere of the whole city, making it the largest yearly industry event.

The event still aims to stay true to the origins of dance music, and at the same time provide a platform for all the unique voices in the world of electronic music, celebrating diversity and amplifying the voices of those who otherwise might not be heard.

4. One Of The Activities Of The Event Is Conferencing

Conference Room. Photo by Siim Lukka on

One of the activities of the event is conferencing. It offers a platform for the business side of the electronic music industry. Prominent and influential members of the industry from all around the world are invited to give talks, exchanging knowledge and information with fans and colleagues alike.

People from all aspects of the production of dance music are in attendance, including aspiring DJs, producers, and musicians, to brand- and marketing managers.

A range of conferences, lectures, workshops, installations, and demonstrations take place across Amsterdam, with the DeLaMar Theatre serving as the main venue for all exciting and informative events.

5. The Festival Isn’t Just About Live Music And Partying

For visitors, the festival aspect of the event celebrates and showcases all electronic subgenres, with 2.500 artists descending on 200 of Amsterdam’s most lively and iconic venues.

But the festival isn’t just live music and partying into the early hours of the morning. Over the day, ADE also hosts several dance music-related exhibitions, festivals, documentaries, master classes, and DJ showcases. This ensures that there is something for every one of the electronic music lovers that visit Amsterdam to partake in the legendary event.

6. Inside The Main Event Are 1,000 Events

The event attracts a total of more than 1,000 events in nearly 200 locations across its multidisciplinary program; for five days and nights, the city of Amsterdam truly breathes electronic music. 

7. The 2020 Edition Featured A New Virtual Experience

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, The Amsterdam Dance Event transformed itself for 2020, doing something completely different from all previous events. This was via a new digital platform, though, it still featured a variety of its traditional content including interactive workshops and masterclasses, documentaries and films, and live performances. 

It will be interesting to see what future iterations of the Amsterdam Dance Event, are and whether more online events will be incorporated into the program. 

8. Testimony From A Participant In the 2018 Event

9. Results Of DJ MAG, The World’s Biggest Elections Are Announced

Every year, the DJ MAG Top 100 is announced during the Amsterdam Dance Event. It is the world’s biggest DJ election, which was held for the first time in 1995. The list ranks the world’s best DJs, all of which are elected by the audience. Some 350,000 people vote for their favorites each year.

Previous winners have included Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, David Guetta, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, and Hardwell.

10. Everything Related To Music Is Available At The ADE Playground

You can find every single thing related to dance music at ADE. The ADE Playground consists of 25 creative hotspots showing movies, hosting workshops and exhibitions, and selling apparel. In short, it is a must for dance lovers.

Be prepared for any type of weather. It tends to change rather quickly in Amsterdam like when it pours and rains all of a sudden even though a weather app said it wasn’t going to. You can also feel free to bulk up as much as you want if it is raining or cold out because you can always pop your jackets and rain clothes in a locker or coat check.