Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is an experience you’ll never forget. This was my 4th year attending, and after the first, I promised myself I would try to come back every year if possible. This year’s edition was a special one, coinciding with Amsterdam 750 – a massive celebration all year long for the city’s 750th anniversary. It is an incredible 5 straight days of music, conferences, networking, and so much more. By the end, you will be ready to sleep for 20 hours straight… but of course, ready to do it all again next year.
Over 600,000 visitors attended across more than 1,200 events and initiatives, featuring nearly 3,500 artists at 300+ locations throughout the city. From bakeries to coffee shops to football stadiums, there is a rave just about everywhere in the city. ADE is a special place where producers from around the world can come together and collaborate. The whole Dance music industry is there, eager to connect with their peers. If you are looking to break into the industry, ADE is the place to go.
ADE has already announced its dates for next year, October 21 through 25. Over the past three decades, ADE has grown to become the most influential breeding ground for electronic music, building the framework that helped a new genre to be recognized worldwide as an art form and a thriving business, into what is now an immense global industry. For its 30th anniversary, the organization will unveil various specials, initiatives, and events in connection with the celebrations throughout the coming months.
The City of Amsterdam
I can’t think of a better city to host the world’s biggest Dance Music conference. By day, Amsterdam buzzes with parties, canal views, and endless places to explore. By night, it transforms into an electrifying playground, overflowing with shows, afterparties, and festivals at every corner.
There’s something undeniably magical about just wandering or biking through Amsterdam. The city feels like a living fairytale—its crooked, storybook houses leaning into the curved canals like something straight out of Harry Potter. It’s the kind of place where getting lost feels like part of the experience.
Amsterdam’s layout couldn’t be better suited for biking. It is, of course, the locals’ preferred form of transportation. Cruising from venue to venue on two wheels not only saves time but also makes you feel like a local. The tram and Metro are solid backups, but driving or Ubering is a no-go unless you’re heading far out, like to AMF. Otherwise, it’s slow, pricey, and misses the vibe.
And then there’s the Dutch—the friendliest, most down-to-earth crowd you could ask for. They radiate warmth, welcome you into every conversation, and bring the kind of good energy that turns a great night into an unforgettable one.
ADE Conference Events
If you have a Pro Pass you can attend as many events as you can get to. This is of course, if you get enough sleep (not likely). The conference showcased high-profile artists, founders, and business representatives – including Skepta, KI/KI, Eris Drew, Chris Stussy, TxC, ANNA, Chris Liebing, Epic Games, SoundCloud, Spotify, COLORSxSTUDIOS, Helix Records, Sony Music, Tomorrowland Brasil, and many more.
The conference events centered around Felix Meritis, but there are many other locations for talks. Rosewood was a lovely new hotel that hosted talks on AI. ADE Lab moved to Westergas, with new networking opportunities and programming at Pro, and an entirely new immersive experience for the next generation at Lab.
One of my favorite talks was Google’s DeepMind AI discussion hosted by Jeff Chong. He took a deep dive into the future of music production with a variety of new toolkits. It left me inspired but also slightly worried about how powerful AI is becoming. Sandbox was one of the most impressive demos he showcased.
If you are a DJ or producer like me, there is an incredible amount of networking that you can take advantage of during the conference events. These events are geared towards you meeting someone who may just change your life down the road.
The ADE Festival
Now to the real fun of ADE. There were more events than you could imagine during these 5 days. The ones I chose to attend were from personal preference and of course, no slight to the many many amazing shows around the city. With the Pro Pass, you can hop around to multiple events if you choose. It helps if they are in the inner city rather than the entertainment district, about 30 minutes away via the metro. The district has massive venues including Johan Cruyff Arena, Ziggo Dome, and AFAS Live. You can even bike there if you are feeling ambitious.
AMF is for sure my favorite event of the week. This year had a stellar lineup, including Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, John Summit, MORTEN, Oliver Heldens, Sara Landry, Gregor Salto, and Sub Zero Project. Insomniac Europe takes over Johan Cruyff Arena and welcomes over 40,000 ravers to dance until dawn. AMF has a lovely crowd every year that ranges from teenagers to grandmas. You truly feel the Dutch rave culture while there. This marked Hardwell’s return to AMF in 8 years, and he absolutely blew the roof off.
One of my favorite events in the city was John Summit’s Experts Only show that closed ADE on Sunday. The production and lineup was top tier taking over Theater Amsterdam. The venue was located a bit out of central on the water and was perfect for house music. While I had seen him the night before at AMF, I was a big fan of this more intimate show where he experimented with new music. John was lights out and always leaves the crowd happy.
All in all, 2025 was a special ADE experience that I will remember forever. I am already excited for next year!
