16 Event Ideas From TomorrowWorld Electronic Dance Festival

See how T-Mobile, Bud Light, and Zipcar engaged the 50,000 fans at this event outside Atlanta.

October 2, 2014

Huge whimsical stages, fireworks, tents, and music—lots of music—filled the grounds of a 350-acre farm outside Atlanta for a five-day show that ended Sunday. This was the second edition of the TomorrowWorld electronic dance festival, which is a sister event to the Tomorrowland festival that has taken place in Belgium since 2005. The U.S. version is produced in partnership with SFX Entertainment. Of the more than 50,000 people who came each day to hear music from performers such as Tiësto, Skrillex, Kaskade, David Guetta, and Diplo, about 40,000 of them also camped at the festival’s DreamVille. The huge section of the property housed a variety of accommodations from basic tents to large “glamping” structures as well as a post office, clothing and grocery stores, a salon, and space for group workouts and yoga classes.

“You can go to one of the nine stages and listen to music, or you can work out or do many other things,” said festival spokesperson Debby Wilmsen. "It’s the combination of music and atmosphere and experience to entertain our guests."

More than 50 million people also shared in the experience by watching coverage on TomorrowWorld TV on YouTube. The live stream aired for six hours each day Friday to Sunday and also included taped interviews and coverage of backstage activities. The production involved a crew of 120 people, multiple trailers, and 15 cameras.

SFX has announced it will expand the Tomorrowland brand into Brazil in May. The event sold out just hours after tickets became available in early September.

Fireworks illuminated the sky above the festival's Mythical Frames stage. Each of the huge, playful frames was filled with an LED screen that showed nonstop footage during each performance.

Photo: Doug Van Sant Photography

Many of the festival's sets, decorations, and props, such as the main stage, were used at the Tomorrowland festival in Belgium and then shipped across the Atlantic Ocean for TomorrowWorld. The main stage, measuring more than 400 feet wide and 100 feet tall, included a computer-controlled volcano and multiple waterfalls.

Photo: Courtesy of TomorrowWorld

The DreamVille camping area hosted about 40,000 overnight guests each of the four nights.

Photo: Courtesy of TomorrowWorld

The DreamVille “Easy Tent” option provided guests a two- or four-person tent with an air mattress, sleeping bag, and night-light.

Photo: Courtesy of Tomorrowland

The most luxurious accommodations in DreamVille were the Dream Lodges—large, elevated tents with a full-size bed, a mattress, linens, a locker, electricity, and a deck with chairs and a table. The lodges were produced by Dutch company G3 Festivals, and TomorrowWorld was the first time they were used in the United States.

Photo: Alex G Perez

Within DreamVille’s Marketplace, guests could shop for clothing, camping gear, festival memorabilia, arts and crafts, groceries, and a variety of ready-to-eat food. There was also a salon and spa that offered hair styling and massages.

Photo: Courtesy of Tomorrowland

While the official music lineup did not begin until Friday, Thursday night saw several DJs play on an elaborate stage within Dreamville for guests who had already moved into their tents.

Photo: Courtesy of Tomorrowland

Organizers provided each guest with a leather bracelet containing an R.F.I.D. chip. The bracelet served as an entry ticket and also as the sole form of payment at the festival. Attendees could load money onto their bracelets before the event and also add to it at “top up” stations throughout the grounds.

Photo: Courtesy of Tomorrowworld

In the T-Mobile Sonic Garden, guests lounged inside pink and white structures meant to resemble seed pods. The lounges included comfortable seating and phone-charging stations.

Photo: Jim Dimitroff

From a small stage within the T-Mobile Sonic Garden, four up-and-coming DJs performed each day.

Photo: Lauren Coakley Photography

Sponsor Zipcar provided its members premium parking and a lounge that offered comfortable seating, phone-charging stations, and—appropriately—a zip line.

Photo: Courtesy of Zipcar

Within sponsor Bud Light’s House of Whatever, festivalgoers could toss a cake at someone in a target, take a photo with the “Mayor of Whatever” in front of an office backdrop, and play “Pin the Arms on the DJ.” The large carnival-style lounge also had a dance floor and a makeover salon offering hair styling, coloring, and shaving.

Photo: Courtesy of TomorrowWorld