Dutch Festivals 2026: ADE Lineups, Dates, and Star DJs

The announcements have been dropping all week, and Dutch festival season 2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest on record. Amsterdam Dance Event 2026 is now just over a week away, running October 21–25, and this year it celebrates its 30th anniversary — which means the organizers are going all out. With more than 1,500 artists already confirmed, 200-plus venues involved, and a final program expected to top 3,300 artists, this is the edition fans will talk about for years. Here's your guide to the star-studded lineups, the must-see Dutch DJs, and the other Dutch festivals lighting up the calendar this autumn.

ADE 2026: The 30th Anniversary Edition

Amsterdam Dance Event turns 30 this October, and the anniversary programming shows it. ADE 2026 runs from Wednesday, October 21 through Sunday, October 25, and the second wave of lineup announcements pushed the confirmed artist count past 1,500. The full program is expected to feature more than 3,300 artists at over 200 venues across Amsterdam — from legendary clubs and warehouses to the Rijksmuseum.

The opening night sets the tone: electronic pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre opens ADE 2026 at AFAS Live, an exclusive show presented by MOJO and Insomniac. During the day, the ADE Pro conference opens at Felix Meritis with panels and industry sessions, while on the club side Awakenings kicks off its five-day residency and Loveland opens across its two sites.

The anniversary edition is also reaching beyond traditional club spaces. Dutch artist Boris Acket will present his large-scale EINDER installation, while the Dutch National Ballet and ISH Dance Collective open the week with Swan Lake Remixed.

Who's Playing: The Big Headliners

This is where Dutch stars really shine. The Gashouder at Westergasfabriek hosts some of the week's biggest shows, with Eric Prydz, Armin van Buuren b2b Benwal, Job Jobse, and MOCHAKK CALLING all confirmed. Scooter takes over the Ziggo Dome with SCOOTER CRUSHES ADE, while Paul Kalkbrenner brings his live show to Theater Amsterdam with Loveland.

The second-wave announcements added Âme, Ben Klock, DJ Stingray 313, HAAi, Hunee, Kittin & The Hacker, Maceo Plex, Miss Monique, and Todd Terry to the program. And for fans of homegrown talent, Tinlicker, Joris Voorn, Nicky Elisabeth, and Miss Monique anchor DGTL's Friday night programming at the NDSM Warehouse. If you followed the recent tours I covered in my roundup of Dutch music stars' new albums and tour dates, you'll recognize a lot of these names — many of them are going straight from their autumn tours into ADE week.

The Club Week: DGTL, Loveland, Awakenings and More

The festival-within-a-festival programs are where ADE's depth shows. DGTL calls its 2026 edition its biggest ADE program to date: eight shows across the NDSM Warehouse and Kromhouthal, running Thursday, October 22 through Sunday, October 25. Thursday's opening night pairs Benwal, Lammer, and Paige Tomlinson on the Generator stage with UK sounds from DJ EZ and Dr Dubplate on Frequency. Saturday's standout is Shimza's Afro house curation with Âme DJ, Desiree, and Bedouin, while Lane 8 presents This Never Happened at Kromhouthal, and Folamour goes all day long there on Sunday.

Loveland returns with 12 shows across four days at Mediahaven and Theater Amsterdam, including CamelPhat presents EXPERIENCE on Saturday night and an eight-hour live set from Reinier Zonneveld on Sunday afternoon. Awakenings has revealed its full program of eight shows at SugarFactory, with Adam Beyer, Ben Klock, Jeff Mills, and DJ Heartstring confirmed. Over at the Rijksmuseum, Audio Obscura opens its week with Jeff Mills interpreting Rembrandt's The Night Watch — premiere October 21, public screenings October 22–25.

Other standout events: Verknipt runs an ADE Special across Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 at AFAS Live, KI/KI plays a five-hour set at the Ziggo Dome on Friday 23, Dockyard Festival takes over Havenpark on Saturday afternoon with Dax J and Oscar Mulero, and AMF returns to the Johan Cruijff Arena.

AMF 2026: The Arena Show

For one night, Amsterdam's biggest arena becomes the biggest club in the world. Amsterdam Music Festival (AMF) returns to the Johan Cruijff Arena on Saturday, October 24, 2026, expecting around 40,000 fans. The 2026 lineup is stacked: Afrojack, Amelie Lens, Armin van Buuren, ARTBAT, D-Block & S-te-Fan, David Guetta, Korolova, and Marlon Hoffstadt.

A few things make this edition special. David Guetta returns with his Monolith concept, and Afrojack is back at AMF for the first time since 2019. The night also ties into the "30 Years of ADE" celebration with a special production element the organizers are still keeping under wraps. Tickets are already on sale in multiple tiers, including regular, VIP, and VIP Premium. Between Guetta's Monolith spectacle and van Buuren's home-turf energy, this is the single biggest dance music night of the Dutch calendar.

Beyond the Decks: Dutch Festivals This Autumn

October and November in the Netherlands are about more than dance music. Here's what's on around ADE season:

• Leiden International Film Festival (LIFF) — October 8–18, Leiden. Ten days of mainstream and arthouse films; it has grown into one of the Netherlands' biggest film festivals.
• Cinekid Festival — October 10–25, Amsterdam and 40+ locations nationwide. For 40 years, the premier film, TV, and new media festival for children ages 3–14 — perfect timing for the autumn school break.
• De Betovering — October 17–25, The Hague. A children's arts festival with over 500 performances and workshops during the autumn holiday.
• Imagine Film Festival — October 29 to November 8, Amsterdam. Europe's long-running festival of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi film at De FilmHallen and LAB111.
• Brainwash Festival — October 29 to November 1, various Amsterdam venues. Philosophers, writers, and scientists meet artists for lectures, films, and conversations — Deborah Levy headlines a conversation at Skatecafe on October 29.
• GLOW Eindhoven — November 7–14, Eindhoven. The free week-long light art festival, running since 2006, with illuminated installations by international and local artists.

And if you're mapping out your October viewing alongside the festivals, check out my guide to the new Dutch TV shows airing this month — several Dutch stars are juggling festival appearances with fresh premieres.

Planning Your ADE Week: Practical Tips

Going to ADE? A few things I learned from covering Dutch entertainment that apply double here. First, book early — four of Loveland's twelve events are already sold out, including Paul Kalkbrenner's live show. Second, if you're attending DGTL's NDSM shows, remember their ticket personalization system: tickets are released to the lead buyer on October 22 only after every ticket in the order is personalized, so don't leave it until travel day. Third, the venues are spread across Amsterdam — the NDSM Wharf is a free ferry ride from Centraal, and that's genuinely part of the experience.

Finally, pace yourself. With hundreds of events across five days, Friday and Saturday are the densest nights. Pick one big anchor event per day and let the rest happen around it — that's how the locals do it. And if you're already following the week's viral moments, my roundup of Dutch influencers' viral moments is the perfect companion read for what's blowing up around ADE week.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Amsterdam Dance Event 2026?

ADE 2026 runs from Wednesday, October 21 to Sunday, October 25, 2026, across Amsterdam. This is the 30th anniversary edition, with more than 1,500 artists confirmed so far and a final program expected to feature over 3,300 artists at 200-plus venues. Opening night features Jean-Michel Jarre at AFAS Live.

Who is performing at ADE 2026?

Confirmed names include Eric Prydz, Armin van Buuren b2b Benwal, Scooter at the Ziggo Dome, Paul Kalkbrenner live with Loveland, KI/KI's five-hour set at the Ziggo Dome, Miss Monique, Ben Klock, HAAi, Maceo Plex, Kittin & The Hacker, CamelPhat, Boris Brejcha, and Adam Beyer at Awakenings. Many more artists are announced weekly as the festival approaches.

What is AMF 2026 and who's on the lineup?

AMF (Amsterdam Music Festival) is the one-night arena event during ADE week, held Saturday, October 24, 2026 at the Johan Cruijff Arena. The lineup features Afrojack, Amelie Lens, Armin van Buuren, ARTBAT, D-Block & S-te-Fan, David Guetta, Korolova, and Marlon Hoffstadt, with around 40,000 fans expected. Tickets are on sale in regular, VIP, and VIP Premium tiers.

Are there Dutch festivals besides ADE this autumn?

Yes. October and November offer the Leiden International Film Festival (Oct 8–18), Cinekid children's media festival (Oct 10–25), De Betovering children's arts festival in The Hague (Oct 17–25), the Imagine fantasy film festival (Oct 29–Nov 8), Brainwash Festival of ideas (Oct 29–Nov 1), and GLOW Eindhoven's light art festival (Nov 7–14). There's genuinely something for everyone, not just club music fans.

About the Author

Sidra Salman is the founder of Dutch Stars Daily, where she writes practical, research-backed guides on Dutch entertainment news. Every guide is tested and written in plain English for a US audience.