Tomorrowland, unlike Rock Werchter and Graspop, refuses to throw the towel for an edition in 2021 for the time being. The dance festival from Boom has opted for a postponement to the end of August or the beginning of September. The festival organization announced this on Wednesday afternoon.

In recent years, Tomorrowland has organized two festival weekends at the end of July. But the organization fears that that timing will be compromised by the corona virus. “After the summer is more feasible,” says spokeswoman Debby Wilmsen. “We think there will be more freedom if the vaccination campaign goes smoothly.” The new dates are August 27, 28 and 29 and September 3, 4 and 5.

Tomorrowland claims to be based on advice from experts and governments and the prospects of the vaccination strategy and test events. It is not a matter of buying time, says Wilmsen. ‘We have drawn and analyzed everything and are ready to let the festival go ahead. In May we will receive more information and precise guidelines from the government. Then our official decision will follow. ‘

The organization is preparing an edition as we know it: with many bells, whistles and stages, an international audience and a ditto line-up. ‘We opt for a positive mindset and assume the best scenario: a Tomorrowland like in other years,’ says Wilmsen. The organization is in talks with various artists and suppliers. “The options are still open.”

It remains to be seen what framework the government will create for the festival summer. ‘We really want to organize something, so behind the scenes we are thinking about smaller-scale alternatives. But in the first place we go for the full picture. ‘

Tomorrowland does not lack experience with alternatives. The organization built a virtual party hall last year. The Naoz was launched as an experiment during the summer and expanded into a digital party on New Year’s Eve. It is somewhat like an advanced video game.

At that relaunch in December, the organization made it clear that the Naoz is here to stay and will also be used and rented out after corona. ‘The idea is on the table, but just like smaller-scale physical alternatives, it is a secondary line of thought and therefore not yet concrete,’ says Wilmsen.

The new data has been discussed with the competent authorities, it sounds, but official permission is still awaiting. If it does, it will be conditional because of the uncertainty about the epidemiological situation. ‘We want to remain positive and hopeful about an unforgettable end to the summer of 2021, but realize that there is a chance that the 16th edition of Tomorrowland will take place in 2022,’ says the organization.

The outlook for the tickets is clear. These are the tickets that were sold for last summer’s edition, which eventually went through digitally. If the festival can take place, it is in any case already sold out.