We Attended a Secret Party In the Forest at Tomorrowland 2022—Here’s What It Looked Like

In the throes of the crypto winter, FTX found warmth in the effervescent confines of Tomorrowland.

Cryptocurrency and electronic dance music have been inextricably linked thanks to the widespread adoption of digital collectibles by DJs. In fact, the 2021 IMS Business Report found that 76% of all music NFTs were issued by electronic music artists.

The nexus of all this activity is music festivals, where NFT and crypto developers can escape the dangerous, theft-laden interwebs to demonstrate the utilities of their projects in a controlled environment. So FTX, a popular cryptocurrency exchange which averages roughly $10 billion of daily trading volume, touched down at the largest EDM festival in the world.

The company organized a hidden stage called The Hill during each day of the 2022 edition of Tomorrowland, which expanded to three weekends for the first time in the brand’s storied history. FTX’s unique activation was part of an ongoing partnership with the festival, whose organizers recently launched an ambitious NFT initiative offering holders “the ultimate Tomorrowland fan experience.”

While waiting in line at FTX’s onsite booth on July 30th, we downloaded their app, enabling us to secure a free Tomorrowland NFT. Scanning the code on that NFT entered us into a contest to win a t-shirt or access to The Hill—or walk away with nothing.

Our NFT unlocked a trip to Tomorrowland’s elusive secret stage, which was only accessible via an obscure side entrance and a towering flight of wooden stairs near the festival’s Core stage. But when we got there, we walked into a Shangri-la of dance music culture.

Embedded deep in the forests of Tomorrowland, the secret stage was techno bliss. Sultry house music and a barrage of bubbles fluttered through the summer air as attendees raved the day away. The party had the feel of a breezy bash under the lush canopies of a Tulum jungle.

The Hill featured a bevy of surprise DJs throughout Tomorrowland 2022, like renowned drum & bass artist Netsky, who performed a rare house set. One day saw a B2B set from storied electronic music producers Laidback Luke and R3hab, whose signature electro sounds rocked the hideout.

Fans can now purchase FTX tokens that unlock rewards and experiences at Tomorrowland Winter, the festival’s French offshoot, which is scheduled to return to the snowcapped ridges of the Central French Western Alps from March 18th to 25th, 2023. FTX and Tomorrowland have minted 100,000 NFTs this time around. At the time of writing, 48,520 have been claimed.

You can find out more about the Tomorrowland Winter NFT initiative here.

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