The A to Z of the international electronic music scene

The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is the world's leading electronic music conference and the biggest club festival for the many electronic sub-genres on the planet. The event offers a full program of daytime conferences, including interactive workshops, mentoring sessions, technical demonstrations and in-depth round-table discussions, alongside a nighttime music festival featuring more than 220 events over five days in 52 venues around the city. Each year, the ADE attracts over 3,000 business professionals and 140,000 festival visitors – including 30,000 tourists - from 62 countries.

where things get done

With a daytime program based around the Felix Meritis centre and the Dylan Hotel (both on the famous Keizersgracht), plus Music & Bits at De Balie in the Leidseplein, ADE University for aspiring music industry professionals, Playground for tech start-ups, ADE Next for new talent, and the Hard Dance Event (HDE) for harder styles of electronic music, the ADE has gained a reputation for being an event where things get done, and where meaningful and relevant learning experiences happen.

covering all aspects

Thanks to the abundant presence of artists, DJs, managers, the media, labels, publishers and producers, the volume of deals done and connections made is one of the most remarkable aspects of the ADE’s daytime activities. The addition of ADE University and Playground in 2011, plus the expansion of Music & Bits into a stand-alone, three day event, have created an all-embracing forum that covers every aspect of the electronic music scene, offering something for everyone from up-and-coming musicians and producers, technology developers, and students, through to the most seasoned professionals.

5-day music platform

Over the last 17 years, the ADE has grown from a three-day event largely focussed on dance music into a platform for every imaginable kind of electronic music spread over five days. The event kicks off on Wednesday with ADE Playground and ADE University, the Music & Bits conference program, as well as a full daytime conference program at the Felix Meritis and the Dylan Hotel, plus the legendary DJ Cook-Off. On top of that, ADE also now includes the awards ceremony of the prestigious DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll on Thursday evening.

the worlds biggest DJs

For the general public ADE opens its doors on Saturday for ADE Next, where aspiring musicians and producers are invited to meet the professionals face to face, and get expert opinions on their work from some of the world’s most popular and in-demand artists, DJs and producers. The nighttime line-up features the very biggest DJ and artist names on the planet as well as a selection of the best upcoming talent performing in the 52 clubs and venues that make Amsterdam one of the very best and most inspiring clubbing cities in the world.