10 years of Paradise City Festival: a decade of sustainable partying.

After a few quiet months, Paradise City Festival is gearing up for its tenth edition, which will take place on 27, 28 and 29 June 2025 in the idyllic gardens of Ribaucourt Castle in Perk, Steenokkerzeel. Ticket sales start on Wednesday 8 January at 12:00.

What started in 2015 as an intimate celebration with just 5,500 visitors over two days has grown into an internationally recognised event in ten years. With more than 43,000 visitors in 2024 and an impressive line-up of 134 artists across seven stages, Paradise City remains true to its core values: quality music, groundbreaking scenography and a strong focus on sustainability.

However, the road to success has not been without challenges, organiser Gilles De Decker stresses. 'We started rather naively, with a lot of idealism and a clear vision, but it has taken years to get to where we are today,' he says. The second edition in 2016 was almost the end of Paradise City. Heavy rain and mud kept visitors away, and financially, it was a disaster. That we continued after that edition still feels like a small miracle."

Once again, Paradise City proved its resilience during COVID-19. While most festivals were cancelled, the team organised 20 smaller parties on a lake, with 60 boats for groups of eight, with the DJ along the waterfront. 'It was a creative solution in a difficult time, and it felt great to bring people together safely during those tough times,' De Decker says.

Looking back on ten years of Paradise City, highlights abound. Gilles cites DJ Koze's performance on the Castle Stage in 2019 as a moment of pure ecstasy: 'The energy broke loose, and everything came together perfectly. It was magical.' Job Jobse's closing set at the Forest Stage last summer also sticks with him: 'Never before have I experienced such intensity and euphoria.'

Paradise City, meanwhile, is also looking beyond Belgium. In Austria, next August, the festival will host the fourth edition of Paradies Garten Festival, a slightly smaller-scale event with three stages next to a castle near Vienna. Here, too, the same core values of quality artists, sustainability and a beautiful setting are carried through - with success. Austrian music lovers have clearly grown a taste for it. 'It feels great to see our concept grow internationally,' says De Decker.

Paradise City was awarded the prestigious AGF Awards as the world's most sustainable music festival in 2024, thanks to impressive results in energy, waste management, water saving and sustainable mobility. The festival distinguished itself with innovative solar energy solutions, reusable materials and eco-friendly transport options such as additional trains and electric shuttle buses. Organiser Gilles De Decker stresses, 'Festivals can have a negative impact on the environment. That is why we keep improving ourselves and want to set an example for a sustainable future. While we are proud of what we have achieved, we know there is still much work to do."

Whatever the future brings, quality music will always remain central at Paradise City. 'We want to remain cutting-edge and continue to represent the current scene,' says De Decker. "We consciously choose quality over quantity and stick to intimate stages without big growth ambitions regarding visitor numbers. Making good electronic music bigger and highlighting the cultural impact remains our mission."

The first part of this summer's line-up will be announced next week, but the organisers already hint at a unique mix of legendary pioneers and contemporary talents. 'Our tenth anniversary is a tribute to the founding fathers of electronic music,' says De Decker. "They laid the foundations for the culture we cherish. At the same time, we are looking ahead by offering new talent a place next to the veterans - side by side, shoulder to shoulder. It will be a meeting of generations bursting with energy and creativity."

Tickets for Paradise City 2025 will go on sale from Wednesday 8 January at 12:00. Those who want to be sure to attend are advised to be quick, as tickets usually sell out quickly.