30 Years of ADE: Anniversary Events, Exhibitions & Films

By the If It Ain't Dutch Editorial Team · Updated 16 October 2026 · 7 min read

Live guide: line-ups, times and ticket status were checked against official ADE, venue and promoter pages on the afternoon of 16 October 2026. Ticket status changes fast, so always confirm on the official link before you buy.

In 1996, Amsterdam Dance Event was a modest industry meeting: around 300 delegates and three night venues. Thirty years later it's 3,600+ artists across 1,300+ events and 300+ venues — what ADE calls the world's largest festival and business gathering for electronic music.

For the 30th edition, ADE built a dedicated anniversary layer into the programme: the 30 YEARS ADE Icon Series, 30 "legacy" events spread across the week, plus exhibitions, film premieres and book launches. Here's what's worth your time. For everything else, see our ADE 2026 hub and full ADE 2026 timetable. For the story of how the Dutch scene got here, read our history of Dutch electronic music.

The opening night: three sold-out shows

ADE opens on Wednesday 21 October with three anniversary moments. All three are sold out — official resale is your only route in.

Jean-Michel Jarre is the guest of honour, and the timing is perfect: 2026 is also the 50th anniversary of Oxygène, the 1976 album that brought electronic music to a mass audience. Weval opens; Jarre is due on stage at 21:00. Our Jarre spotlight has the backstory.

Swan Lake Remixed puts the Dutch National Ballet and ISH Dance Collective inside the Gashouder with an electronic score by Rik Ronner — about 35 dancers, one hour, two shows. KYBBA and the Metropole Orkest bring orchestral bass and dancehall to Melkweg's Rabozaal.

EINDER: Boris Acket's installation

A centrepiece of the anniversary. Dutch artist Boris Acket has built EINDER, an 80-by-25-metre moving textile installation inside the Centrale Markthal in Amsterdam West, with Making Waves.

• Opening (Wed 21 Oct): the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra plays Beethoven's Fifth inside the installation.
• Thu 22 Oct: Elias Mazian and band live.
• After ADE: Joep Beving plays on Thu 29 October; the installation runs until 1 November.
• Tickets: seated concerts from €27 plus fees; details at einder.world.

Dave Clarke Presents: 30 Years of ADE

The anniversary party for the techno and electro faithful. Dave Clarke — who also moderates ADE Pro's "30 Years of ADE" kick-off talk — curates a marathon at Melkweg with a deliberately cross-generational bill.

The 30 Years of ADE talk

Founders and long-time insiders on how a 300-person meeting became a city-wide festival. Pro Pass required — see our ADE Pro 2026 guide.

Exhibitions and performances worth a daytime

ADE's Arts & Culture programme for 2026 includes:

• Archiving the Night — an expo on collecting and preserving Amsterdam club culture (State OFFF & MRLYN), opening in the ADE Lab Village at Westergas.
• Slam Bam! Must Click! — Dave Clarke's photography.
• DISCO: I'm Coming Out — at the Wereldmuseum Amsterdam.
• Deep Seeing Currents — Olafur Eliasson.

And a few performances in unusual places: Nocturnes, live performances at the Van Gogh Museum with ADE; a live showcase by Thomas Azier at raam art space; and dome concerts at ARTIS Planetarium. - Free installations in the ADE Lab Village — see our free events guide.

Opening hours and prices vary, so check each listing on the ADE Arts & Culture page before you go.

Films and premieres

• Club Kid — an A24 preview screening with an afterparty.
• KitKatClub: Kinks of Berlin — Dutch premiere.
• Funk — premiere with Q&A.
• SIGNAL — the M07 concert film at the Tuschinski theatre.
• Jeff Mills' interpretation of De Nachtwacht — presented by Audio Obscura; press reports screenings at the Rijksmuseum on 22–25 October with limited places.
• 20 Years of Grime in NL — a film premiere within the ADE Culture Hub on Saturday 24 October.

Books

• The Electronic Music Book — launch of a limited-edition coffee-table book.
• Aftershock: The Seismic Impact of Dubstep — launch presented by Sonic Boom.
• Gary Smith's ADE history series — a three-part look back published on ADE's site in the run-up to the anniversary.

Anniversary moments inside the big shows

• AMF at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Saturday 24 October promises a ten-minute "30 years of creativity" show moment (presented by Canva) alongside David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Afrojack and Amelie Lens.
• Gashouder hosts its first ADE series since its renovation — ten-odd shows running from Swan Lake Remixed to I Hate Models.
• Klockworks (20 years), STMPD RCRDS (10 years) and The Warehouse Project (20 years) are all celebrating their own anniversaries during ADE week.

30 Years of ADE FAQ

When did ADE start?

Amsterdam Dance Event started in 1996 as an industry conference with around 300 delegates and three night venues. ADE 2026, held 21–25 October, is the 30th edition.

What is the 30 YEARS ADE Icon Series?

The Icon Series is a set of 30 legacy events across the ADE 2026 programme marking the anniversary. It includes the opening concert by KYBBA with the Metropole Orkest, Swan Lake Remixed at the Gashouder and Boris Acket's EINDER installation. Jean-Michel Jarre, ADE's guest of honour, plays the other opening concert at AFAS Live.

What is EINDER at ADE 2026?

EINDER is a large moving textile installation by Boris Acket in the Centrale Markthal in Amsterdam West, running from 21 October to 1 November 2026. It opens with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and hosts concerts including Elias Mazian (22 October) and Joep Beving (29 October).

Is the Jean-Michel Jarre ADE concert sold out?

Yes. Jean-Michel Jarre's OXYGENE & BEYOND opening concert at AFAS Live on 21 October is sold out. Use only official resale channels.

If It Ain't Dutch, It Ain't Much is an independent guide. We are not the official ADE organiser or a ticket seller and we earn nothing from ticket links.