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Able to host a sea of people, the main stage is a colossal space for the headliners to showcase their best music. It’s also a work of art, and for the 20th anniversary celebration, Tomorrowland spared no expense in creating a mythical base filled with larger-than-life flowers that bloomed as the day went on. The main overhead flower was the largest of all and each day made its grand debut in a stage-opening performance that led up to the main headlining events of the night.

Official dancers for the festival arrived dressed as flower petals and performed choreography, with the vibe a bit like the opening of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. Each Tomorrowland performer floated and fluttered like a flower petal, as the anticipation grew for the largest flower that sits in the top center of the stage to open.

Beyond the artistry, the effects only added to the experience, as every beat drop came with its own unique surprise. In no specific order, there was smoke, fire, confetti, streamers, waterfalls, laser shows and even fireworks. Then, naturally, the main flower closed back up at the end of each day.

Being outside means that shade is the only option to find relief from the scorching sun, with the Core stage offering a tree-covered area that created a haven from the heat — with the bonus of cooling bubbles, depending on what set you caught.

On Friday evening, German producer Bashkka provided a euphoric techno sound that matched the nature-filled ambiance of the Core stage. As the music slowly built up, the anticipation paid off, as bubbles erupted from the front of the stage and kept going. With each pop of the bubble, you were met with a refreshing mist that immediately cooled you down, rejuvenating you enough to keep dancing.

Part of the fun of Tomorrowland is exploring the different stages and their specific vibes. With around 16 stages to bounce around, managing to go to every single one in a weekend is an accomplishment in and of itself. The main stage represents the mythical epic-ness of the festival’s theme, which differs from year-to-year. At other stages you’ll discover other areas of varying shapes, sizes and of course sounds, enclosed and outside, that will have you intrigued about what surprises await. Tomorrowland also knows how to pair each DJ with the stage that will mesh with their set the best.

For example, In a previous year, Belgian producer Lost Frequencies played the main stage, but this year was sent to the mysterious Library stage — where fire, smoke and lasers we paired with his beloved hits, which had the crowd packing into any sliver of available space.

The DJ trio was a force to be reckoned with when they made their entrance onto the main stage. It seemed that there wasn’t a single unraised arm as fans cheered, screamed and danced.

Towards the middle-end of Swedish House Mafia’s set, they dropped their iconic “Don’t You Worry Child,” which landed itself within the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 after its 2012 release – and proved its reigning impact, as not one person wasn’t singing the rousing lyrics. This year not only marked the 12 year anniversary of that hit, but the first time in 12 years the trio have played Tomorrowland.

The beloved Dutch titan controlled the audience as he closed out the first night of Tomorrowland for his first appearance in 11 years, according to his celebratory Instagram post.

Van Buuren positively commanded the sea of people, getting them to dance from side-to-side, jump and put their hands in the air. He almost seemed entranced himself as he lifted his arms in the air and shared his love and appreciation for the moment repeatedly to the crowd of cheering fans. The DJ closed his set on an unforgettable note, bringing out Pendulum’s Rob Swire for a live rendition of their new collab “Sound of You.” The crowd could not have been rowdier, and only seemed to roar louder when Swire arrived on stage.

Along the perimeter of the main stage are a trio of three-storied buildings, with the one in the center home to a unique dining experience for festival goers. Reservations fill up months in advance, with the lucky attendees who get inside enjoying food put together by Michelin-star chefs Roger van Damme, Nick Bril, Thijs Meliefste and Marcelo Ballardin, all inspired by the year’s theme. This year, that meant dishes including a fish-and-veggie dish presented like a floral arrangement and white chocolate with a vinegar-like filling.

It’s not a full sit-down dinner either. Instead, when you enter, you’ll walk through different-themed rooms with interactive appetizers and a welcome drink to kickstart the meal. When it’s time for the main course, you’re brought to a window-filled room overlooking the main stage while still providing crystal clear audio of the set going on.

Crystal Cove is one of the more whimsical stages you can spend time at, as it feels like you’re walking into a secret garden. The stage is positioned above water and is equipped with fountains that shoot water from the back of the stage, along with mist pouring from the overhead flowers in a continuous stream. An enchanting floral rooftop is decorated with chains of crystals that shimmer and move with each song.

Solomun brought his melodic deep house vibe to this watery setting, creating the perfect ambiance in which to just close your eyes and let the music take over. The producer himself was so into the set and crowd’s energy that he whipped out finger guns to emphasize the bass-thumping transitions.

Going into the Rave Cave is an absolute essential, whether it’s your first time attending or you’re a seasoned Tomorrowland attendee. It’s the smallest stage of the festival, featuring a rounded opening with wall-to-wall brick. You can stand on the edge and still experience the music, but if you’re feeling brave, you can also walk down the inclined ramp and straight into a small crowd of festivalgoers, who over the weekend grooved to sets by artists including Dutch producer Mell Tierra. Since it was on the hotter side over the weekend, standing fully inside meant it didn’t take long to work up a sweat, but it also acts as a warm-up to what else awaits in Tomorrowland.

Beat drops are the climactic point of each song, and at Tomorrowland many are met with a visually pleasing effect that only pushes you to dance and cheer harder. Every stage comes with its own set of unique effects, whether it’s the hypnotic size and scale of the main stage or the indoor fire show the Symphony of Unity (Tomorrowland’s actual official symphony) provided the music for on from the enclosed Freedom by Bud stage. The mystery of what to expect at each new stage creates a feeling of getting on a new ride at an amusement park. And the DJs only eat up the energy, taking fan reactions and using it to build out their next explosive moment.

Tomorrowland reports that people from nearly all of the world’s countries come to the festival, and you could witness the national pride as many strutted and fist-bumped their way around the grounds with their country’s flag tied around their neck. It felt like a game trying to see how many different flags you could see in the wave of people. Countries would also form groups around the main stage, and it felt like a competition to see what nation could bring the most energy. Shout out to Tomorrowland attendees from Spain, Mexico and Brazil, who were witnessed going especially hard over the weekend.