The yearly pilgrimage to Luminosity Beach Festival has once again changed my life. The place that altered my brain chemistry back in 2015. Only those who have experienced the magic that is Lumi, truly understand the pain of waiting a whole year to return.
Dive into the music from this magical weekend on SoundCloud
To those who are new to the Luminosity experience, it takes place in a beautiful Netherlands beach town called Zandvoort. The setting could hardly be more picturesque, having the North Sea as a backdrop makes this festival so unique in my opinion. There are multiple ways to get to Zandvoort, as it is very easily accessible and affordable. One would be via train, from Amsterdam Schipol Airport with transfers through Sloterdijk or Haarlem, the cost is around €10. Or there is also Bolt, the equivalent of Uber. This year, I had a bigger suitcase so I chose this option since I was eager to get to Zandvoort. The cost was around €30-40. Both take less than an hour to commute.
Depending on availability, I would recommend staying in Zandvoort for the festival as it takes place at Beachclub Bernies now. For the last two years, I have stayed at Roompot and have shared accommodation with others. A lot of people also stay at Center Parcs. These are small cottages that are about 15-20 min walk from the venue. There are plenty of other options for accommodation, Airbnb, hotels, etc. However, the earlier you book the better as this festival has grown over the years and become more popular so reserving a place early is advised. I used to use booking.com as most places provide free cancelation just in case. Haarlem is another option or staying in Amsterdam, but you will have to check schedules for trains and buses or perhaps rent a bike for the weekend and not worry about transport schedules and only the weather lol.
I always advise friends to stay at least a week. For example: Tuesday - Tuesday works best especially if you stay at Roompot or Center Parcs the requirement to book is at least a week. Gives you time to sightsee and go to the markets nearby and buy some food for the weekend. Albert Heijn and Dirk are the ones in Zandvoort and this year I discovered that Center Parcs also has a market so if you choose to stay at Roompot it is the closest. Carrying groceries back to accommodations can be a pain lol so bring a friend to help. If you choose to stay at a hotel, for example, the NH is the nearest to the venue so that is another option but just a bit more expensive.
As previously mentioned, Luminosity has been held at Beachclub Bernies since 2022. I was skeptical about the venue as I have incredible memories at Beachclub Fuel. I love the new venue. For those who started going to Lumi when it was just two stages, I’m sure they feel like it is not what it used to be. I can also relate to that at times. I do miss the more intimate vibes at Fuel as I don’t really care for big production and stages. All I need is a room with some decks and good trance and I’m happy. However, the vibes continue to remain the same for me. Festivals change, I have accepted that and I quite enjoy the new festival layout. Being able to watch the sunset accompanied by my favorite tracks enhances my experience and creates the best atmosphere.
Bernies has to be my favorite stage and this year’s layout was much improved. The tent for sun coverage, more space to dance by the DJ booth, and now toilets nearby definitely made it more enjoyable for me. One thing I would change is adding flooring. As much as I love dancing in the sand, it makes it difficult at times! Copacabana was another favorite and I liked how they turned the stage around so we could enjoy the sunset! But it seemed smaller this year so perhaps making the stage a bit smaller and giving the attendees more room to dance would be preferable. Also, the toilets are next to this stage as well as food and drinks! All that you need for hours of dancing.
Mainstage is one I don’t spend a lot of time at but this year I enjoyed sets from Orkidea, John O’Callaghan, Ben Gold & Richard Durand! There is something so special about sitting at the top of the hill and watching it all happen. Sunset Area is another favorite of mine, small, intimate, and has the best views. I just wish I was a bit taller to see the sea! Why do the Dutch have to be so tall lol.
Luminosity is known for its impressive roster of artists. One will always see the same popular names, yes but the reason I continue to attend is for their extended and classic sets of a few artists one doesn’t normally see in other lineups. Standouts for me this year were The Thrillseekers 3-hour closing set, which left me speechless! Perfection from beginning to end. York Classics set has a special place as he was one of the few artists who made me fall in love with Lumi back in the day, so nostalgia kicked in as well as realizing he’s still such a legend! John 00 Fleming without a doubt continues to blow my mind with his turbo madness. I mean the energy levels at that set were unreal!
Ben Lost was another favorite but clashed with JOC so had to go back and forth for this one. Luckily having an extended set made it possible for me to enjoy a lot of his music and hearing “Wide Eye Angel” made my Saturday. Another thing I love about this festival is that it has all genres of trance, so there is music for everyone! Other sets I enjoyed were Asteroid, Paul Denton, Askew, Airwave, and Richard Durand. I regret not spending more time finding new talent! But during the festival one is running around, seeing friends, It goes by so quickly and before you know it, 4 days have gone by in the blink of an eye.
The festival organization continues to do a great job of keeping things in check. Food and drinks can be expensive but if you’re planning on going to the Netherlands, it is expected. I had VIP this year which made my experience so much better. Being able to sit down when needed and have a chat and drink with friends and DJs while still having Bernies in the background is the perfect setting for me! Give me some mayo fries, classic trance, and sunset views, what else can you possibly need? Please, I’ll wait. It was so great to catch up with some artists I haven’t seen in ages, like Artic Moon, Driftmoon and Simon O’Shine! Truly a gem of a human and one hell of a producer! Had so many laughs with Paul Thomas, Paul Denton, and Steve H. After so many years of raving it has been an honor to get to know them and share these crazy adventures with them.
Friends are another reason why I will continue attending until I die lol. My connection with trance goes beyond anything else I have ever experienced but to be able to share that with like-minded individuals from all around the globe is indescribable. To sing, hug, laugh, and connect through music is something really fucking special. When I tell "normal" people that I have friends from every freaking continent, they probably think I'm lying. This community is incredible and it has allowed me to meet so many unbelievable humans who give me hope in this crazy world of ours. We go to Lumi to dance our asses off and even though we feel physically dead afterward, it also allows us to recharge, decompress, and create more of these life-changing experiences with one another. Trance Family will always have my heart. We are all a bunch of nerds with great music taste, except those who like Mainstage lol
I attended many festivals this summer, and the last two years have been incredible when it comes to traveling as well. Yet, Luminosity continues to be my favorite one. There is something so unique about it that no matter how much I try to explain it, you have to be there, feel it, and experience it. Whether you’re a seasoned festival goer or new to the scene, Lumi is the perfect blend of captivating energy, breathtaking views, and quality trance creating one of the best festival atmospheres in the world for me year after year. If you feel trance music on a deeper level then I will see you on the dance floor next year. It truly is something special.
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