Amsterdam Dance Event marks 30 years with more than 1,200 events

Amsterdam Dance Event begins its 30th edition on Wednesday, bringing five days of electronic music and industry meetings to venues across Amsterdam.

The festival combines club nights and performances with daytime discussions where record executives, managers and event organizers meet.

This year’s programme includes more than 3,600 artists and over 1,200 events, according to the two accounts.

The event began in 1996 to bring international music industry contacts to the Netherlands, rather than requiring Dutch artists to travel abroad to meet them.

Some industry figures say business attendance is falling, with major organizers from the United States and Asia reportedly absent this year.

That raises questions about whether ADE remains a key meeting place for the dance industry or is becoming more of a festival for music fans.

The event continues across Amsterdam for five days, with music ranging from house and techno to experimental electronic shows.