Collective spotlight: Draaimolen
In this series, we spotlight global collectives who are paving their own way while driving underground culture forward.
Draaimolen likes to do things differently. The Netherlands-rooted, 100% independent, non-profit, commercial-rejecting festival is one of the best in the world. Today, we take a closer look at what makes it excel, and why it’s survival is under threat.
The roots of Draaimolen
It all started in 2013. Milo van Buijtene was tired of traveling the length and breadth of Europe to see his favourite artists and he yearned for something closer to home. Born and raised in Tilburg, Netherlands, he wondered if he could build something himself.
So he teamed up with three friends, secured a venue, and booked his favourite underground artists, all while juggling a day job. The first incarnation of the festival launched in 2014 and attracted 3000 dancers. It went so well, they decided to do it again.
The next event was in a forested estate on the north-west edge of Tilburg. This time, 9000 people turned up.
The ethos
From the very beginning, Draaimolen’s mission was crystal clear: to share world class music onunparalleled sound systems with no sponsorship and no profit.
The unexpected is part of the experience and fundamental to the festival's identity. The team choose curation over hype, ensuring even the headsiest of heads will find something new. Unannounced performances, immersive art and lighting installations, and secret, surprising back-to-backs all amplify the explorative energy.
So it’s fair to say Draaimolen challenges the conventions of electronic music festivals. They’ve never seen the point in another event built around headline names, instead creating a space where audiences can trust the curation and artists are encouraged to take risks. Discovery sits at its core.
In a 2025 feature called ‘Why Is Draaimolen So Special?’ Resident Advisor wrote that the festival has "always asked people to trust its curation,” inviting them to wander rather than chase a timetable.
That philosophy runs through every aspect of the weekend, from one-off artist collaborations and bespoke performances to stages hidden among the trees. Rather than chasing scale or spectacle, Draaimolen has built its reputation on thoughtful programming, artistic freedom and the belief that the most memorable moments are usually the ones you never saw coming.
Relocating to The MOB Complex
In 2019, Draaimolen relocated to its current home, and it’s become a defining feature. The MOB Complex is hidden within a former military complex on the edge of Tilburg. The woodland landscape has become inseparable from the festival's ethos of discovery, artistic freedom and immersion.
Stages sit organically between the trees, light installations bounce off the natural surroundings and winding forest paths encourage visitors to slow down, explore and embrace the unexpected.
The best experiences come from following curiosity over timetables, which is why the forest is part of the artistic experience, not just a backdrop.
Why its future is under threat
Ironically, the very landscape that’s shaped Draaimolen is placing its future in jeopardy.
In 2025, organisers revealed that permission to continue using the MOB Complex had been withdrawn, warning supporters that "without the MOB-Complex, the festival will cease to exist.”
The site sits within a protected woodland area, and uncertainty surrounding environmental permissions has left the team without an alternative home.
More than 26,000 people signed a petition calling for the festival to remain in its home, prompting local authorities to reopen discussions and ultimately grant permission for the festival to return in 2026.
While the immediate crisis has passed, organisers have made it clear that the long-term future of the festival's home remains unresolved, which means this year’s edition will feel particularly significant.
What to expect in 2026
If previous editions are anything to go by, expect a weekend where discovery takes precedence over spectacle.
Draaimolen has built its reputation on commissioning unlikely artists and pairing them up for extended B2B performances. Their bespoke live shows and hidden stages will reveal themselves only to those willing to wander off the beaten path.
The 2026 edition returns to the forest on 4–5 September, with stage hosts including TraTraTrax, Timedance and Eris Drew & Octo Octa, continuing the festival's tradition of placing trust in adventurous curation over headline billing.
More than anything, visitors should expect the unexpected: a festival where the environment, production, art and music are designed to blur into one immersive experience, proving once again that Draaimolen's greatest attraction is not a single act, but the world it creates around them.
You can buy Draaimolen 2026 tickets here.
