Something out of a fairytale: UNTOLD 2025 transported its 470,000-strong crowd to a magical realm

Upon landing at Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport airport there is already ample evidence that city is anticipating something of a transformation; huge posters line the arrivals lounge hinting at the US and European superstars who will be touching down in Transylvania the coming days, the skyline of which is littered with fairytale structures — some will be here for the next five days only, others have already been here for hundreds of years. 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of UNTOLD, Romania’s largest festival and one of Europe’s biggest electronic gatherings. 470,000 people are expected to attend, with performances from over 200 Romanian and international artists across eight stages and countless other music spots within its 235,000 sqm expanse. This year’s line-up includes US superstars Post Malone and Metro Boomin, Italian EDM superstar Anyma, Dutch chart-topper Martin Garrix, trance legend Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Becky Hill, Alok, and many more.

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The Transylvanian hills at golden hour cast a magical glow over Cluj Arena, which holds UNTOLD’s main stage. Crowds are greeted by towering gates adorned with glowing runes and fantasy symbols — the festival’s mythical branding is in full force. The large bowl-shaped stadium is accustomed to extreme amounts of crowd noise most weeks, but instead of cheering on FC Universitatea Cluj, the fans were chanting and dancing along to some of the world's biggest electronic artists. Adorned with fantastical ice-themed decor this year, the stage is reminiscent of Tomorrowland’s Orbyz stage, which was destroyed by a blaze less than 48 hours before gates opened last month. UNTOLD’s aesthetic is carefully planned out, with inspiration from each of the nine previous years’ themes - such as the Stag, the Owl, the Taurus, and the Fox, to name a few - incorporated around a large feature “X” and a couple of large screens. These animal themes were not exclusive to the mainstage, with references to past editions of UNTOLD easily visible throughout the enormous site.

One of UNTOLD’s unique selling points was the layout of the festival. Utilizing Cluj’s geography of having the largest of the city’s football stadiums just a stone’s throw from the 10,000 capacity BT Arena, and backing onto the Parcul Central, one of the city’s largest parks, offers an experience very few festivals around the globe can provide. Romanian DJs Arapu and Priku describe the festival grounds as “massive” ahead of their Thursday b2b at the festival's second biggest stage — Galaxy, which is nestled within the BT Arena. “There are way more people here on the first day than any other year, there's just amazing energy, even for these warm-up sets now. Everything this year is just massive.”

They play a rolling minimal house set to a dancefloor and stands packed with ravers; losing a few of the arena’s seats to make space for the DJ booth and staging is a worthy sacrifice, as crowds filled up everywhere they could to catch the selectors that graced the decks there. Being the only stage that plays music until 7:AM all four nights of the festival, Galaxy is busy from start to finish, with crowds seeing a whole range of spinners, including Green Velvet, Marco Carola, Black Coffee, Adriatique, and Dom Dolla, to name a few. The biggest reactions came for the performances on home soil, as fans went crazy for Romanian favourites such as Ar:pia:r, Mahony, Sit and Nu Zau, who play together with Sepp — their first time playing b2b at UNTOLD.

“We felt the chemistry straight away, between ourselves, of course, but with the crowd as well. Sharing the booth partnered with the massive production was so much fun. I played at the first edition of the festival 10 years ago, so to return for such a big milestone year, and play together with Sepp, it was perfect,” Nu Zau says.

UNTOLD’s magic doesn't stop at the major arenas. Our wander around the site would begins at the Alchemy stage, showcasing some of Romania’s best singer-songwriters and hip hop talents such as Vlad Dobrescu, Deliric, and Erika Isac. It is one of the most unique stages at the festival, with no DJs present across the four days. Dobrescu is complimentary about the “big production” at the stage, while he and Deliric both describe Alchemy as “home,” especially when the latter brings out Vlad during his Saturday night set. They keep the energy rolling into the night and are enjoyed by all their fans in the crowd, one of whom was Metro Boomin, who came to watch the show shortly after finishing his headline slot at the main stage.

Some may only dream of playing in front of the crowd that the American producer entertained on Day three, but the dream became a reality for up-and-coming DJ Gome. After winning a competition at the UNTOLD Creators Program, he was awarded a one-hour slot on the Time stage, as well as a 15-minute slot on the main stage. “I have attended eight previous years of UNTOLD as a fan, and I came away last year telling everybody that it is a life-changing experience,“ he says. ”Now, I won the competition, DJ’d here for the first time, and on the main stage, they have literally changed my life.”

The program, which Green Velvet described as “amazing,” allowed young talents to enter, and a selected few will receive the mentorship of some of Romania’s best musicians, assisting with their production, their performances, and marketing of both their music and themselves. “An opportunity like that is a huge advantage for young people to get real advice from people in the industry,” he tells Mixmag. “The industry can be vicious at times, and navigating that can be tough, especially at first, so I think it is great.”

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Romanian DJ Mahony was a mentor during the first edition of UNTOLD Creators. “It was something I wanted to do, as at some point, we have to pass the torch to the younger generation. It really is amazing for the people who enter, as they receive free knowledge, and they can be told things that not many people will ever tell you, as the people on the program, including myself, are super honest,” he told Mixmag before taking to the Galaxy Stage. “If I can help to build a career for someone, that is an amazing feeling for me.”

Nestled right in the heart of the festival, the Tram Stage may have been one of the smallest on-site, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in sheer, uncontainable energy. It was little more than a repurposed tram car, but it vibrated with life from the moment the music started. As bodies piled in and rhythms took over, the entire tram began to bounce on its tracks, swaying in time with the crowd’s collective pulse. There was an electric intimacy there, a wild, unfiltered joy that felt raw and immediate. The vibe was infectious, and passers-by quickly became part of the scene, drawn in by the laughter, the beat, and the kinetic force of a tram transformed into a dancefloor. On the festival’s opening night, it erupted into a full-blown foam party, turning the tiny stage into a sudsy, surreal rave on wheels. With bubbles flying and bass thumping, the Tram Stage didn’t just host a party—it was the party.

Tucked away beneath the bustling stadium, the Form Space Stage is one of the festival’s most intriguing hidden gems — a secret sanctuary for those curious enough to seek it out. Slipping through its unassuming entrance feels like stumbling into another world: the air is thick with anticipation, and the flicker of countless candles casts haunting shadows across the room, giving it an almost gothic allure. The space unfolds like a forgotten nightclub from a bygone era—just one cavernous, concrete box pulsing with life. In the center, a commanding set of DJ decks fuels the party, flanked by a couple of discreetly placed bars serving up cold drinks to thirsty dancers. The walls glow with psychedelic visuals and surreal lighting, creating a dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere. The sound is thunderous and sublime, a mega soundsystem pumping out relentless waves of house music that ripple through the crowd like electricity. It’s a place where time warps, senses heighten, and the night takes on a life of its own.

Around the festival, it was easy to see how such a range of age groups had been attracted to UNTOLD. Plenty of families attended, with children enjoying ball pools, gaming stations, and a kids’ park, as well as their favourite artists. Others could be seen enjoying the tattoo parlour, braving the anti-gravity skydiving machine, or cooling off at one of the many accessible bars. The crowd is a vibrant force of nature—an electrified sea of people, pulsing in sync beneath towering lights and sky-splitting pyrotechnics. While flags from around the world dotted the scene, it was unmistakably a celebration of Romanian spirit. From Cluj to Bucharest, the country’s ravers showed up in full force, their pride woven into every cheer, every dance move, every burst of energy. Faces were lit with glitter, LED glasses, and pure joy, as Romanian voices sang along to every beat, word-perfect and full of heart. Strangers became friends in seconds, arms thrown around shoulders, united by music and a shared love for their culture. It wasn’t just a crowd—it was Romania’s heartbeat, amplified and unforgettable.

Antonia Dobrila who attracted a keen crowd when opening the Daydreaming stage on day 2, despite her early set time. “It was amazing, I feel the crowd really connected with me. It was a nice organic house set that was downtempo, but still had people dancing,” she reflected. Shimza had the privilege of closing that stage on the final night. As the clock hit 6 AM on Monday morning, the final song of his mind-blowing afro-house set rippled through the trees. Ravers who had stayed until the very end clapped and cheered the South African DJ, who was playing at his second consecutive UNTOLD. “I love this place! I love the energy, the production, and the organisation. To still see so many people dancing at the end, that was special for me,” he told Mixmag.

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Bogdan Buta, who founded UNTOLD in 2015, reflected on this year’s edition of the festival. “Every year, we try to make the festival better and better, and we wanted this year to be a huge celebration. It was the perfect opportunity to look back on our journey over the past 10 years and just enjoy everything we have achieved as a team. “I am truly proud of what we have managed to achieve with our fans, the artists, our sponsors, and the media, to name a few. It is hard to only mention a few when everyone involved is so important to us,” he added.

As well as being its 10-year anniversary, it is also the end of an era for UNTOLD. Next year’s edition will be called UNTOLD ONE. When I asked Buta if he was able to reveal any details about this, he replied: “No, unfortunately, the time is not right. Although I can’t wait to reveal what we are doing, I will have to wait. As soon as I possibly can, I will reveal things for next year, but for now, some things are best left UNTOLD.”

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