Five days, five nights and a whole city on the beat. From Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 October 2026, Amsterdam Dance Event is back, and this year it's a big one: the 30th edition, '30 YEARS ADE'. Your outfit is ready, your line-up is saved in your phone… but what about your ears? They deserve a party too. Fancy a fresh piercing, a new ear stack or even a tattoo as your ADE souvenir? Let's go!
ADE 2026 at a glance
ADE calls itself the world's largest festival and business gathering for electronic music. According to the organisers, the 2026 program features more than 3,600 artists at 1,300+ events across 300+ venues all over Amsterdam (source: ADE).
- Dates: Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 October 2026
- Where: 300+ venues across Amsterdam: clubs, concert halls, museums, churches, record stores and more
- Edition: the 30th, '30 YEARS ADE'
Program highlights
- ADE Festival: club nights and showcases all over the city, with names like Armand Van Helden, Boys Noize, Martin Garrix, Mau P, Pete Tong and Speedy J in the final line-up release.
- 30 YEARS ADE Icon Series: thirty events that look back at electronic music's legacy and ahead to its future. Jean-Michel Jarre is Guest of Honour and marks 50 years of 'Oxygene' at AFAS Live.
- Swan Lake Remixed for ADE: Dutch National Ballet and ISH Dance Collective together at the Gashouder.
- ADE Pro Conference: daytime panels, keynotes and networking for music professionals, with Felix Meritis as the home base.
- ADE Arts & Culture: electronic music in museums, churches and unexpected spaces, plus the Culture Hub at Felix Meritis on ADE Saturday.
Fun fact: according to ADE, it all started in 1996 with 300 professional delegates and three nighttime venues. Look at it now!
Tickets and passes
Festival tickets are sold by each event's promoter, not by ADE itself. The ADE Pro Pass gives access to the conference and to festival events, but with limited capacity at busy venues. Want to be sure you get into one specific party? ADE advises buying a single festival ticket. All details are in the ADE FAQ and on the official ADE site.
A fresh piercing right before or during ADE?
Absolutely! Lots of people plan a new piercing around a festival. A few days before is ideal: the "ooh, new!" feeling has settled by the time you hit the dance floor.
Walking in during ADE works too. Plan your visit on a fresh afternoon rather than straight after an afterparty. You'll enjoy it more, and your selfie will look better.
We have one golden rule: we always ask for your consent first. We mark the spot, you check it in the mirror, and only after your "yes!" do we pierce. Nothing happens without your OK.
Want a few at once? We do a maximum of 3 piercings per visit, so your ear doesn't get overloaded. Even if your friend keeps shouting "one more!"
Festival looks: style your ears for ADE
Techno asks for a bit of edge, house for a bit of glow. Luckily, your ear can do both. A few combos to daydream about:
- Dark & minimal: a sleek titanium bar in your helix and a small black or silver stud in your lobe. Clean, bold and perfect with an all-black outfit.
- Disco sparkle: a little cluster in your flat plus two stones in your lobes. Catches every strobe light.
- Golden hour: titanium with gold tops spread over lobe and helix. A little bit classy, even at 4 a.m.
Building your ear stack
An ear stack (or curated ear) is a combination of piercings that works as one look. Your piercer looks at the shape of your ear and what you already have. What goes together? Where's room for later?
ADE tip: start with spots that won't get in the way, like an extra lobe, a helix or a flat. That way your earplugs still fit.
Curious how it would look? On amsterdampiercings.nl you upload a photo of your ear and see how a piercing would look. Fun to play with, but it's not advice: that comes from your piercer in the studio.
More inspiration? Read about stacked lobe piercings, or grab the free De Kunst van het Oor (e-book in Dutch) about all ear piercings from lobe to helix.
The right jewellery
For a fresh piercing, titanium is the best choice: light, nickel-free and great for sensitive skin. Gold works too. In the studio we use internally threaded jewellery, so no thread scrapes through your fresh piercing.
Want to browse? Check our first jewellery in titanium and gold, the ear piercings or the 14K/18K gold piercings. Fair warning: your wishlist will grow.
A tattoo as your ADE souvenir?
A small tattoo is the ultimate memory of 30 YEARS ADE. A sound wave, a date, a tiny symbol: you dream it up, we make it.
Our tattoo artist Ivor has 10 years of experience. Check out his work on Instagram.
- Price: tattoos from €80.
- Age: tattoos are 18+ only.
- Appointment: Book your tattoo appointment here.
Your fresh tattoo gets its own aftercare. Ivor explains exactly what to do, and you can read it all again in our tattoo aftercare comic.
Festival tips for your fresh piercing
Your new sparkle wants to come to the club too. These tips keep it happy:
Crowds and sweat
- On a packed dance floor it's easy to bump into things. Wear your hair up or to the other side, and don't let your bestie hang on your ear.
- Glitter, make-up and hairspray? Fun, but keep them away from your fresh piercing.
- After a sweaty night: wash your hands and give your piercing a quick clean with the AphraHeals wipe. No twisting or playing with your jewellery.
Earplugs and a fresh ear piercing
Earplugs are a must at a festival. The WHO advises using ear protection such as earplugs in noisy places, because loud sound can permanently damage your hearing.
But: a fresh tragus, conch or daith sits right next to your ear canal, and an earplug can press or rub there. Want those spots? Get them after ADE, or go for a lobe, helix or flat now. Or put your new piercing in the other ear so your earplug fits as usual.
Caps, beanies and headphones
A tight beanie, a bucket hat that slides over your ears or a pair of headphones can put pressure on a fresh piercing. Wear them loosely, or leave them at home for a bit.
After the party
Home at last? Try not to sleep on your fresh side. A travel pillow with a hole in the middle is your new best friend.
What our clients say
Don't just take our word for it. Click a name to see the original review:
"I’ve got done here most of my piercings in the most random moments and every single time there’s someone very professional to help me"
– Jennifer Tatiana Castañeda García, Google review
"This is my favourite piercing shop!!! I've never been to another piercer, because I've had such good experiences here!" (translated from Dutch)
– Jackie, Google review
"The staff are super professional, friendly, and really make you feel comfortable from the moment you walk in."
– Mishal Trivedi, Google review
Healing and aftercare
Looking good sometimes takes a little patience. An earlobe usually heals in about 6 to 8 weeks, cartilage like your helix or flat in about 6 to 9 months, sometimes longer. Healing is very personal, so see these times as a guideline.
In the first few weeks a new piercing can feel a bit tender and form a little crust. That's normal (NHS).
How to care for it
- Clean twice a day with the AphraHeals wipe (our favourite: practical, sterile and safe). It fits in your festival bag, right next to your earplugs.
- Prefer a spray? The AphraHeals aftercare spray works great too, for example at home. Read more about the brand at aphraheals.com.
- Wash your hands first, and don't twist or play with your jewellery. Not even when it looks this good.
- Want to read it all again? Download our aftercare instructions or the Piercing Aftercare: Wat Écht Belangrijk Is (e-book in Dutch).
AphraHeals is for piercings. For your tattoo, follow your tattoo artist's aftercare.
Is your piercing red, warm or swollen after a few days, does it hurt more instead of less, or does it stay inflamed? Contact your piercer or a doctor. We're always happy to take a look.
Please note: all healing times mentioned are an indication. Healing is very personal: it goes faster for some and takes a bit longer for others.
Why get your ADE piercing at Piercings Works?
- Experience: we've been piercing since 1998 and have been in the same spot for 22 years, at Reguliersbreestraat 46. Right in the city centre, just around the corner from Rembrandtplein.
- Hygiene: we were the first studio with a GGD (Dutch public health service) licence.
- Happy clients: more than 2,000 reviews.
- You decide: we always ask for your consent first. We never do anything without your OK.
- Take it easy: a maximum of 3 piercings per visit.
- Open every day: from 10:30 to 22:00, so during ADE too.
- Age: check our minimum age page before you come.
Ready for your festival sparkle? Book your piercing appointment here or just walk in. Bring your festival crew for the selfie afterwards!
FAQ: piercings and tattoos during ADE
Are you open during ADE?
Yes! We're open every day from 10:30 to 22:00, including Sundays and public holidays. So also from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 October.
Where exactly are you?
At Reguliersbreestraat 46, 1017 CN Amsterdam, right in the city centre near Rembrandtplein. Easy to combine with an afternoon in town before your first set. See directions and contact details.
Can I walk in without an appointment?
For a piercing, absolutely. When it's busy, an appointment is handy: book via en.piercingzetten.com. For a tattoo, book in advance via Calendly.
Can I wear earplugs with a fresh ear piercing?
In your other ear, sure. An earplug can press on a fresh tragus, conch or daith. So during ADE, go for a lobe, helix or flat, or put your new piercing in the ear where no earplug touches it.
How much is a tattoo and what's the minimum age?
Tattoos start from €80 and are 18+ only. Book your tattoo appointment here.
Piercings Works · Reguliersbreestraat 46, 1017 CN Amsterdam · +31 (0)20 428 2049 · open daily 10:30–22:00
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