Beyond Wonderland PNW 2026: Every year gets better! [DMNW Review]

Beyond Wonderland at the Gorge 2026 was a spectacular sixth edition of the annual festival! Since taking over from Paradiso starting in 2021, this has been a PNW raver’s yearly pilgrimage. We can always count on a wide range of artists, with many favorites returning from previous years. Artists love playing at the Gorge because of its natural beauty, and attendees/headliners enjoy the world’s best DJs at a mesmerizing venue. The daily sunsets are beautiful, especially from the ferris wheel. If you have never been, Beyond Wonderland at the Gorge is the perfect place to start!

 

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Pre-party and Daily Lineups Impress Crowds

Before the festival’s first full day of music, Friday night featured a pre-party at the Mad Hatter’s stage with a well-rounded lineup! The pre-party included Peekaboo, Reaper, Atura, Layz, and also featured the return of Abraxis. The massive turnout was impressive, and got everyone locked into the festival spirit early. We also got an early look at the bass stage before the fun-filled weekend. Seeing the production before the main event is always a special treat and helps build excitement and anticipation for the following two days.

Day 1 took place on Saturday 6/27, and we were wowed by all the visual spectacles and amenities! The main stage looked absolutely glorious, and its wide design made it easy for everyone to get a great view. It featured huge LED screens, intense pyro, and perfectly placed lasers. Kaskade, Seven Lions, Wooli, and Sub Focus delivered a dream lineup at the main stage, and the vibes in the crowd were very PLUR. As we ventured to the surrounding stages, a few acts that stood out from Day 1 were Reaper, TVBOO, Noizu, Matroda, and Sidepiece.

Sunday 6/28 also featured incredible sets from Blanke, Hedex, 1991, Liquid Stranger, and Dabin. The side stages offered the world’s best house and bass DJs. Many recall the disappointment when REZZ announced her health hiatus; fortunately, Zeds Dead stepped in seamlessly and were one of our favorite acts of the weekend. Both Zeds Dead and Getter played moving tributes to the late Oliver Tree. Other standouts from Day 2 include Black Tiger Sex Machine, Odd Mob, Green Velvet, and Eliminate.

One of our favorite parts of Beyond is discovering new artists. It is amazing catching acts that rarely visit the Pacific Northwest. Take 999999999, for example. The Italian hard techno duo absolutely shut down the house stage. Their high-BPM energy was the perfect end to the weekend. Fisher was equally amazing, and closed out the main stage during the light rainfall.

Journey Into Wonderland: Art & Production

There were so many art installations throughout the venue. The variety made us feel like we walked through a new dimension, even despite our countless adventures here at the Gorge. The fire flowers near the Caterpillar Garden were incredibly trippy, and the Alice in Wonderland theme remains one of the best rave themes ever.

Looking at other attendees’ shared videos and photos, we wished we had taken in more views from the hill and also spent more time at other sets. But the best part about multi-stage music festivals is that you choose your own adventure, and every choice typically leads to a great journey! The festival production is important, but it’s also important to surround yourself with great people and to make friends along the way.

The VIP Upgrade

We noticed the VIP sections felt busier than in previous years. Many people opted for VIP for the separate viewing areas, shorter lines, and special amenities. However, some map locations did not quite match the actual venue layout. A few locations were harder to find, including water stations. Insomniac placed a high volume of water stations in one area; we couldn’t help but feel that distributing them throughout the festival would have made more sense. Sometimes VIP bathroom lines were longer than GA restrooms, but it was never a huge problem to use GA and return to raving.

Embracing the Elements

The views did not disappoint at all this weekend. Many were worried about the cool weather forecast for the weekend, however, we were pleasantly surprised by the cool temperatures! We appreciated the comfort of not being sweatty the whole weekend, and brought extra pants for the low 60s temperatures. It got windy on Sunday, and rain fell near the end, but it only amplified the lasers, making them sparkle beautifully!

Check out our reviews of past years, including 2025, here.

We cannot wait for 2027, and tickets are on sale now! Grab yours early to get the lowest possible prices. Join us as we eagerly anticipate the next lineup!