Scream Or Dance
Scream Or Dance is an annual Halloween-themed electronic dance music festival held in Jakarta, Indonesia. The festival combines DJ performances, immersive horror attractions, theatrical installations, and cosplay culture, creating a hybrid Halloween–music festival experience. It is currently considered as the biggest annual Halloween electronic music festival in the country, and also considered as one of the largest annual Halloween music festivals in South East Asia.
History
Origins (2022)
The inaugural edition of Scream Or Dance was held on 28–29 October 2022 at Ancol Beach City International Stadium, North Jakarta.The event featured horror installations including a haunted house, wax museum, “crow house”, food bazaar, and themed interactive zones.
The Festival founder Shaheen Alkubaysi described SOD as a creative space where young people could freely express themselves through costume, performance, and dance.
2023: The Lost Pyramids
The 2023 edition was held on 27–28 October 2023 at Phantom PIK 2 with the theme "The Lost Pyramids".2024: The Undiscovered Universe
The 2024 edition adopted the theme "The Undiscovered Universe" and returned to Carnaval Ancol, North Jakarta incorporating sci-fi and cosmic-horror visual elements.This edition featured:
- Multiple festival stages across the Carnaval beachfront area.
- An extravagant lasershow through a Massive Mainstage edition.
- An audience turnout expected to reach several thousand attendees per day.
2025: Forbidden Wonderland
The 2025 edition returned to Ancol Beach City International Stadium, taking place on 31 October – 1 November 2025 under the theme "Forbidden Wonderland".This edition featured:
- Five themed stages: The Wonderland, Inferno Cage, Hatchi Area, Red Misfit Arena, and 999
- Large-scale cosplay & costume parade
- A projected target attendance of 10,000 per day
Incident
2022 Police Shut Down
The inaugural edition was originally scheduled as a two-day event, but the festival ultimately took place only on 28 October 2022. According to contemporaneous reports and later recollections, local police intervened and attempted to shut down the event. However, definitive public documentation explaining the intervention has not been located and the precise reason for the early termination remains unclear, with permit issues frequently cited as a possible cause.Concept and Production
Scream Or Dance is known for integrating theatrical horror design with electronic dance music, setting it apart from conventional EDM festivals. Each edition includes scare zones, horror mazes, artistic installations, and interactive characters.The festival emphasizes creative freedom and encourages attendees to participate in full Halloween or fantasy costumes, contributing to its immersive identity.
Reception
Scream Or Dance has been covered widely by Indonesian media and is recognized as one of the largest Halloween music festivals in the country.Its 2025 edition particularly drew attention for attracting large youth audiences, extensive cosplay participation, and multi-stage expansion.