In pictures: ZoukOut Singapore’s history from 2000 to 2023

Partygoers all over the region are eagerly counting down to ZoukOut Singapore’s return on Saturday (Dec 2). The iconic music and dance festival is celebrating its 20th edition with the first-ever nonstop sunset-to-sunrise party this year.

Before the rise of multi-act music festivals in recent years, ZoukOut was the event clubbers, dance music enthusiasts and party people looked forward to the most. Through the years, the lineup was a veritable who’s who of dance music: Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, David Guetta, Gilles Peterson, James Lavelle, Stereo MCs, DJ Tiesto and many more.

As such, there’s no better way to commemorate this milestone anniversary than to look back at its history and evolution, beginning with the first-ever ZoukOut in 2000.

2000

It was December 2000. Phua Chu Kang was still on the air, GST prices were still low and McDonald’s still had Hello Kitty plushies. Overall, a good period to be alive.

At Sentosa’s Siloso Beach, preparations were underway for an event that would go on to change the music festival scene in Asia.