Arcadia

Arcadia’s monumental Dragonfly is back for 2025 and more spectacular than ever.

Built from an ex-military Royal Navy helicopter, The Dragonfly is a celebration of hope, transforming the machinery of destruction into unifying art to explore the relationship between technology and human intent.

Precision designed to reflect natural biology, the Dragonfly weaves together a radical symphony of art, music, engineering and cutting-edge technology, stepping up a level for 2025 with vastly stronger laser wings and new concentric rings of flame.

As conflicts flare around the world, peace building is the Dragonfly’s DNA. In a vibrant collaboration marked by history, Arcadia and representatives of the Wadjuk Noongar nation of Perth Australia will return to perform Waraloo, a spectacular ceremony that sees the Dragonfly transform at midnight on Friday and Saturday and 23:30 on Sunday. Waraloo reimagines an ancient Noongar song about dragonflies signifying the dawn of a new season as the arena erupts with fire, bass and ethereal luminescence.

As part of the Festival’s historic drive toward renewable energy, which has seen it powered entirely without the use of fossil fuels since 2023, Arcadia have once again teamed up with Grid Faeries – a joint venture between Dale Vince of Ecotricity and Claire O’Neill of A Greener Future – to power the Dragonfly with a unique battery system, providing a glimpse of tomorrow’s world.

Roaming both the Arcadia field and the wider festival will be The Dragonfly’s mobile, amphibious cousin – the Bug. Built from submarine moulds, the Bug comes alive on six wheels of self contained sculpture, spreading the carnival spirit with its own eclectic lineup.

For families, Arcadia’s The Alchemists’ Playground is a collaboration with constructive play specialists Woodland Tribe – a forge of ideas, workshops and creative adventure. Drawing on key Arcadia elements like repurposing, engineering, design and performance, children of all ages will learn to weld recycled metal creations, try out circus skills and build their own adventure playground. Expect a riot of imagination and some epic pieces of Arcadia hardware to get creative with.