Darkband

Beyond Darklands uses a cashless system for purchasing food and drinks.

When you arrive at the event, your tickets will be exchanged for a personal wristband (Darkband) with a built-in NFC chip.

This Darkband is your key to entering the festival grounds and purchasing food and drinks.

You can easily top up your balance by scanning the QR code on your Darkband with your smartphone, or with cash at one of the top-up booths on site.

At the end of the festival, refunds for any remaining balance can be requested for a €1 service fee. Scan the QR code on your Darkband between 9 am on Sunday 28 February and 9 am on Sunday 8 March 2027, to request your refund. If you topped up with cash, you will need to provide an IBAN number in order for us to process your refund.

Refunds will be paid back starting Friday 12 March and may take anywhere from a few days up to two weeks, depending on the payment method used.

By not requesting a refund within the stated period, you agree that your remaining balance will automatically be donated to the WR1 Foundation, which supports and strengthens the fetish community.

You can only return cups that were registered to your own Darkband. It’s not possible to collect random cups for deposit refunds unless those deposits were tied to your Darkband during purchase.

If you bought drinks for friends, the cup deposits are linked to your Darkband. If your friend wandered off with their cup, don’t worry. You can grab a cup from one of the deposit return boxes at any time and return it on their behalf. The € 2 deposit will be automatically refunded to your Darkband.

You can return your cup at any time during Beyond Darklands. The € 2 deposit will be automatically refunded to your Darkband.

Please note: You can only return the number of cups for which you actually paid a deposit. No extra refunds will be issued for unregistered or found cups.

When you order a drink, a € 2 deposit will be charged for each cup.

• If you return your used cup when ordering your next drink, you will not be charged again.
• If you do not return a cup, a new € 2 deposit will be added for the next one.

This system helps reduce waste and keep the venue clean. Don’t forget to bring your cup back with each order.

No worries! Please email us at cr@darklands.be with the relevant details (name, ticket, email address used, etc.), and we will do our best to retrieve your lost tickets.

This system wasn’t built overnight. It took seven years of testing, refining and improving to create a smooth, reliable cashless experience tailored to the needs of the Beyond Darklands community.

Darkbands are powered by Tactile, our trusted partner. They provide the NFC-based payment system, ensuring fast, secure transactions for food and drinks. Tactile also handles access control and event insights, helping us improve Beyond Darklands and the Darkband experience year after year.

Read more about the Darkbands.

Using NFC technology with your Darkband comes with several benefits:

Fairer pricing

No more fixed-value tokens. We can now fine-tune prices for more accurate and fairer billing.

Efficiency

Faster transactions mean shorter queues and more time to enjoy the party.

Security

No need to carry cash or cards while partying.

Convenience

Easily check and manage your balance by scanning the QR code on your Darkband. Total control, right at your fingertips.

Yes. If you plan to participate in fisting sessions or need extra flexibility, you can also purchase the new and improved removable wristband (Darkband) in advance. It offers added comfort while maintaining full NFC functionality.

You can buy your removable wristband for € 7.99 via the ticket shop.

Present this ticket at the festival front desk to receive a removable wristband (Darkband) as an alternative to the regular version. You will not receive the regular Darkband. This is not an admission ticket! Your admission ticket(s) will be programmed on your removable wristband.

No. The cashless system is only used for food and drink purchases at Beyond Darklands. It cannot be used at the Gear Market, Merchandise Shop or for on-site Locker Rental.

Planning to shop? Bring your bank card or cash. There is no ATM available on-site.