There was one word that dominated Ibiza’s 2026 season – Manumission.
For those who went to the legendary parties in the 90s, to those who had never been – it was indisputably the most hotly anticipated, and crown in the jewel of this summer’s events.
For me, as someone who hadn’t experienced the original show, I was excited to see what would unfold.
The location 528 – with 5 stages; Murder at the Manumission Hotel, Le Theatre Pink Pussy, Roger More’s Dark Room, Hellfire in the Hong Kong Hot Tub, & Bedroom Bondage a la Japonaise.
So did it live up to the hype?
The motel stage – a mini dolls house on acid built as a life size hotel facade, was spectacular. Containing a showcase of ‘pulsating performers’ choreographed by Briton Sir Matthew Bourne, they were joined by drag queens and acrobats creating a unique visual feast of pageantry.
The hot tub stage brought Carl Craig’s brand of original Detroit techno – think bubbles and shower theatrics.
Hidden among the trees, island party collective XTRA took over the Forest stage with its mission to “Make Ibiza Queer Again” introducing a new generation of LGBTQ+ DJs.
Roger More’s Dark Room was an intimate, playful atmosphere curated by Nick Sheehy of Pikes Ibiza – which brought a mixture of music with it.
David Morales in the club – in a god-like DJ booth above the stage, played classics which kept the crowd moving. There were a host of other DJs playing across the packed venue, but names weren’t published in order beforehand to keep the focus on music rather than ‘headline names’. The party continued with abandon almost through until dawn. What an experience!
Huge thought, preparation and efforts had gone into dressing each stage in their own right.
But besides the obvious, one of the most noticeable aspects was how friendly the crowd were… the no phone policy was adhered to without policing, and people interacted enthusiastically with one another…that was part of the fun.
Also, there wasn’t always a big stage for the DJs – a refreshing change… the dance floors weren’t looking at the DJ, instead the incredible dancers and different vibrant stages creatively fashioned by Mike and Claire and the Manumission team.
Behind the scenes bespoke merchandise was available, designed to mark the memorable occasion, which people loved – I HEART MANUMISSION T-shirts and extra large fans by Fantastico Fans Ibiza kept everyone cool in a very Manumission way.
I hear on the grapevine it will be returning next year. I sincerely hope this happens, and firmly believe this event changes the landscape of nights in Ibiza.
Manumission isn’t just a party – it is a vibe!
