Dozens of Dutch summer festivals cancelled as costs rise

At least 50 festivals scheduled for the coming season are not going ahead, mainly for financial reasons, the AD reported on Wednesday.

Last year, 100 events were cancelled, and it now appears that growth in the festival sector has stalled, event organisers’ association Vereniging van Evenementenmakers told the paper.

Some 1,200 music and cultural festivals take place in the Netherlands each year.

Among those cancelled is the three-day event The Rock Circus, which was set to feature headliners Dropkick Murphys and is part of the giant Mojo concerts group.

Flying Dutch Festival (100,000 visitors), Indian Summer Festival (25,000), Mañana Mãñana (30,000) and the Graveland Festival in Hoogeveen are also pulling the plug.

“So far, fewer festivals have been cancelled than last year, but that is partly because many of those have disappeared permanently,” festival sector researcher Lex Kruijver told the paper.

Berend Schans from the pop and festival stage association VNPF said several factors have made organising festivals more difficult than ever. Festivalgoers, for example, are waiting longer to buy tickets, which makes it harder for organisers to gauge their income, he said.

Prices for staff, equipment, energy, catering and other services have risen sharply, while artists — particularly from the US — have increased their fees. Local authority regulations and licensing requirements have also become more complex.

While festivals such as Lowlands and Awakenings are expected to sell out, even major events like Pinkpop are struggling to attract the same visitor numbers as in previous years. Tickets are still available for Pinkpop, featuring headliners Justin Timberlake, Olivia Rodrigo and Muse, on all three days in June.

The ticket price — €155 for a one-day pass — is likely to be a factor, the AD said.