Small, one day festivals possible under strict conditions, cabinet decides

Small one-day outdoor festivals will be possible again from August 14, under strict conditions, the caretaker Dutch cabinet decided on Monday. Larger, indoor, and multiple-day events are still banned, NOS reports.

Festivals can have a maximum of 750 attendees with no fixed seating. The festival must be outdoors, or in a tent with four open sides. Attendees must be vaccinated, recently recovered from Covid-19, or present a recent negative test result.

This decision is based on advice from the Outbreak Management Team, which said that it is currently only responsible to allow small events, according to the broadcaster. 

The cabinet intended to only make this decision on August 13, when Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Health Minister Hugo de Jonge will hold the next coronavirus press conference. But the events industry threatened a lawsuit to get quicker clarity. 

Last week, the cabinet banned multi-day festivals with overnight stays until at least September 1.