Events sector baffled by allowance of Grand Prix, but not festivals

Festival organizer ID&T does not understand that football matches are played in full stadiums and that the Formula 1 in Zandvoort can also continue with an audience, but that festivals with more than 750 people are banned. The organization finds it incomprehensible that the cabinet is expected to announce on Friday evening that this measure will not be relaxed for the time being.

ID&T, responsible for Mysteryland, Awakenings and Sensation, among others, believes that the Netherlands took "a pioneering role" by testing during the Fieldlab events. "It is now possible to visit events in all kinds of places, such as Freedom Day in the UK, Lollapalooza in the US, Exit in Serbia, and the announced relaxation for events up to 75,000 visitors in Belgium, and we are left empty handed. The Netherlands has always been a world leader when it comes to professionally organizing festivals and is now at the back of the queue, being thrown 10 to 15 years back in time by government policy," said Rosanne Janmaat, operational director of ID&T Group.

"It is also no longer possible to explain to our visitors that full football stadiums are apparently possible and going with 70,000 people to Formula 1, with all the logistical challenges that go with it, and the only thing we could 'safely' do is to gather with 750 people, which simply cannot be made profitable."

ID&T was previously critical of the measures for festivals. The organizer, together with other organizations, instituted summary proceedings against the government to enforce more clarity. This was ultimately not pursued due to lack of legal grounds.