Festival ticket prices jump higher; Some events up 17% as Lowlands cost hits €300

Festival visitors will again have to pay more money for a ticket this year. Entrance fees for Lowlands, Pinkpop and Down the Rabbit Hole, among others, have increased considerably compared to last year. Those three major festivals said on Wednesday that the price hikes were inevitable given the increased inflation, fuel costs and personnel costs, among other things.

A ticket for the entire Down the Rabbit Hole festival covering all three days and access to the campsite was 210 euros last year and 245 euros this year. That amounts to a 16.5 percent jump. A ticket for the entire Lowlands weekend, and access to the campsite for was 255 euros. That is now 300 euros including service costs, more than 17.5 percent higher. A ticket for three days at Pinkpop and access to the campsite cost 245 euros last year and is now 25 euros more expensive. That is an increase of over 10 percent.

"It is a significant increase," said Bente Bollmann, a spokesperson for Lowlands and Down the Rabbit Hole. "We really try to keep the ticket price as low as possible, so that young people can also come. But the costs are increasing enormously." Many costs on the festival side have gone up, he said. "Increased fuel costs, inflation, very large personnel cost increases; material costs are going up." As a result, prices must also rise, Bollman said. "It has to come out at the end of the line."

The director of Lowlands, Eric van Eerdenburg, also confirmed this in the festival's podcast on Wednesday. "It's just no different. Inflation has hit us so hard on all fronts." Many items, such as tents and toilets, are also used for asylum reception, he said.

"Everything is getting much more expensive. It's harder to obtain. People who work for us have all submitted their salary demands, which we also have to comply with. So it's just a tough cookie to swallow, but we're going to deliver something good for it."

Although tickets have become more expensive, according to Bollmann visitors also get a lot in return. For example, Lowlands announced the first names from the line-up on Wednesday, including Billie Eilish, Florence + The Machine and Charlotte de Witte. Bollmann pointed out that music fans simply cannot visit these artists separately for the price of a Lowlands ticket.

"What you get back is also significant."