Today the festival scene was watching the conference of the Dutch government. The big question of how the upcoming strategy to fight the COVID 19 virus will look like – would be unveiled. On 07:00 pm the conference started and announced that festivals and events will not be allowed to take place until September 2020.
Already last week Germany and Belgium announced that the organization of festivals will be prohibited until the end of August 2020. Yet the Dutch government remained silent on this topic – and therefore many eyes focused on what the Dutch government would announce. Hopes for a miracle became loud, that the festival summer can take place in the Netherlands.
Knock out for Defqon.1, Decibel and Intents Festival
The word is out – and with this, all our hopes and wishes end up in a nightmare. There will be no festivals during the Summer 2020 in the Netherlands. No Defqon.1, no Intents Festival no Decibel. So consequently the festival season 2020 is already over before it had begun.
On Tuesday evening the Dutch government announced their upcoming strategy to get in control over the COVID 19 virus. Among several measures, the plan foresees a general prohibition of events and festivals until September 1st. 2020.
Despite the scene was already expecting these measures, this official statement has hit the complete hardstyle scene pretty hard again. After Germany and Belgium already announced that they prohibit events until September 2020, everyone was secretly hoping for a wonder.
Serious economical consequences
The cancellation of the complete festival summer 2020 will have an enormous effect on the economy. Although the total damage is yet difficult to calculate, we can actually expect an even higher damage as the Belgium country and economy already quantified last week.
Only the Tomorrowland had in 2019 a positive impact of 228.000.000 Euro on the Flemish economy. Thereof only 112.000.000 Euro accounts to the direct revenues which arise from ticket sales, stages, artists and crew catering. Additional 97.000.000 arise from indirect business, like hotel and traveling sector.