Hello Festival attracted more than 21,000 spectators: ‘I’m still enjoying it’

According to the organization, last Saturday’s Hello Festival was nothing less than the “best edition.” Wim Beckmann, co-organiser, looks with satisfaction at the concert held at the Grote Rietplas in Emmen.

With about 21,000 visitors, all entrance tickets to the festival were sold. They watched performances by Tony Hadley, Sananda Maitreya, Akda, D-Monique, D-Rect, Bankseaters and Dhoni, among others.

“I still enjoy it,” Beckman recalls of the music festival. “I saw a lot of people having a great time. There were great shows, everyone had enough space and there was a great sideshow. It was all positive.”

Hello Festival, which was known as Retropop until 2019, has been held annually in Emmen since 2002. Over the years, Emmen Music Festival has grown to become the largest summer music festival in Drenthe. For Beckman, several performances stood out this year. “Acda & De Munnik and Di-Rect were highlights for me,” he says.

The only drawback to the festival is the weather. While many visitors sweated last year due to the high temperatures, this time there was heavy rain. “A few people went home to pick up long trousers, but fortunately I didn’t see anyone walking across the field wet.”

According to Beckman, this edition received 2,300 more visitors than last year. This is because the venue was slightly larger than the 2023 edition, and it is possible that slightly more people will be able to come to Hello Festival next year. Beckman: “Of course we want to grow, but it happens with the handbrake on. We do everything step by step.”

The festival organization is now busy booking artists for next year. The first name has already been registered: The Human League.