1/1 Schijndel’s Easter doll has to fall apart again
The sound of hammers on metal and forklifts roaming parts of the stage. Nothing seems to have changed at the Paaspop Festival site in Schijndel. But there is a difference. This Sabbath is no longer the sound of building, but of demolition.
Organizer Peter Sanders sadly sees ten youths already demolishing a half-built tent. The festival site is half built. It’s supposed to launch on September 2, but that’s not allowed. The director of the festival does not understand the decision of the Council of Ministers. According to him, it is inexplicable. “The football stadiums are full, the Formula 1 championship can run with tens of thousands of people and then our 25,000 visitors are not allowed to attend.”
Football fields are full, Formula 1 is allowed. We do not, incomprehensible.
Of course, Sanders also understands that the Eredivisie and Formula 1 are scheduled events, but in reality they are not, he said. “These people jump into a goal and fly into each other’s arms. And at break they all go for a beer and that doesn’t really happen at a meter and a half.”
Sanders is all the more surprised when he looks outside. “In Belgium, events are allowed to continue with 75,000 visitors per day. You will see that from now on young people in Belgium will celebrate. I don’t think that is the intention.” Sanders no longer trusts the Cabinet. “For the thousandth time they deviate from their plan step by step. This is very unreliable. I can’t fathom it.”
Sanders isn’t worried about Paaspop’s survival. “We are covered by the guarantee fund. Finance is not the biggest problem, we just want to organize a party for three days.
For the thousandth time, they deviate from the plan step by step. This is not trustworthy.
For the second time in a row Paaspop is canceled, and last year at the start of the pandemic it was canceled. That’s why we’ve assumed two scenarios this year, either Easter or early September. That seemed like a great move. When it can’t go into April, we already had a safe new date. At least that’s what we thought.”
Meanwhile, an elderly man with a forklift removes the floorboards and returns them to the pile. Yesterday he carefully placed them in front of a tent that had not yet been built. “This is nonsense. It is not what we are doing for him.”
The man also takes care of the garden of the festival site and is proud of that. “Looks great, everyone says that. But it doesn’t do us any good now.”
Just hope for next year. Festival director Sanders does the same. “We will continue. In 2022 there will be an Easter doll again 100 percent, only at Easter.
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