Tomorrowland wants three weekends next year: “Economic no…

Tomorrowland wants not two, but three festival weekends in Boom next summer. For this, the organization will submit an application to the concerned municipalities and the province. “In addition to the desire to pull out all the stops, there is also an economic necessity,” it sounds.

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The events sector was completely at a standstill for eighteen months. And if Tomorrowland takes place again next summer, it will be three years ago. Moreover, postponement on top of postponement led to a financial hangover of 25 million euros, in addition to financial worries for suppliers, freelancers and all kinds of employees.

That is why the organization will submit an application to the municipalities of Boom and Rumst and the province of Antwerp to exceptionally increase the capacity of the festival. Read: making three consecutive festival weekends possible once in July 2022, again in the De Schorre recreation area. Read: to compensate for all cancellations.

“In addition to the incredible desire to pull out all the stops in 2022, after two years there is also an economic need to start up, look positively to the future and make up for the enormous losses step by step,” it sounds. in a communication. The proposal has already been checked with the parties involved and will be further investigated in the coming weeks, in consultation with local residents.

In concrete terms, it concerns these weekends, for which 400,000 tickets have already been sold: July 15, 16 and 17, July 22, 23 and 24 and July 29, 30 and 31.

The Province of Antwerp already evaluates the application positively. “The organization and recreation area De Schorre can boast of good cooperation over many years. We want to value it and perpetuate it”, says deputy Jan De Haes. “And we want to take our responsibility towards the many economic players associated with Tomorrowland, including the hospitality industry. The festival has a major impact on tourism in the province and throughout Flanders.”

Rest, safety and health

For a long time it looked like Tomorrowland would continue last summer, but in the end the organization pulled the plug. Mayors Jeroen Baert (N-VA) van Boom and Jurgen Callaerts (N-VA) van Rumst decided to refuse the permit application for the postponed edition. That should have taken place at the end of August and the beginning of September.

They referred to the lack of a ministerial decision and a clear legislative framework and the pressure on the shoulders of the police, which should check all corona certificates. In the background there was also unrest among the local residents, who feared, among other things, a disturbed night’s sleep at the start of the new school year. “We have a personal, legal and moral obligation to ensure public peace, safety and health,” said the mayors.

The Tomorrowland organization then decided not to submit a new application. “Given our long cooperation with the municipalities, we do not want to turn it into a legal battle,” it sounded.

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