Still public at 3 Uurkes Vurraf, but less than usual

The bullet is through the church: 3 Uurkes Vurraf will continue this year, with an audience. But there are fewer people at the carnival kick-off where dozens of artists perform. “This year we opt for an unadulterated, modest party in Eindhoven. A small club of one hundred to two hundred people can attend,” says Arthur Marres, head of events at Omroep Brabant.

“We are not going for the traditional 3 Hour variant with three thousand people in a tent and a large stage”, Arthur continues. “Unfortunately, that is just a step too far because of the many corona infections. But we are very happy that we can kick off Carnival unadulterated. the best of both worlds.“

In fact, everyone assumed that 3 Uurkes Vurraf would be hoisted in a digital jacket with a home audience, just like last year. “That audience is still there,” Arthur says. “They turn their living room into a cozy pub and look like a cheerful pêkske to the broadcast. The home fours can be seen behind the stage through a 15-meter LED wall.”

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“The reactions to digitally follow the carnival spectacle are massive,” says Arthur. “We have received three thousand registrations. Some lucky ones can really be there and we give those tickets away via radio, TV and the internet. We are currently calculating how many revelers can be there.”

The artists are also very happy to be able to perform in front of an audience again. “It is of course very difficult to stand in front of a bare hall as a carnival artist, while you would normally be welcomed by a frenzied crowd in a steaming marquee.”

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For a long time it was very uncertain: will 3 Hours take place or not? “It was a rollercoaster”, the event manager recalls. “On November 11, we decided that the party would be in a tent on the Stadhuisplein in Eindhoven, and three days later the omikron variant appeared, which put everything into question again. In December the number of infections rose and we shot again. towards a lockdown. Then we thought: this will never be.”

“And when we finally heard that it might go ahead, it was very exciting whether we could get it all arranged in time to set up such a large-scale event.”

That the party can go on after all really touches Arthur. “It is the most beautiful day of the year for me. 3 hours is so indescribably fun. I wake up in the morning in a jubilant mood, put on my outfit and put on loud carnival music in the car on the way to Eindhoven, during which I roar with all my heart. The smile on my face couldn’t be bigger.”

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