*Due to not attending a live event of other students I am reflecting on a festival that I attended. This was discussed with my coach Anastasiya Vaganova*

Reflection written by using the STARR method

On the 28th of September 2024 I attented Essential Festival which took place in Maastricht at the Gashouder terrain. It is a festival that has a minimum age restriction of 16+. The festival started in 2014 an frew from 800 visitors to 12.500 and contains of a mixed line-up with different artists and genres. It takes places yearly usually in the beginning of September in the south of the Netherlands (Limburg). The festival is organised by D2D projects a creative entertainment agency. The agency focusses on artist management and creating events. They are known for Essential Festival, Knaltibal, Knaltibal Festival and After Mornin'. I attented the festival in 2022 and the most recent edition in 2024 which took place at a new location.

I bought tickets fot this festival since many of my friends decided on attending. Since I live in Brabant and my friends live in Zuid- Limburg I really missed them and decided to attend the festival as well to spend some quality time with them. I was quite shocked at the ticket pricing and started doubting if it was really worth it to go.The highest ticket price, which I payed for my entrance ticket was  €44,50. I tought back on my experience at the festival in 2022. I did not feel like it was my favourite festival but I had lots of fun and an amazing day with friends. So i did decide to buy the ticket and join my friends for the 2024 edition.The festival had 3 stages: Mainstage, Hard Dance and Hard Techno. Some artists that perfomed are: Lil Kleine, Snollebollekes, Outsiders, SEFA, Invated, Vieze asbak and Ketting. I felt very excited to see my friends again and to have a day filled with music, drinks and catching up. The festival makes use of Goossens & Mazurky's - pre.post and direct - exposure really well by teasing the event on social media. They make use of videograhipc images and post behind the scenes, fun games with artists and the line up. which does get you excited to attend and not miss out.

I had some pre-drinks with my friends in Roermond and after that we took the train to the festival. The festival started at 13:00 and ended at 23:00. Since there weren't really any artists that we really wanted to see before 17:00 we didn't actually go there before 17:00. The coins and drinks were quite expensive so I decided to not really buy anything. The festival is supposed to be a fun combination of genres etc to attract all target groups but somehow this year it felt a bit chaotic to me. It changed from carnavals music to hardstyle to rap every hour so I couldn't really get in to one vibe. It was sold-out so there was a fun turn up at the site and many people enjoying the event. The waiting lines at the bar and toilets did not take long which is very postive. The only thing that bothered me extremely was the lay-out. The Mainstage and Hard Dance were right besides each other so the music and sound mixed a lot and interrupted each other. I decided to go to the Hard Techno stage which was more to the side and a bit smaller but even there they where playing hardstyle. I did not mind this but looking at this from a event manager view sounds should not mix and if you have a hard techno stage they should play hard techno. DUe to it not really being what we hoped for we left at 21:00 and decided to go home.

I think the change of locations means they have to figure some things out again like the perfect lay-out and how to use the space the most efficiently. I would think that after so many years you kind of just know it. Seeing as they are the professionals and the festival has existed for quite some time already they are performing well. In my opinion they are able to do a bit better and make it even better in upcoming years. I am very curious to see where it takes the festival! I do like that the festival is 16+ since I absolutely love festivals and would have loved going when I was 16. On the other hand there are so many 16 years old that I sometimes feel a little out of place and sometimes they can be less respectfull in certain situations.

I visited the festival from 17:00 - 21:00 and payed €44,50 (It was my own choice to come and leave at this time the festival started at 13:00 and ended at 23:00.) Even tough I did have a good time and enjoyed myself in those 4 hours I did not feel like it added a lot of value which diaapointed me because I did love the 2022 edition. I think pricing could be a bit less and there should be a solution for the stages being so close. I think the main appeal of the event as of this moment is that it is 16+ and its one of the few festivals we have in Zuid-Limburg. Looking at it from that point of view I could see how the festival is attractive since it is also the last festival of the season. 

Next time the festival will be held I probably won't attend and rather spend my money on a different experience. I am curious to see if it will imrpove more in the future and might reconsider not attending but thats something to think about next year.

- Nina Vigliaroni

Events | D2D Projects. (2024, December 24). D2D Projects. Reviewed on November 23, 2024 from https://d2dprojects.com/evenementen/