Karnaval Festival may continue on Saturday and Sunday in Moergestel. That was still exciting because the abbot of Trappists had initiated summary proceedings. The monastery wanted the permits of the municipality of Oisterwijk for the dance festival to be withdrawn. The result would be a huge blow to the organization, because Karnaval Festival was canceled at the last minute twice before.
Karnaval Festival can receive 18,500 visitors on Saturday and 17,000 on Sunday. Dom Isaac Major, abbot of the Trappists, thinks that too much noise is caused in the abbey and the surrounding nature reserves. He also doubts the nitrogen calculations that the festival organization has made. That is why he wanted the permits issued to be withdrawn by the municipality of Oisterwijk.
“The refugees we receive are very scared.”
Another factor, according to the abbot, is that many refugees are taken care of in the monastery. “We have both Ukrainians and asylum seekers. When the air raid alarm is tested, they dive under the table. Fireworks set off during the festival also frighten them,” explains Dom Isaac Major, who defends himself during the summary proceedings.
The Trappist Abbey of Koningshoeven has the slogan ‘taste the silence’. That is at odds with the Carnival Festival. Dom Isaac Major indicates that the old monastery is very noisy, for outside noise. The festival organization says it has calculated all noise nuisance and remains within all applicable standards. According to research by an ecologist, the loud music would not seriously disturb the wildlife in the adjacent nature reserves.
“The lamps were shaking here in the church during the test run.”
The abbot believes that Karnaval Festival has little to do with carnival. “It’s just a dance festival, an extension of the festival season. During the test run, the lights in the church shook here.” He disputes that the monastery and the surrounding area only experience nuisance once a year. “We can also clearly hear the nearby rowing course, Intens festival itself and all events on the Beekse Bergen.”
At Intens, the organization behind Karnaval Festival, they are shocked by the summary proceedings. When the festival was still held at ‘t Draaiboompje in Moergestel in 2020, the second day was canceled due to bad weather. The event was not organized in 2021 and in 2022 everything at the new and current location on the Pijnendijk must be canceled last minute due to the omnikron virus.
“It would be a huge disappointment if the festival is cancelled,” festival boss Remko Hermans told the court. “After the corona years, we no longer have fat on our bones. So if Karnaval Festival is cancelled, visitors will get their money back and nothing will remain for the staff and suppliers who have already incurred costs.”
“We are known for our sustainability and limiting nuisance.”
Hermans had to give the construction team a little courage on Thursday because of the summary proceedings. “As Intents, we are known for being very involved in sustainability and limiting nuisance. We invest a lot of money in the latest techniques and always want to consult with the environment.” During the session, Hermans says that he really wants to come to solutions with the monastery.
After a few hours of deliberation, the judge decides that the permits issued are in order. On paper, the noise nuisance and nitrogen emissions fall within the standards. However, the festival must measure whether the noise nuisance remains within the limits at the sleeping quarters of the monastery in the evening. Immediately after the session, the abbot and festival director exchange numbers so that they can keep in touch with each other from now on.