In Barger-Oosterveld you used to be able to walk over the heads with carnival. Almost literally. The party attracted so much audience that the pubs are practically bursting out of their seams. Moving the party in tents in the shadow of the FC Emmen football stadium, literally and figuratively offered air.
Although? Flintfest, as is called the three -day carnival spectacle, is still undergoing growth spurs. The organization counts this weekend on no less than 10,000 to 12,000 visitors. Saturday and Sunday are almost sold out.
First one step back in time, before the birth of Flintfest. Horeca operators Henk Lubbers from Melody and Jeffrey Hake (at the time of the Boogie Bar) still know well. “In those years, 5,000 people already walked in and around the cafés in the center. And there were more every year.” Everything was packed, says Lubbers. “With me there were 500 to 600 people. It was ten out again and ten in it again. There were long lines in front of the door.”
The entire southeast corner visited Barger-Oosterveld, with always carnival Sunday. But the party threatened to perish a bit of his own success. “Because it was no longer possible to maintain at a given moment.”
Lubbers: “At the Boogie Bar, the police were involved to evacuate, it was so full. There was a lot of noise on the street, things were destroyed and a lot of mess they left behind.” In short, it was no longer possible.
The pub bosses then stuck the heads together. Soon the idea was born to turn it into a tent party. The plan was received with open arms from the municipality, Lubbers remembers. “The party was out of the village and by doing everything in a place it became very clear.” The location will be a large lawn on the Meerdijk, near the stadium. Because that is still an original piece of Barger-Oosterveld, of course. That is ours. “
“It was quite exciting for us,” Lubbers remembers. “We had never held a two -day tent party.” It was immediately a success: 6,000 people came up. “For this year we arrive at 10,000 to 12,000 people,” adds Hake. “That’s fantastic.”
Of course Corona provided a temporary damper, but Barger-Oosterveld was completely in the starting blocks when the relaxation were announced. Lubbers: “When Prime Minister Rutte announced the relaxation at the beginning of 2022, we stamped Flintfest out of the ground in a week and a half.” The organization was ready to go.
What is the secret of the success that is known as the largest carnival spectacle in the Northern Netherlands? Is it the atmosphere, the decoration, the program, the location? Or a combination of all that? Hake: “It has always been our commitment to make it a big party. And as long as the new Stadium of FC Emmen is not there yet, we can still grow.”
Not only Flintfest is in the elevator, but it is also going well with the celebration itself. According to Mark Siekman of the local carnival association De Helkante Steen, this year nearly thirty more floats are participating in the parade on Sunday. “As it looks now, we are between 70 and 80”, Siekman shines. “Almost as much as for Corona.”
During the Covid years, quite a few cart -building teams fell or stopped, Siekman said. But the popularity and therefore also involvement grow among the young people. “Carnival is increasingly in demand, we notice.” Discos are not really popular anymore, a tent party is much more preferred. “Coziness, togetherness, everyone together.”
That is what young people want. Not only from the village, but also beyond. “Barger-Oosterveld has 3100 inhabitants. We all fit in three times in that tent. So count.”