White smoke for the Pearl Village Festival & Weijdepop in Dalen. The complainants have withdrawn their objection to the festival, which is scheduled for more than two weeks.
The relief is great for co-organizer Jory Bosch. The three-day festival, which attracted 7,000 visitors last year, can take place on July 7, 8 and 9. An agreement has been signed with the objectors in which agreements have been made about, among other things, the maximum number of visitors in the future, namely 5,000 per day. Bosch and associates also promise to look for another location in the coming years.
In recent weeks, dark clouds have gathered over Pearl Village & Weijdepop, which is held on a meadow between the Reindersdijk and the railway. A few villagers had gone to court because they were bothered by the noise and haphazardly parked bicycles.
The judge agreed with them and ruled that the municipality of Coevorden had issued a permit that was too broad. Important regulations, such as the maximum number of visitors and the end time of the festival, were missing. The municipality had also failed to map out how things would go during, before and after the festival in terms of traffic and parking. Finally, given the complaints from the neighbourhood, alternative locations should have been considered.
Clean only next morning
The municipality was instructed to reassess the case, taking into account the complaints and better information about the festival.
Recently, several conversations have been held behind the scenes between the complainants and the organization, sometimes involving the municipality. The organization made several commitments. For example, the festival is placed at the back, further away from the habitation, and the stages are aimed at the outside area instead of at the houses. There will also be a new cycle route, so that about half of the visitors will no longer pass through the village, extra traffic controllers will be deployed and cleaning of the site will be delayed until 11:00 am the next morning.
No straw in the way
The organization is not yet moving to an alternative location this year, because it believes this is not feasible. The place in the picture will only be available from 2027. Bosch: ,,But the objectors have said that they will not put any obstacles in our way and withdraw their objection to the event permit as long as we continue to look for a different place every year. Their objection was actually mainly aimed at the municipality. They felt unheard. They have now said to us: do you now focus on the organization of the festival. We are so happy!”
Pearl Village & Weijdepop originated from two separate festivals, which now form one organisation. While Pearl Village focuses on dance and DJs, live music is played on the stage at Weijdepop, ranging from electronic to pop and rock.