Tens of thousands of people have registered for tickets for the four coronavirus-proof trial concerts and festivals that are taking place in the Netherlands in March.

The Netherlands is keen to get back to festivals

In January, it was announced that eight coronavirus-proof trial events would be taking place across the Netherlands over the coming weeks, in order to research ways in which events could take place safely in the future. The events included football games and a business conference, as well as a handful of concerts. 

It has now been revealed that the “Back to Live” events - one concert, one dance event, one music festival and one dance festival - will take place on March 6, 7, 13 and 14 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam and in Biddinghuizen, on the same grounds as Lowlands. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, interest in tickets for these events has been huge. 

As of Monday evening, only a few hours after the dates for the events were announced, over 63.000 people had registered to attend. Organisers were left shocked by how many people were interested in the events: “We didn't expect that... This shows that people really need it,” they said. However, many will be left disappointed as only 1.500 people will be able to attend the festivals in Biddinghuizen, and only 1.300 will attend each concert at the Ziggo Dome.

Back to normal?: 500 people attend conference in Utrecht

The first of the trial events took place at the Beatrix Theatre in Utrecht on February 15, and saw 500 people attend a business conference which discussed the future of the events industry. This weekend will see 500 people attend a cabaret show on Saturday and 1.500 NEC Nijmegen season ticket holders attend the football match against De Graafschap on Sunday.

King Willem-Alexander was pleased to see events once again taking place here in the Netherlands, calling it “the beginning of one of the many roads of these dark times." Acting State Secretary for Economic Affairs Mona Keijzer also spoke positively about the trials: “If they are successful, I think we really need to look very quickly under what conditions more can be done in the future."