Smukfest’s Sellout Party

Most of the 90 tons of oranges on site were squeezed into 7,000 litres of vodka as Denmark’s Smukfest lived up to its reputation for throwing a party.

Vodka and fresh orange juice is a big Smukfest favourite and has grown even more popular since 2008, the first time the festival got through 50 tons of oranges.

The 29,000-capacity gathering in a forest near Skanderborg repeated last year’s experiment of stretching to five days and all five sold out, another reason for the record-breaking binge of vodka and OJ.

The event was originally known as Skanderborg Festival, but with the passing of time – and the drinking of several screwdrivers – it’s adopted its nickname of “Smukfest,” which loosely translates as “happy fest.”

“It’s a party,” explained festival press spokesman Poul Martin, as he reported the bars and food stalls grossed euro 7 million ($8.6 million).

On the first day the crowd waiting for the party to start was so large that the gate staff fitted 7,000 wristbands in an hour.

The site has been improved and re-configured since last year, which is problematic because of the several hundred trees on it, and this year’s festival also saw the debut of Smukfest’s Web-based Festival TV.

The station webcasts news and features from all over the site, thereby affording the crowd the opportunity to watch themselves getting drunk on television.

The acts helping Smukfest get in the party spirit Aug. 8-12 included Bryan Adams, David Guetta, Blur, White Lies, Toto, Ice Cube, Kent, and Mike & The Mechanics.