Groningen Gets Festival Fever

More than 360 festivals from 34 countries make up the nominees for the European Festival Awards, traditionally the opening of Holland’s Eurosonic-Noorderslag Jan. 15-18.

They were nominated for scrutiny by a panel of judges and 620,000 public votes.

The judging panel, which includes journalists, booking agents and festival organisers, had a 25 percent say in the final outcome of the public-voted categories.

At least 400 people from the European festival business will be at the awards bash.

The shortlist for the prestigious best major festival award included four Belgian festivals – Rock Werchter, Dour, Pukkelpop and Tomorrowland.

Germany was represented by the twinned Hurricane and Southside festivals and Wacken Open Air.

The old Eastern bloc fests on the shortlist are Open’er Festival and Woodstock, both in Poland, along with Sziget (Hungary) and Exit (Serbia).

Open’er and Sziget would be winning the award for the second time.

Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop, Sziget and Woodstock have another chance for a major award as they’re also on the shortlist for “artists’ favourite European festival.”

Their opposition comes from the UK’s Glastonbury Festival, Lowlands (The Netherlands), Paleo Nyon (Switzerland), Park Live Moscow (Russia), Primavera (Spain) and Roskilde (Denmark). The European Festival Awards are at De Oosterport, Groningen, Jan. 15.