Serbia’s Exit Festival took place last weekend (8–11 July), attracting 42,000 festivalgoers from more than 70 countries on the opening day alone.

The 20th-anniversary edition has been slated as ‘the first major festival in Europe to take place this summer after the pandemic,’ having hosted both a multi-national crowd (50% of the four-day ticket holders came from abroad) and an international line-up.

David Guetta, Sabaton, Charlotte de Witte, Nina Kraviz, Paul Kalkbrenner and Solomun were among the international headliners that performed in the 17th-century fortress in Novi Sad – while others were forced to cancel at the last minute, “mainly due to pandemic-related reasons”.

According to the organisers, besides the programming, the biggest challenge of putting on the event was the “ever-changing regulations due to Covid-19” but the festival worked with the Serbian authorities and health organisations to create a protocol that was “legal and realistic” for the fans.

Visitors were allowed to enter the event either with proof of immunity (vaccination or antigens from a past infection), or a negative test (either before entering the country or at the test zone set up by the festival).

“FESTIVALS ARE GENERALLY MADE TO PROMOTE VALUES WORTH LIVING FOR AND WE ARE DETERMINED TO PROVE THAT THEY CAN BE ORGANISED SAFELY”

The organisers say that early statistics have shown less than a dozen positive cases from approximately 14,000 tests done at the festival’s pre-entry test zone.

“I knew this year’s event was more than just a festival, it was a movement of people, ready to do whatever it takes to keep human connections at the forefront of our existence,” says Dusan Kovacevic, Exit founder and CEO.

“Festivals are generally made to promote values worth living for and we are determined to prove that festivals can be organised safely even during a pandemic. That’s why we have worked tirelessly to create a best practice model on how to do it. Besides our own event, we also hope that Exit will be an encouragement to all our international festival colleagues, the ‘Festival Family’ that it is possible for all of us.

“A festival is only as strong as its fanbase and during the four days we had a gathering of probably the most passionate festival fans in Europe and beyond! The ones that didn’t mind coming despite all uncertainties, cancellations and travel, PCR tests and other obstacles. They felt the same superstrong need we had all this time – a need for us to be together no matter what, united as one by power of music and life,” he concluded.

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