Dutch gov gives green light for January pilot events

The Dutch government has approved several pilot shows for January 2021 to determine how events with an increased visitor capacity can take place safely and responsibly during the pandemic.

The test events, organised under the umbrella of ‘Back to Live’, will include a concert and a dance event at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam and two open-air festivals at the Lowlands and Defqon Biddinghuizen festival site, all of which will be organised by Mojo and ID&T.


‘Back to Live’ pilot shows that have already been announced include a cabaret performance by Guido Weijers to 500 guests at the Beatrix Theater in Utrecht, a business conference at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht and football matches with 1,500 supporters at the home grounds of NEC and Almere City FC.

The events, which are organised by FieldLab Events, a joint initiative with Event Platform, the Alliance of Event Builders and the government, have been divided up into four categories in order to draw up effective measures for each type: inside passive, active indoors; active outdoors; and outside active festival.

“This is confirmation of the fact that we have presented a solid plan of action”

Participants of all events will have to meet a number of requirements in order to gain entry including submitting a negative Covid test, completing a health declaration within 24 hours before the event, participating in a temperature measurement or rapid test at the entrance of the event upon request and avoiding contact with vulnerable groups in the two weeks after the pilot event.

At each event, Fieldlab will study several ‘building blocks‘ that contribute to prevention and reduction of the risk of spreading the Covid-19 virus including behaviour; triage, tracking and tracing; rapid tests; visitor dynamics; air quality; personal protection; cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and materials; vulnerable groups.

Previously, the government said the pilot shows could only take place in regions that are in the ‘vigilant’ stage but that condition has now been abandoned.

Marcel Elbertse, chairman of the Fieldlab Events Steering Group: “This is confirmation of the fact that we have presented a solid plan of action. It shows the government’s guts that they are now giving us permission to organise the pilot events. We have always emphasised that these can take place safely and are essential for the entire industry. In principle, every visitor to a pilot event has been tested negative, thus avoiding risk.”

Similar studies have been organised in Spain and Germany.

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