German association offers refundable festival tickets

German event network Höme is offering refundable tickets to more than 120 festivals to motivate fans to buy passes early.

Tickets bought through Höme’s festival platform Infield can be cancelled up to seven days before the event starts at no extra cost, while festivals get to keep their ticket revenue.

The offer, which is made possible through a partnership with Scandinavian insurance provider Tryg Affinity, applies to festivals including Ikarus Festival, Nature One, Airbeat One and Ms Dockville.

“The idea of refundable tickets had been on our minds for a while, so we were thrilled when Höme approached us with this concept,” says Carolin Gebauer, director of marketing strategy & operations at Open Beatz.

“It was an easy decision to join. This benefits not only festivalgoers but also us as organisers, as it lowers the barrier for early ticket purchases.”

At the beginning of this year, US festival Hinterland also unveiled a unique refund policy called the ‘90 Degree Guarantee‘ which enables ticket holders to request returns for any day that is predicted to reach 90° (32C) or higher.

Höme’s refund initiative is part of its new Festival Weeks campaign which has engaged influencers, media and partners to create two weeks (1–16 March) of “unparalleled visibility” for its network of events.

“This benefits not only festivalgoers but also us as organisers, as it lowers the barrier for early ticket purchases”

“As cultural funding declines, costs rise, and the industry continues to navigate crisis after crisis, the Festival Weeks are shining a light on the festivals we love and ensuring their continued existence,” reads a statement from Höme.

In addition to refundable tickets, for the duration of the campaign, fans can win prizes ranging from a private camp chef to complete camping gear, train vouchers for festival travel, and a Golden Festival Ticket, granting access to all participating festivals.

Amelie Köppl, About Pop in Stuttgart, explains why they joined the campaign: “Festival organisers pour their time, energy, and passion into creating spaces for community, new artists, safer environments, and inspiration.

“These spaces are essential for an open society that fosters exchange beyond echo chambers. Being part of this campaign and this exceptional community makes us incredibly happy.”

In other news, FKP Scorpio has teamed up with DRK blood donation services NSTOB and Nord-Ost to encourage young people to donate blood for the first time.

Those who participate in the Music Gets in Your Blood campaign will be entered into a raffle for tickets to Hurricane, Southside, M’era Luna and Highfield. More than 84 tickets to the four festivals have been made available for the initiative.

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