MOJO festival drops VIP tickets after fan backlash
Dutch festival Down the Rabbit Hole has dropped the introduction of VIP tickets after a deluge of criticism from fans.
The Mojo Concerts-promoted festival is due to take place between 30 June and 2 July in the Dutch province of Gelderland with acts including Fred Again…, Stromae and Paolo Nutini.
The sold-out festival yesterday (25 April) announced VIP tickets, dubbed Rabbit Royale, which promised faster access to the festival site and access to luxurious toilets and a panorama deck among other things.
A standard three-day ticket for the festival cost €245, with a Rabbit Royale upgrade reportedly costing another €360.
But following the announcement a number of fans expressed displeasure about the offering. “I thought that this festival was an equal experience for all visitors. All rabbits in the same hole. Unfortunately the big money wins,” wrote one fan.
“Clearly we are missing the plank on this so we’re unplugging”
Down the Rabbit Hole responded by cancelling the sale of the Rabbit Royale tickets and contacting fans who had already bought a pass.
“Clearly we are missing the plank on this so we’re unplugging,” wrote the festival in a statement.
The statement continued: “We work with heart and soul to ensure and improve the quality of Down The Rabbit Hole for all visitors wherever possible. Thus there will be more toilets this year, we have renovated a number of stages and tents and the campsites are better organised. At the same time, the festival sector faces great challenges. Costs for staff and materials as well as gages for artists are rising disproportionately, which puts pressure on the affordability of festivals.
“By offering extras in addition to the regular festival ticket that we generate additional income, we catch the price increases and keep the festival tickets as affordable as possible. For example, think of camping at Rabbit Resort, with which we also provide for a need. From that thought Rabbit Royale was also born.
“We’ll see next year if there are other extras that fit well with Down The Rabbit Hole and that makes everyone happy.”
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