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Fewer visitors at the Oerol Festival 2025: New trends, new atmosphere!
The Oerol Festival 2025 on Terschelling has fewer visitors, but remains a cultural highlight with a young audience and stable ticket sales.
Fewer visitors at the Oerol Festival 2025: New trends, new atmosphere!
The current edition of the Oerol Festival on the Dutch island of Terschelling saw a slight decline in visitor numbers this year. A total of around 45,000 guests were counted, which represents a decrease compared to the 47,000 people present the previous year. Despite this number, the organization is very satisfied with how the event went and emphasizes that ticket sales for the theater performances remained stable this year. The pleasantly sunny days also contributed to a positive atmosphere and many performances were well attended.
The Oerol Festival, known for its extensive range of live theater, music and visual arts, has been delighting culture lovers and visitors since 1981. Founded by Joop Mulder, the then owner of Café De Stoep in Midsland, the event has established itself from its beginnings to today as one of the largest location theater festivals in Europe. Annually, the entire island is used as a stage, with various performances on beaches, in forests and even in barns or bunkers, making the experience unique for spectators. Over the years, various locations have emerged, all of which are grouped together under the collective name Oerol.
A young generation discovers Oerol
What is particularly interesting is that 25% of visitors were younger than 35 years old. This new generation of festival-goers is described as punky, curious and edgy. This is also reflected in the moderation of events, which the festival has deliberately reduced in size and depth in recent years in order to offer a more intensive experience. The organization strives to promote this fresh perspective while creating a balance between quiet moments and lively activity. Local entrepreneurs report fewer people in the villages, but at the same time emphasize the pleasant atmosphere that prevails during the festival.
The 2020 and 2021 physical festivals had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To continue the tradition, an online event entitled “Imagine Your Island” was held in 2021, highlighting the organizers' commitment to maintaining a relationship with their audience even in difficult times. The return to physical form with the planned events has reinvigorated the charm and peculiarities of the festival.
Looking into the future
For 2026, the organization has already planned the period from June 12th to 21st, and the first festival bracelets are already on sale. This is evidence of solid planning and documentation of the festival, which continues to hold a high place in the hearts of the island's residents and visitors. Joop Mulder, who shaped the spirit of Oerol for decades, remains an important part of the history of this festival; his legacy lives on through artwork and memories.
Overall, Oerol remains a shining example of the power of art and community and offers numerous opportunities to experience cultural diversity every year. Omroep Zilt reports about it while providing detailed information Wikipedia as well as Wikimedia are compiled.