180,000 people attend EXIT Festival in Serbia 

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180,000 people attended EXIT Festival in Serbia between 8th and 11th July, marking Europe’s biggest event since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and the continent’s first major festival of the summer. 

Attendees from more than 70 countries were on-site over the course of four days and nights, with more than 50% of the crowd coming from outside the country. Artists including David Guetta, Charlotte de Witte, Roni Size, Amelie Lens, Nina Kraviz, Maceo Plex, DJ Snake, and Paul van Dyk featured on the mammoth lineup. 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Amelie Lens (@amelie_lens) 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Roni Size (@ronisizebristol)

 

 

 

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In May, organisers announced plans to offer 3,000 free tickets to medical workers, with “a few thousand” doses of coronavirus vaccines also secured in conjunction with the Serbian Health Ministry for artists and foreign nationals. At the time, Serbia had one of the best vaccination records in the world. 

“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. 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,” said EXIT’s co-founder and CEO, Dusan Kovacevic. 

“A festival is only as strong as its fanbase and during there 4 days we had a gathering of probably the most passionate festival fans in Europe and beyond,” he added. “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. 

EXIT rolled out a strict COVID-19 protocol for this year’s event, which marks 20 years of the treasured institution. Entry was only permitted with proof of vaccination, antibodies, or a negative test, taken either before arrival in Serbia or at the festival’s own test zone, which carried out 14,000 swabs to detect those carrying the virus. The event took place as several other European countries prepare for festivals to return, including the UK which will remove most of its remaining coronavirus restrictions on Monday 19th July.