By Saturday night, we will once again see drunk patrons standing outside club doors as the dancefloor is set to reopen. You can also start to buy some festival fits as these will also go ahead with full capacity after July 3.
In order to get your boogie on, you will first need to show a “corona ticket” using the CoronaCheck app. This ticket acts as proof that attendees have either been vaccinated against coronavirus, have had coronavirus in the past, or have tested negative within the past 48 hours.
Half of Amsterdam’s clubs to reopen
Clubs across the country are delighted by the news that they can dust off the dancefloor and fling open the doors — but many aren’t quite ready yet. This comes down to the practicalities involved in reopening.
As a result, it is expected that Amsterdam will see only half of its clubs open their doors this Saturday, the NOS reports. However, by the following week, this is expected to jump to 80% of clubs.
Pieter de Kroon of the Overleg Amsterdamse Clubs (OAC) and owner of Chicago Social Club explains to the NOS that clubs do not need to worry about a lack of demand. “For us, the 700 available tickets sold out within a day. People want to be back in the club and feel that bass,” he says.
Controversy but not too much
Most potential club goers are ok with testing or vaccination being necessary before entry. However, some groups find this discriminatory on the basis of health.
Vincent Böhre of the Privacy First campaign believes this is the case, telling the NOS “you then go to a test society, and then you discriminate against people on the basis of their medical status. There are also privacy risks.”
Lowlands and Down the Rabbit Hole
As for the popular Dutch festivals, Lowlands and Down The Rabbit Hole, organisers are unfazed by the current entry restrictions. Given that both festivals will take place at the end of August, organisers will wait and see whether a corona ticket is even necessary at all by the time the events roll around.
Spokesperson for the two festivals, Bente Bollmann, explains to the NOS that if “corona tickets” are still needed to allow entry, the events will arrange for testing. “We will solve that, that will be fine,” he says, “in the end we are very happy that these festivals, as it looks now, can continue.”
What are your thoughts on clubs and festivals returning? Tell us in the comments below!
Feature Image: Antoine Julien/Unsplash