100% Retro Festival with Helmut Lotte canceled

“Despite the promising sales results in the run-up to the 100% Retro Festival in PopBeijanland, the current economic situation cannot continue like this,” the organizers said in an email. “In consultation with various partners, it was decided to move the event to Sunday, August 20, 2023. Tickets remain valid for the new date.”

Named yesterday, Bobbejaanland’s Retro Festival has already had three editions, but ticket sales seem to have been disappointing this year. On August 15, the 100% Retro Facebook page announced that everything will go ahead as planned on August 20.

The music festival promised artists from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, and this year saw thirty acts including The Fortunes, The Dinky Toys, Helmut Lotti, Londonbeat, UDO, The Trammps, Frans Bauer, Mama’s Jasje, Johnny Logan, 2 Unlimited and Soul Sister .

Yesterday Land

Yesterday Land, the predecessor of 100% Retro, got into bad papers. Bankruptcy proceedings have begun against Entertainment Partners Belgium, the company behind it. According to Hugo Foets of Entertainment Partners, an objection was filed, and it was a matter of the payment delay and that will be “corrected”. Foets ran the once successful agency King Entertainment — with Clouseau and Natalia in the stable, among others — but that had to be dumped in 2015.

The municipality of Bredene terminated cooperation with Foets in 2017 because the suppliers were not paid to organize the summer festival Ibiza @ the Beach.

In 2019, during the third edition of Saturdayland, which attracted 11 thousand visitors to Bobbejaanland, all was not well: promised measures against the heat left something to be desired, there were complaints about sanitation that was hard to find and the closing song Sister could Sledge can only play a hit song due to a delay in the program.

At the beginning of July this year, it was announced that yesterday would now be called 100% Retro Festival.

Abnormal

Artistic director Elijah Byers had two of his co-stars on the canceled festival poster with Helmut Lottie and Laura Lin: “We also only have this morning (Friday morning, red.) I received an email that the Retro Festival was 100% cancelled. “

According to Byers, it’s not unusual for everything to be canceled only the day before the festival begins. She does not think that is possible and cannot guarantee that the same artists will return to the festival next year.

Recovery

Agnes Tillmans from Maasmechelen fell abruptly when she read the email about the cancellation. I bought six tickets for 486 euros on Friday morning. Three hours later they inform me the festival has been cancelled, and I’m pissed off and want my money back’, Mort Agnes.

Organizer Hugo Voets answers: “Increased parade and free festivals are playing tricks on us.” “It would not be profitable to hold the festival.”

But were tickets still sold out on Friday morning? ‘It could be. It was not decided to postpone the festival until late Thursday evening, after consulting with sponsors and partners. But those with tickets can keep them for next year or get a refund, Foets promised.