Despite protests from Paaspop, Harmony of Hardcore and 7th Sunday, the municipal council of Meierijstad has approved the introduction of a new festival tax. From 2028, the three festivals will have to pay €1.50 per paying visitor, per festival day. The municipality expects to collect approximately €300,000 annually through the levy. However, the controversial tax could still be reconsidered.
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Municipal council approves €1.50 festival tax
On Thursday, November 5, a majority of Meierijstad’s municipal council voted in favour of introducing the so-called entertainment levy. The tax applies to large-scale events in the municipality, with Paaspop, Harmony of Hardcore and 7th Sunday currently being the only three festivals affected.
Discussions surrounding the levy have been ongoing for a year and a half. Earlier proposals included charges ranging from €1 to €3 per visitor. Ultimately, a majority consisting of Lokaal, CDA, VVD and HIER approved the proposal to charge €1.50 per paying visitor, per festival day.
An alternative proposal by Hart and D66 to reduce the tax to €0.60 failed to gain sufficient support. According to those behind the proposal, the lower amount would have been enough to cover the municipality’s estimated direct costs. Festival organisers had previously indicated that they would reluctantly accept such a contribution.
Over €300,000 in additional costs for three festivals
The municipality expects to generate approximately €300,000 annually through the new tax. According to current calculations, the direct administrative costs associated with the three festivals amount to around €125,000.
The municipality also includes costs related to public infrastructure and facilities, although the exact amount of these indirect expenses has yet to be determined. Part of the expected revenue will also be used to offset other municipal budget cuts.
The difference between the estimated costs and the expected tax revenue is one of the organisers’ main criticisms. Paaspop and Par-T, the organisation behind Harmony of Hardcore and 7th Sunday, have previously emphasised that they already cover expenses such as security, traffic management and cleaning themselves.
Festival tax could still be scrapped
Although the municipal council has approved the tax, the decision is not necessarily irreversible. Alderman Luc van den Tillaart will investigate the actual costs incurred by the municipality in connection with the three festivals over the coming months. The findings are expected to be presented before June 2027.
Based on the results of this investigation, the municipal council could still decide to reduce the €1.50 rate or scrap the tax entirely before it comes into effect in 2028.
What does this mean for ticket prices?
The new tax will be imposed on festival organisers rather than directly on visitors. However, festivalgoers could eventually feel the impact if organisers are forced to pass these additional costs on through ticket prices. If passed on in full, attending a three-day festival could cost an additional €4.50 due to the levy.
Paaspop, Harmony of Hardcore and 7th Sunday emphasise that they are doing everything they can to keep ticket prices as affordable as possible. However, rising costs and external factors such as the newly approved festival tax are putting increasing pressure on organisers, potentially forcing them to reconsider ticket prices.
For now, however, the levy remains in place. The coming months will determine whether the new investigation leads to any changes to the decision.
Images via: Par-T & This Is Live
