Lokerse Feesten
The Lokerse Feesten is a music festival organized annually in Lokeren, Belgium.
History
The first edition took place on 2, 4 and 6 August 1975. It is now a ten-day festival, with four to eight artists performing on the main stage daily. Theme days include [Heavy Heavy metal music|metal music|metal] days, dance music days or days with Dutch-language artists from Flanders and the Netherlands only.The festival hosts up to 125,000 visitors each year.
In recent editions, international artists like Neil Young, P!nk, The Beach Boys, Van Morrison, Iggy Pop, Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, Morrissey, Tori Amos and Blur headlined the Lokerse Feesten.
Locally, the name "Lokerse Feesten" has also become a collective term for all activities within those 10 days in the city centre of Lokeren.
Key moments
1994: Split-off
In 1994, the music festival moved to another location and it became a paying event. A part of the organizers disagreed these decisions, and since then, a free music festival Fonnefeesten takes place in Lokeren during the same period of the Lokerse Feesten. In the past, it headlined famous artists like Billy Ocean, 10cc, Level 42, Axelle Red, The Supremes, The Three Degrees and Starsailor.2000s: Switch to "theme days"
Towards the end of the 90s, groups of all kinds were programmed on 1 day, with the intention of attracting as many people as possible. Gradually, there was a switch to theme days. The more expensive ticket prices made it possible to attract international groups. Peter Daeninck, programmer Lokerse Feesten: "On 10 days we can take all directions: from the sing-alongs of Metejoor to the Megadeth metal. Although the concept also has a downside. If we want a hip-hop day, it will only work if there are enough artists on tour."2011: Morrissey performance and meat ban
In 2011, the Lokerse Feesten became world news, and the appearance of British artist Morrissey had everything to do with it. Morrissey, a convinced vegan, had stepped out of the stage during an earlier performance after he had smelled the scent of hamburgers. The organizers decided not to take the risk, and not to sell meat that evening. The traditional Lokeren horse sausage had to make way for the headliner.Although this decision had been made by the organization, the news spread that Morrissey himself forbade the meat.