Around 450,000 people attended the 25th Sziget Festival, which took place between 9-15 August, the organisers said.
This is a 10 percent fall from last year’s record 496,000 participants, Tamás Kádár, CEO of organising Sziget KFT, told MTI. Still, revenues of “several hundred million forints” are forecast, he said. The festival was sold out on Wednesday, August 9, with American singer Pink’s concert drawing the largest audience, and on Saturday, August 12, when American rappers Macklemore and Ryan Lewis headlined the event. Non-music events such as the midnight circus performances and Sziget’s “25th Birthday Party” were also “wildly popular“, Kádár said.
The festival ran without any serious disruptions, the CEO said. The new access control system, which is based on individual identification, resulted in fewer accidents and less criminal activity, he said.
Main organiser Károly Gerendai, who, together with musician Péter “Sziámi” Müller, launched the festival in 1993, noted that he is stepping down from active organisation. American investor Providence Equity Partners has bought a 70 percent share in Sziget Kultúralis Szervezőiroda. “The investor is taking advantage of the staff’s professional experiences and this will secure the opportunity to expand…” Gerendai said.
via: english.mti.hu
photos: festicket.com; elmenyem.hu