In the world of electronic dance music and the countless festivals that come with it, few events are as iconic as Awakenings. What began as a series of techno parties at the Gashouder, Amsterdam in 1997, has evolved into a global phenomenon known for its electrifying atmosphere, top-tier lineups and state of the art production in terms of stages and decorations.
On the 5th to 7th of July, for the third consecutive year, Awakenings Festival captivated more than 100.000 visitors with over 100 nationalities on the enchanting grounds of Hilvarenbeek. EDMHouseNetwork was there to explore the three day program smacked with mindblowing lineups, unique activities, beautiful art installations, and here are our thoughts.
Travelling to the festival
Getting to the festival offered several options: by car, public transport, or pre-organized bus trips with Partybussen. We chose for public transport, taking the train to Tilburg station where shuttle buses awaited. Despite the long queue of fellow festival-goers, the process was impressively organized, allowing us to reach our destination quickly.
The shuttle bus drops you off near the parking lot, followed by a 10-15 minute walk to the Awakenings Festival entrance. Midway, you encounter stairs to cross the highway, which I hadn’t anticipated when I packed all my belongings in a boulder cart. Thankfully, two kind gentlemen helped me carry the cart up and down the stairs.
On the return trip, I discovered a nearby road that bypasses the stairs, perfect for those who, after three days of non-stop partying, prefer an easier route. Along the way, whether you take stairs or not, you’ll also find refreshment stands. Overall, traveling to Awakenings Festival by public transport was a smooth, well-organized, and sustainable choice that we highly recommend.
Camping
Over 15.000 visitors chose to stay on one of the Awakenings Festival campsites that came with a broad variety of accommodation options to match the attendees’ diverse needs.
At the Grand Camping, you could find the night program (more about this below), enjoy different kind of foods and drinks, partake in different sports activities (deephouse yoga, buddy bootcamp and HITT – High Intensity Interval Training and more) offered by Bar-Le-Duc.
The Relax Resort area, was for the ones who preferred a calmer and more luxurious stay with top-notch accommodations, exclusive wellness areas (hot tubs, saunas, massages) and complimentary breakfasts. Both areas offered bring-your-own tent fields, pre-setup tents and cozy cottages, a variety of different food and drink courts and access to shower facilities.
Awakenings Festival also treated their attendees to a variety of other unique activities as a part of their Recharge Programme:
Cacao Ceremony: A moment for yourself to drink and enjoy ceremonial cacao, and to move together with other individuals on their Awakenings journey.
Sound healing: A hour long journey to harmonize your body and mind through transformative sound healing.
Mind experience: A 75 minute experience that explored the power of attraction, manifestation and ended with a breathing journey inspired by Wim Hof.
A Camping Recycle & Repair Store was also to be found at the camping area, where you could rent essential items such as chairs, tables and coolboxes. Here you could also get help with getting camping gear repaired, which anyone who has ever arrived at a camping with a hole in the mattress, would greatly appreciate.
We stayed at the Grand Camping, brought our own gear and were very pleased with every part of our stay. Beside the beautiful area in itself, all the amazing activities, food and drink (see below) that were offered, we couldn’t help by fall in love with the morning pop-up camping parade by Rollende Beats that turned into the best morning routine that we’ve ever experienced.
Festival Area
The festival area consisted of 8 unique stages, beautiful art installations, a broad variety of food and drink courts, a low-stimulus space and chill out areas, and more. Everything was beautifully braided into the foresty landscape and big lake of Hilvarenbeek, which created a natural sense of harmony between the elements and, made the area feel magical and otherworldly – especially at night.
Stages and sound
As mentioned previously, Awakenings are known for their mesmerizing, diverse stages and high-quality production, and Awakenings Festival 2024 was no short of a testament to that. Offering a combination of big stages, both indoor and outdoor, as well as smaller more intimate areas, you could always find a place that would fit your current vibe.
Added to this, Awakenings is also known to employ top-tier audio equipment to ensure clear, powerful and balanced sound across all stages. Whether you were at an indoor or outdoor stage, the system was adjusted to take characteristics of the environment into account. Something that we were very happy to notice as well, which unfortunately isn’t always the case at festivals, was that there was barely any overlap by the music from different stages.
If you stood at the very edge of a dancefloor connected to a stage, you could sometimes hear the base from a stage located further away, but could easily solve it by going a bit further into the dancefloor. Besides this, we of course also highly appreciated the intensity of the bass which you not only could hear but also feel. Which resulted in an intense multi-sense experience.
Area V – Outdoor
One of the homes of headliners, AAA and big room techno. A giant interlocking puzzle of abstract building blocks. The way the blocks intersected and stack up on each other gave the stage a dynamic and playful appearance, and the vibrant yellow and gray colors add to its futuristic and industrial aesthetic. The light elements were vibrant and dynamic, creating a immerse visual experience thanks to their strategic placements and angles that enhanced the geometric design of the stage.
Area W – Outdoor
Home of headliners, AAA and melodic techno. Striking symmetrical layout with bold geometric shapes that created a sense of balance and harmony. The lighting elements not only illuminated the stage but also added to it visual complexity. Overall, a stage that exuded a futuristic aesthetic with its clean lines, innovative use of space and integration of technology.
Area X – Indoor
Home of the classic techno grooves. While the outdoor stages made a strong, unforgettable impression thanks to their creative architecture, the indoor stages did the same thanks to the complex and well-executed lightshows. An experience which no photo will give any true justice, but is something that has to be experienced in real life.
Area Y – Indoor
The home of hard techno.
Area U – Indoor
The home of classic energetic techno and eclectic ‘’new wave’’ techno sounds.
Area C – Outdoor
The home of house and tech house. A modern, complex structure situated in a forested area, that created a natural, immersive and intimate atmosphere
Area D – Outdoor
The home of leftfield, progressive and intense house and party house. The stage was covered by a geometric framework with integrated horizontal and vertical light strips which added depth and structure, especially during night fall. Surrounded by forest, an intimate and natural atmosphere was created which was further amplified by the beautiful sunset that we were blessed with during one of the days.
Area H – Outdoor
The home of old-school techno legends on Saturday and minimal house grooves on Sunday. One of the smallest stages set even deeper into the forest than the other stages, providing a natural canopy and jungle alike vibe. At night the stage transformed into a more vibrant, energetic and electrifying space thanks to the illuminating lights.
Artists
Another aspect that Awakenings are known for, is delivering top-tier line-ups that consists of diverse world-renowned artists. Awakenings Festival 2024 continued on this tradition with a line-up of over 140 artists across the three festival days.
On the opening Friday, the 5th of July, Awakenings Festival kicked off with a mix between harder and more melodic beats, through performances such as I Hate Models, Mind Against, Deborah De Luca, Joris Voorn, 999999999 and Daria Kolosova.
Saturday the 6th of July, was characterized by B2B sets by among others, Adam Beyer & Joseph Capriati, and Kölsch & Kevin de Vries, as well as a diverse range of other hard hitting and melodic performances such as Enrico Sangiuliano, Kobosil, Camelphat, Richie Hawtin and Paula Temple.
Sunday the 7h of July, wrapped things up with a vibe of celebration and reflection, and a emotionally resonant note. Featuring a mix of artists such as Honey Dijon and Hot Since 82 known for their house and groove influences, Amelie Lens and Tale of Us known for their emotionally charged techno sets, Pan-Pot and Marcel Dettman known for their high energy and layers of complexity, Indra Paganotto and Patrick Mason known for their eclectic sets and dynamic stage presence, and many, many more.
Awakenings Festival 2024 made sure to emphasize diversity and create an inclusive and balanced representation of artists. This by featuring a strong presence of female artists and by including numerous (over 40 in total!) internationally acclaimed female DJ’s and producers, such as Adriana Lopez, Honeluv, LOVEFOXY, DJ Gigola and many more.
Besides these amazing female debutants, there was also an addition of well known male DJ’s that took the crowds with storm such as Nico Moreno, Dj Heartstring, Partyboi69, Mochakk, Vintage Culture, and Barry Can’t Swim.
Other special sets that the audience was treated to, were by Rødhåd and Umek who made their 25th appearance at Awakenings, and Fatima Hajji who hasn’t played at Awakenings since 2019.
After the great success of last year, you could also find the Dutch radio program The Beat on site, that focuses on underground electronic music and is one of the main radio stations of the Netherlands. Here several interviews were done between the team behind Awakenings and artists such as Malugi, Dr. Rubenstein, Luke Slater, Marcel Dettman, Estella Boersma, Chris Stussy and Nina Kraviz.
After party
For the night-animals who wanted to make the most out of the festival and had a camping wristband, Awakenings Festival 2024 had a night program for each of the three nights. Starting each night at around midnight, a silent disco came to life at the ‘’Night Village’’, featuring three amazing artists per night, such as Victor Ruiz, Joyhauser and Juliet Fox.
The dancefloor was full each and every night and the most hardcore ravers danced away the night all the way until 05.00 in the morning when the sun started coming up and the afterparty was done. Except Saturday morning that is, When Secco Akitam blessed us with an extra hour of music and played all the way until 06.00.
A pleasant surprise that we think created a beautiful memory for those who were lucky enough to still be there. The combination of hypnotizing techno, the lights from the stage, a beautiful sunrise that painted the sky with colors, mist that rose from the ground and a group of people with pure love for music, dance and each other, created a truly one of a kind vibe and experience.
Art program
When someone who hasn’t been to Awakenings before asks me to tell them about it, I always say this: ‘’Awakenings isn’t just about the awesome line’ups, impressive stages. The whole concept is more like a creative work of art that you’ll enjoy whether you like the music or not’’. Awakenings Festival 2024 was no different, and there were several different art installations to find on the festival grounds. We didn’t manage to capture them all (there were just so many mesmerizing and beautiful things to admire wherever we went), but here are a few examples:
Watercolor by Estranged Studio
An immersive installation by a collective that focuses on art and the environment. This awe-inspiring waterfall sculpture was 4 meters tall and 10 meters wide, creating a dynamic serpentine flow of water that enveloped visitors.
Gates by Marina Zumi
A light installation in form of a geometric sculptural, and a subtle link to the ‘Pass Throw’ feeling we so much need in actual times, from a positive abstract perspective.
Light sculptures by Studio Groenewald
Robert Groenewald creates geometric sculptures through his fascination of shapes, and his mission is to enhance the contrast between chaos and nature and the arranged order.
Smoke Projections by Beeldjutters
A tunnel of light beams appeared while smoke filled the landscape and created hypnotizing light art.
Low-stimulus space and social responsibility
Awakenings aims to be accessible to anyone. Last year, the low-stimulus space at Awakenings Festival was part of a pilot project and has now become a regular Awakenings feature. This after information from HandicapNL had identified the necessary requirements to adequately accommodate individuals with disabilities at festivals.
The low-stimulus space provided a serene and calming environment for anyone who may require it and offered amenities such as noise-cancelling headphones, soothing sounds and tranquil imaginary.
Several of these spaces were set up so visitors could find peace and quiet individually and there was also a treatment room with additional medical care available. Staff of Awakenings partner HandicapNL was present to offer guidance together with medical volunteers for assistance.
An idea that we found absolutely amazing as festivals can be demanding and overwhelming for the senses no matter how amazing they are, for anyone. It’s also a beautiful initiative that hopefully will give individuals who usually haven’t been able to go to festivals due of potential overstimulation, the possibility to have a magical experience.
Food Line-up
Since 2022, the menu at all Awakenings events for visitors, crew and artists has been 100% vegetarian. A choice that’s in line with the festivals focus on sustainability and saves around 2 tons of Co2 emission. Awakenings Festival 2024 offered a broad variety of food options to cater different dietary preferences and needs and the food courts were spread all across the festival and camping, making sure that you never had to be hungry for long.
At the festival grounds you could for example get smoothies and fruit, burgers and pizza, banh mi and spring rolls, grilled sandwiches, nachos, and ice cream. The camping areas offered smoothies, breakfast bowls, grilled sandwiches, salads and more.
Drink wise, there was also a vide range of drink options to choose from. Non-alcoholic beverages such as fresh fruit juices, coffee and tea. Alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine, and you could also find a dedicated cocktail bar that provided unique drink options.
As for water, Awakenings Festival 2024 made sure that visitors didn’t have to pay for water but could fill up their bottles at every toilet area – a big plus that we believe all festivals should learn from as drinking water should be free for everyone. If you didn’t already have a bottle with you, you could of course buy this at the festival area and a deposit recycle system was in place for all cups, cans and bottles.
Upon entry, you received a recycle token which you later could exchange for a new drink by returning your drink container. An initiative aimed to reduce waste and promote recycling throughout the festival.
KEEP THE PLANET AWAKE
Awakenings wants to make sure that we all get to continue dancing on our beautiful planet for as long as possible, and is therefore always making sure to make its festivals as sustainable as possible. Some examples of their sustainability efforts are that materials are sorted accordingly, decorations are reused whenever possible, and all the equipment that’s left behind on the camping areas is donated to ‘Collective Aid’, a foundation supporting people-on-the-move by providing basic aid and services.
Another great initiative is that Awakenings donates 2% of the income from every parking and shuttlebus ticket sold, calculates the Co2 emission from artist travels and compensates this through Trees for All. A result of this is that 2020 trees were planted for Awakenings 20th anniversary, which equals to 100 tons of Co2 being captured.
Conclusion
Awakenings claim to ‘’bring the ultimate techno experience, every time, like no one else can’’. Awakenings Festival 2024, was without a doubt, a true testament to this statement. Every aspect of the event, from the stage designs and light work to seamless integration with the natural surroundings demonstrated their amazing attention to detail.
The diverse and inclusive lineup showcased a commitment to representation and quality, ensuring that attendees felt valued and included. Music is the one language that we all (or at least most of us) understand and has the power to bring us together, but festivals aren’t always welcoming or accessible to everyone. Awakenings has definitely taken leading steps in terms of changing this and others will hopefully follow.
The organization of travel and logistics made sure of a smooth and enjoyable experience despite the remote location, and the variety of accommodation options, food and drink options and unique wellness activities catered to a wide range of preferences and need. Furthermore, Awakenings strong focus on sustainability through a diverse variety of initiatives, underlined its commitment to environmental responsibility.
The holistic and thoughtful approach to festival planning created an unforgettable atmosphere and experience, but also fostered a sense of community in more than one significant way. Big organizations, no matter the industry, have the possibility to create awareness and opportunity to inspire and make a difference. A responsibility that Awakenings clearly is taking seriously in terms of their operations and communication -and that’s without trying to burn a hole in your pocket.
We are so thankful for getting to be a part of Awakenings Festival 2024 and can honestly say that the ‘’after festival depression’’ hit hard once it was over. Thankfully, Amsterdam Dance Event is coming in October where Awakenings will be hosting several events in Gashounder and Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam. And guess what… If you CLICK HERE, you will go straight to the newly announced line-ups!
