Haldern Pop Festival

Month : August
Place : Bocholt, Germany
Famous For : Pop Music Festival
Attractions : Band members relaxing at the little lake, Members playing soccer with local kids.

The Haldern pop festival is an annual music festival held in Bocholt, Germany. The festival mainly features rock and pop band, but the main focus lies on indie music bands like e.g. The Kooks or Shout Out Louds. Many bands are so impressed by the familiar atmosphere, that they gladly come back. The most unique highlight of Haldern pop festival are the band members relaxing at the little lake right behind the backstage area, or playing soccer with local kids.

Major Attractions

The festival has its roots in an annual party, which was organized by some local altar servers. In 1982/83, this party already attracted more than 1500 guests. During the first years, music was played from records only, and because of the high visitor counts it came to the decision to feature live bands. Due to the great success, the bands Element Of Crime and Plan B were also engaged in 1988. Those were still relatively unknown at that time, so they were satisfied with out-of-pocket expenses. More than 2000 visitors were counted. Since then, a party with recorded music is held every eve of the festival. A milestone in the festival's history is the year 1991, when Bob Geldof performed in Haldern. The organizers themselves called this event "the most successful night in the festival's history". Besides Geldof, The Jeremy Days, The Blue Aeroplanes, Plan B and Tuff Babies.