Rheinaue Rock Festival Rockaue attracts fewer visitors in 2017
Bonn · The third Bonn Rockaue was powerful. And hot. And loud. But there were significantly fewer visitors than last year and the event organiser has not confirmed whether the festival will take place in 2018.
In the dark, the sea of people seemed as large as always and the fantastic atmosphere played its part in the one-day festival being declared a success. However, the Rockaue organisers had to record a drop in visitor numbers again. Rockaue organiser Maria Hülsmann told the GA that there had been 10,000 people at the festival. The police had talked of around 5000 visitors. In 2016 there were almost 15,000 visitors and 20,000 in 2015.
It is difficult to explain the trend. The ticket prices have risen significantly again, but at other festivals, fans often pay much more for the headline act alone. Maria Hülsmann’s team had raised the event’s profile, done away with the electronic stage, banished pop and dedicated the entire Rheinaue to twelve hours of rock.
The finale went as expected: thousands celebrated in high spirits in front of the Rockaue main stage with the band In Extremo. Between individual concerts, the fire brigade made sure everyone kept cool. While water cannons were doing more to inflame the mood in Hamburg, the generous shower was enthusiastically accepted in the Rheinaue. Svenja and Janna Wolff from Wuppertal were among those getting wet. “It is perfect,” they said a while later while ringing out their clothes. “The weather is awesome, the atmosphere is awesome and the music is awesome. We have spent the most time here in front of the Rock ‘n’ Heavy Stage and are really looking forward to In Extremo.”
Hülsmann said: “Of course more people could come, but I am simply pleased time and again to see the enthusiastic faces. And all without any rowdy behaviour. Our public is so friendly and peaceful…This festival is my dream and I really hope we can carry on next year.”
Hülsmann says it will only become known in the next few days whether there will be a Rockaue 2018. Many of the organisers work for nothing, but that cannot carry on forever. She says: “We have to look for solutions, including with the city. We offer a really first class festival here with 29 bands. That is certainly something worth supporting.”
Original text: Thomas Kölsch. Translated by Kate Carey
