The director of Roskilde Festival describes this year’s festival as the most peaceful ever. After eight days of celebration and music at the Dyreskuepladsen in Roskilde, it is now time for cleanup after the 52nd edition of the festival. This year, the cleanup work is challenged by both rain and wind, making it difficult to determine the exact surplus, says director Signe Lopdrup.
“We have had a very successful planning and setup, which means a lot for the economy,” Lopdrup says. “Despite the weather, we have seen a decent turnover, and we are confident of coming out with a surplus.”
Last year’s festival resulted in a surplus of around nine million Danish Kroner. As a non-profit festival, Roskilde Festival has donated its entire surplus since its second edition in 1972. So far, the festival has generated over 440 million Danish Kroner for humanitarian, charitable, and cultural work, especially benefiting children and young people, whom Lopdrup describes as “the future.”
This year’s festival was held under the theme “Utopia,” which has been the theme for the past two years. The purpose is to inspire and strengthen the ability to imagine a better future and how it can be created. Signe Lopdrup describes this year’s festival as the most peaceful and positive ever.
“We can hardly remember having such a peaceful and positive community at the festival before,” she says.
The theme will continue next year. “Our time is marked by major and complex issues. Our goal is to create opportunities and give young people hope and agency – to bring young people’s dreams to life,” Lopdrup explains, pointing to problems such as the climate and sustainability crisis, as well as malaise among children and young people.
In 2023, the Roskilde Festival group donated to 39 different organizations, including The Green Youth Movement, Headspace, and Global Kidz.