Volunteers required to pay deposits at Danish festivals

Northside and Tinderbox have had enough of absentee volunteers

Feb 27, 2018

Being a volunteer at festivals in Denmark is immensely popular. You get a free ticket to the grounds with the understanding that you work shifts in festival cafes, beer tents and whatnot.

But more and more volunteers are skipping their work to take in the music or party with their friends – and some festivals, like NorthSide and Tinderbox, have had enough. This year volunteers at those festivals will have to fork out a 300 kroner deposit,

“It’s frustrating for us when volunteers don’t show up for their shifts, but it’s even more annoying for the volunteers who do turn up and suddenly have to work twice as hard being a man down. It’s them we are trying to help with this initiative,” John Fogde, the head of communications for both festivals, told DR Nyheder.

Roskilde steering clear … for now
The deposit must be paid when signing up as a volunteer and the festival will pay it back after the festival is over, if the volunteer has turned up to all their work shifts. Failure to do so will result in the festival keeping the money.

So far, the two festivals are the only ones to embrace the deposit strategy. Roskilde Festival, which has the most volunteers out of all the festivals by far, has yet to employ any measures.

However, Roskilde isn’t completely immune to change. When it kicks off this summer for its 47th edition, it will be with a new permanent toilet situation, complete with a flush-system and running water.