Slovakian festival Pohoda on the Ground recorded no infections | MICE News

Pohoda on the Ground was a series of one-day festivals

RETURN OF THE RENOWNED SLOVAKIAN FESTIVAL

The Slovakian festival series hosted around 5,000 tested or vaccinated visitors across five days and did not record a single positive Covid result.

Pohoda on the Ground was a series of one-day festivals that took place at the airport in Trenčín. The festivals took place between 7 – 11 July. During the five days, Pohoda on the Ground brought dozens of bands and artists to the Trenčín Airport. One of the leitmotifs of the festival was the support of the Slovak club scene. It consisted of people from ten clubs across Slovakia to prepare the majority of the programme.

“With a capacity that is comparable to its beginnings and emphasis on the club scene, Pohoda returned to the ground. Clubs are essential for music, creating a year-round background for musicians and local communities. We enjoyed creating a different form of Pohoda and playing with space and programme”, says Michal Kaščák from the Pohoda team.

“When preparing Pohoda, we try to use the same approach as when you invite someone to your home for a visit. You want them to feel good in your place, you want them to have a good programme and place to sit and sleep. You prepare good food and drinks and do everything possible to make them feel good even in the bathroom or the toilet. Then you can listen to good music, dance, watch movies, talk about the joys and challenges of the universe, discuss art — everybody what they want and how they want. We believe that our visitors can feel this approach. We, on the other hand, can certainly say that they are great guests. They create the best atmosphere we’ve experienced at festivals,” concluded Michal Kaščák.

THE MOST VISITED MULTICULTURAL OPEN-AIR EVENT IN SLOVAKIA

Pohoda festival was founded in 1997 as a one-day event and gradually developed into the most visited multicultural open-air event in Slovakia. The first year, under the name Royal Pohoda, the festival was held at a football stadium, as part of celebrations of the 585th anniversary of the granting of the City of Trenčín a status of the free royal city. The main festival programme comprises the music of many genres; rock, punk, folk, rockabilly, world music, reggae, ska, pop-jazz, rave, techno, drum’n’bass, folklore and classical music.

Since 2004, Pohoda has been taking place at Trenčín’s airport. Visitors can enjoy the programme on two open-air stages, one open-air arena and multiple tents or arenas.

ENSURING SAFETY

The organisers made sure all attendees were pre-registered to make tracing possible. In cooperation with Vacuumlabs, they created a unique online registration system. Registration was also possible on site, while it was also mandatory for vaccinated people and people who have overcome COVID-19 in the last 180 days to register. For attendees, who have not been vaccinated, the organisers provided testing onsite.

Having hosted a renowned festival such as the Pohoda on the Ground, Bratislava and Slovakia have cemented their position as a new hub for festivals and concerts. Furthermore, the COVID-free environment proved that events can now take place safely in large numbers. Bratislava’s future of events, conferences and meetings is thus looking brighter than ever.