End of ‘Beaker Chaos’ at Ghent Festival

Organisers from all the different outside venues joined forces after complaints about beaker chaos at previous editions. Each square used to have its own beaker and these also had to be handed in in different ways.

"It will be possible to redeem the deposit on the 400,000 beakers at every square. Visitors pay a 1 euro deposit on a beaker, if you return your beaker, you will get the deposit back," says Ivan Saerens, organiser of events at Saint Bavo’s Square. There are several installations to help clean the reusable beakers quickly.

The map of Belgium and a QR code

The beaker displays a neutral design, showing the map of Belgium with its rivers. The aim is to allow the beaker to be used in future editions. There are different sizes too.

On the beaker you will find a QR code that leads visitors to a new app with a fully digital Ghent Festival programme. "On that app, all 3,509 activities of the 501 organisers will be brought together. You will be able to compile your own programme and you can get push notifications when your concert or activity is about to start."

Beakers can also be used at other events

Although the beakers were primarily purchased for use at the Ghent Festival, they can also be used at other events. "The beaker will be available at Christmas markets, music festivals, all kinds of indoor and outdoor activities because sustainability obviously means that a beaker is used and reused."

Account has been taken of different drinking profiles. For people with a small thirst there are 312,000 25-centilitre beakers, for people with the biggest thirst there are 65,000 half-litre beakers and for people who are insatiable or to share there are also beer jugs of one and a half litres.