Keep the planet Awake!

We developed a deposit system on all cups, cans, and bottles. At the entrance, our visitors receive a free recycle token which they can use at the bar when ordering drinks. All empty cups/cans/bottles are returned to the bar or recycle point for a new drink or recycle token. By doing this, all materials are collected and sorted in the right container. After the event, each material is recycled.

How does it work?

1. At the entrance, after scanning your ticket, you’ll receive 1 FREE recycle token from us.
2. With each drink you order, you hand in your recycle token or an empty cup, can or bottle.
3. Lost your recycle token and/or your cup, can, bottle? Then you have to pay 1 regular token.
4. When you’re leaving the event or you don’t want to have a new drink, you can hand in your empty cup, can or bottle at the bar or at one of the other recycle points. The bar staff will give you a recycle token in return.
5. There is a unique code on the recycle token, after the event you can go to our website and fill out the code on the event page, then you have a chance of winning prizes!

Why do we not use hard cups?
Research by the Dutch Government has proven, that using a deposit system as we do, is as sustainable as using hard cups if enough are being collected at the recycling points, which is the case at our events.

Our recycle tokens are made of recycled plastic and we wash them after every event. By doing this, we can use them at all our events for multiple years.

Since 2015, our menu is 95% vegetarian, with only organic meat for the other 5%. From 2022, we offer a 100% vegetarian menu at all our events.

One of the easiest ways to contribute to less climate change is by eating a vegetarian diet. Did you know, that by skipping meat for 1 day you save an average of 1750 grams of CO2 emission? So by eating completely vegetarian during Awakenings Summer Festival for 3 days, together we save approximately 188 kilotonnes of CO2 emission, which you can compare to 47.000 Big Macs.

We intend to create as little waste as possible and ask our partners to do the same. We sort all different materials in separate containers; PET / Can / Foil / Paper / Glass / Organic / Wood. This way, all materials are recycled.

Our PET is used to make new cups and bottles, making it a circular system. Our tokens are being melted as well, which is used to produce new tokens. 95% of our signing is being used on all our events year-round and even our wristbands are made out of recycled PET.

To create less waste, we have switched from printed timetables and floorplans to digital versions through screens at the festival and on our website.

We always work with a smart energy plan, maximizing the consumption of energy from the power grid and other renewable sources. During our load-in and show period, we only make use
of batteries. Since 2016, all stages of Awakenings Festival are also powered by batteries.

In 2019 we started using biofuels, obtained from horticulture, to power our generators. This will drastically cut down our CO2 emissions. Read about our partnership with Greener Power Solutions here.

We offer free drinking water taps in every toilet area.

We have flush toilets at all our events, which are flushed with gray water (reusable wastewater). By doing so, we save 3kg CO2 per flush.

A Material flow analysis (MFA) is a methodology that quantifies the ways in which the materials are used, reused, and lost.

After the event, we collect all data with our suppliers regarding transportation, waste, food & drinks, energy, and water. The outcome is thoroughly analyzed and used to update our multiple-year sustainability action plan.

We stimulate our visitors to travel by bike or public transportation, which the majority does.

Since 2011, we work together with Trees for All, who plant trees on our behalf to compensate the CO2 emission. We donate 2% of the income of every parking & shuttle bus ticket sold. We calculate the CO2 emission of our artist travel and compensate through Trees for All as well.

For our 20-year festival anniversary, 2020 trees were planted, divided in the Netherlands and Uganda.

Our crew is using bikes and electrical cars wherever they can and we ask our suppliers to carpool and use biodiesel.

Traveling by train is not only sustainable, it is also very easy. We have partnered up with Choo-Choo, experts in booking the best train trips. For each event, you can view the train deals via the event page.

We have a mandatory donation at all our events for persons who are on the guestlist. We often choose a local project like Voedselbank or Regenboog groep, a cause that can use our support the most at that moment. We also have a long lasting relationship with Bridges for Music (South Africa).

We are participants of 'The Green Deal Circulair Festivals' and 'Plastic Promise', both initiatives by the Dutch Government. They consist of sustainable frontiers of the event industry, sharing their knowledge, best practices, and data to help and inspire others. Awakenings is also a contributor to ADE Green, the conference program of Amsterdam Dance Event focussing on sustainable and social developments within the music industry.

We are proud to host our festivals in beautiful festival areas such as Houtrak Spaarnwoude (Spring Festival) and Hilvarenbeek (Summer Festival).

We have a 'leave no trace' principle; we make sure that when we leave the festival site, it is as clean as how when we arrived.

For over 25 years, National Park Spaarnwoude is the host of Awakenings (Spring) Festival. Together with its residents, we discuss what is needed in the area. Each year, we invest in different parts of the park, to make it thrive at its best!

Often at festival campsites, many tents and other camping equipment are left behind, which leaves a great environmental impact on our planet. We do our best to decrease our ecological footprint and protect our surroundings, so we kindly ask our visitors to take care of their used camping equipment after the party’s over.

All visitors of the campsite will receive their Awakenings garbage bag at the entrance. Full bags can be returned to one of the waste points.

No need to lug around heavy camping gear! Visit our Camping Recycle & repair store and rent essential items like chairs, tables, and coolboxes. By choosing to rent, you'll lighten your load and make a positive impact on the environment.

Did you discover a small hole in your air mattress? Don't worry, we can fix it!

If you've brought your own camping equipment but won't be using it again, we encourage you to make a difference by dropping it off at our recycle store before you depart.

We will take the recycle store to future festivals and together, we will make a big impact in reducing our carbon footprint.

Unfortunately, we always find many abandoned air mattresses at the campsite. We have partnered up with ZZZ, who have a mission in reducing camping waste, just like us. You can rent an air mattress from ZZZ and hand in back in when you leave, the mattress will be fully recycled to a new ZZZ mattress. Click here to reserve yours.

What do we do with camping items which are left behind?

On Monday when the campsite is closed, all tents, sleeping bags and mats are collected and are spread amongst refugees.

All items like chairs, tables, coolboxes and other usefull items go to our 'Camping Recycle & Repair Store'.

At Awakenings, we aim to create a safe space where you can be yourself and lose yourself. We value and respect all people.

We will not tolerate the use of derogatory or discriminatory language, gestures or actions, any form of harassment, racism, sexism, ableism or any other targeted comments. Any form of written, verbal or physical abuse or threats, such as unwanted and unwelcome (sexual) comments, deliberate intimidations or inappropriate physical contact are not allowed. The same goes for advocating for, or encouraging this behavior. We retain the right to take any actions needed to keep and restore a safe environment.

Click here to view our complete Code of Conduct.

If you experience or notice behavior that’s not in line with our values, please check in with each other and know that our (social safety) staff is always here for you.

Did something happen at the festival? Please turn to our staff on site.

If this does not feel comfortable, there are leaflets at the entrance and toilets with a QR-code. By scanning the QR-code, you will start an WhatsApp converstation with staff on site who will help you.
We work together with Sexmatters, an independent foundation committed to raising more acceptance, equality, and social inclusion.

We aim Awakenings to be accessible for everyone.

We work together with Handicap NL to keep evolving our facilities. At Awakenings Summer Festival, we have a Low Stimulus Space and extra care facilities available, where the staff of Handicap NL will assist when needed.

Please click here to view all facilities.

For each show, we offer a number of tickets with a discount to persons who would like to visit our events but cannot afford to pay the full entrance fee.

These tickets are spread through a specialized department of the Municipality of Amsterdam.

Bridges for Music (SA)
We have a long-lasting partnership with Bridges for Music, a non-profit organization focused on empowering young talent from under-served communities to become creative change-makers, providing 21st-century- tools and equipping them with the psychosocial and entrepreneurial skills to thrive in the creative industries. We offer 4 scholarships a year and mentor 2 students.

Students of Bridges for Music created playlists for Awakenings Festival, click here to listen.

Patta Academy (Amsterdam)
Patta is not only an international streetwear brand, but it is a community of creative souls. The founders of Patta have created the Patta Academy; a talent school that stimulates young entrepreneurship, by recruiting talented individuals and helping them realize their dreams. The Academy wants to give back to the community, by helping talented individuals (with an entrepreneurial spirit) get started. Awakenings host a masterclass day together with ID&T, to inspire the students on organizing events. Click here to read more about Patta Academy.