To make sure you’re informed, safe, and happy during our festival, we have listed all practical info for you to get the most out of Awakenings Upclose 2025!
General
TICKETS
You will need to personalize your tickets, this is available from february 1st. Click here for more info on personalizing your tickets.
All e-tickets are sealed, after all tickets are personalized, the tickets will be sent to the main buyer on Thursday 15th of May.
Heading towards the festival?
Please turn up the brightness of the screen on your phone and download your e-tickets for faster access, no need to print your e-ticket.
Please note: No entrance after 21:00 and no re-entrance after leaving.
LOCATION AND TRAVEL
Upclose takes place at Houtrak (Spaarnwoude-park).
The easiest way to travel is by bike or take the shuttle bus from Sloterdijk. From the drop-off point it's a 10 minute walk to the festival.
To avoid queues and save time and money, please buy your shuttle/ parking/ touringcar tickets in advance and plan your travel.
Visiting both days? Choose the WEEKEND line at the entrance, and pick up your wristband there.
On Sunday this wristband + your e-ticket is your entrance ticket, so make sure to keep your wristband on; without it, you won’t get in.
LOCKERS
You can buy your locker online in pre-sale with discount in our ticketshop.
After buying your locker online in pre-sale, you will receive an e-mail with your locker number and pin code, so this will avoid waiting at the locker desk. If you bought your locker online and received the number and pin code, you will not be able to re-sell the locker e-ticket through Ticketswap anymore.
Lockers can be bought online till Wednesday 14th of May, 09:00.
The locker number and pin will be sent on Thursday 15th of May.
Weekend-visitors buy a 2-day-locker and keep the same locker and code for the weekend.
Didn’t buy your locker upfront?
The last lockers will be available at the festival. You can still buy a locker at our locker desk, just after the entrance.
Locker sizes:
Standard : 22,0 x 25,0 x 50,0 cm (1 or 2 friends)
Large: 33,0 x 25,0 x 50 cm (2 or 3 friends)
TOKENS
Food and drinks can be bought with tokens, which can be paid by cash and card at several token stations across the festival grounds.
DEPOSIT RECYCLE SYSTEM
During all our Awakenings events we are working with a deposit system on all cups, cans and bottles we give out at the bars. We would like to collect as many as possible, to make sure they can be recycled!
At the entrance, after scanning your ticket, you’ll receive 1 FREE recycle token from us.
With each drink you order, you hand in your recycle token or an empty cup, can, or bottle.
Lost your recycle token and/or your cup, can, bottle? Then you have to pay 1 regular token.
When you’re leaving the venue 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 the recycle points at the venue. The bar staff will give you your recycle token in return.
There is a unique code on the recycle token, after the event you can go to our website and fill out the code, then you have a chance of winning prizes!
APPAREL
We have brand new apparel, only available at the festival store, so be on time! This new drop includes sweaters, hats, sunglasses, T-shirts, and more!
SMOKING
We do not sell cigarettes or vapes during our events. Due to Dutch regulations, it is forbidden to smoke inside venues and tents. If you still want to smoke, please do so outside. This also counts for vaping. Note: It is allowed to carry a max of 2 packs of cigarettes or vaporizers per person.
ACCESSIBILITY & EXTRA CARE
We aim Awakenings to be accessible for everyone. Please find here the measurements we have taken.
If you have any questions or requests concerning accessibility, please get in touch at info@awakenings.nl. If you have any questions during the events, please don’t hesitate to turn to our staff.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
ALL RULES
Bring your happy face.
Please turn up the brightness of the screen on your phone and download your e-tickets for faster access to the party or print your e-ticket.
Age 18+ (don’t forget your ID).
Always follow the instructions of our staff, security, parking and emergency services personnel.
Always respect other visitors, no (sexual) harassment will be tolerated.
No pets, fireworks, weapons and sharp or dangerous objects are allowed.
No drugs are allowed, so all hard drugs, pills, powders, liquids, mushrooms and N2O (nitrous oxide/laughing gas) are forbidden.
Security will thoroughly search everybody before and during the event.
If hard drugs are found you will be removed from the festival and might be handed over to the police.
Soft drugs like hash & weed are also not allowed at the festival (only tolerated in coffee shops & Gashouder).
It’s not allowed to bring food/drinks.
Camera surveillance and metal detectors are part of our security program for your and our safety.
Selfie sticks, professional photo/fil/video/audio equipment are not allowed. Standard digital cameras/phones are allowed.
Club oriented football shirts / shirts or stickers with offending lyrics / symbols / motorclub colours and masks are not allowed. Keep your shirt on.
Large flags/inflatable objects/balloons are not allowed.
No smoking or vaping in the tents.
Smoking on the outdoor stages is allowed.
We have the right to refuse admittance without restitution of entrance fees.
Access is at your own risk; if you feel uncomfortable or if you want ear protection, go to the Emergency Room / First Aid.
It’s forbidden to give commercial activities in and around the festival area, without the agreement of the organization.
No entrance after 20:00 and no re-entrance after leaving the festival.
Safety
ZERO TOLERANCE
Awakenings is a zero tolerance event. This means that no drugs are allowed, so all (hard and soft) drugs, pills, powders, liquids, mushrooms and N2O (nitrous oxide/laughing gas) are forbidden.
Security will thoroughly search everybody before entering the event. When hard drugs are found, you will be removed from the event and you might be handed over to the police.
CODE OF CONDUCT, SOCIAL SAFETY TEAM
At Awakenings, we aim to create a safe space where you can be yourself and lose yourself. We value and respect all people. We have a collective responsibility and take care of each other.
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 a WhatsApp converstation with staff on site who will help you.
If you’re not feeling well, please visit the “first aid” / “EHBO”, they are there for you and stationed near the entrance/exit. Take your time to chill out, eat some food and ice. If you need water, you can either buy it at the bar or drink some at the free taps near the toilets. It’s advisable not to drink great amounts of water (no more than 1 or 2 glasses an hour) and to eat something.
Prepare for all weather conditions. May in the Netherlands can be sunny during the day, cold in the evenings, and rain can be included. But that won't stop us :) The festival is produced for all weather conditions. Area 01 is a tent-hall and Area 07 has a tent-roof. The other 4 stages are open air. There will be some other tent-roofs against sun of rain near the food areas.
Check out our advice below:
Don’t forget to use sunscreen when it’s sunny (you can bring your own, no spray)
Drink enough water, but not too much
Take a break sometimes and don’t forget to grab a bite
We advise you to wear comfortable clothes and layers, so you’re able to take something off or put something extra on
We advise you to look at the weather forcast and bring a jacket / poncho in case of rain. Poncho’s can also be bought at the festival mech-stand for 1,-
Small non-pointy umbrellas are allowed
During the night the temperature can drop, don’t forget to bring some warm clothes
Think of yourself, care about others
The first aid team is your friend
Don’t push your limits, be responsible
Most of all enjoy the festival and dance!
PICKPOCKETS
BE AWARE OF PICKPOCKETS! Keep an eye on your bag / phone and leave valuable (golden) necklaces at home. If you see anyone suspicious, please turn to the security and give a description of this person.
PROTECT YOUR EARS
We advise wearing earplugs with a music filter. There’s a special shop at the festival next to the first aid where we sell Alpine x Awakenings earplugs. Earplugs will also be available at the merchandise store.
SUSTAINABILITY
We love to dance together on our beautiful planet for many more years. We are aware of our environmental impact, and we intend to create our festivals as sustainable as possible. Let’s take care of each other and keep it clean together!
Vegetarian menu
One of the easiest ways to contribute to less climate change, is by eating a vegetarian diet. We offer a 100% vegetarian, delicious menu. Let us surprise you how versitale and nutricious it can be! Find all food options here.
Smart Energy
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 are also powered by batteries. In 2019 we started using biofuels, obtained from horticulture, to power our generators.
Plant trees
We ask our visitors to come by public transportation as much as possible, which most of you do. Awakenings donates 2% of every parking & shuttle bus ticket to Trees for All, who plant trees on our behalf to compensate the CO2 emission.
Water
At all our toilets, there is a free drinking water spot for you to fill your cup/ bottle.
We have flush toilets which are flushed with gray water (reusable wastewater). By doing so, we save 3kg CO2 per flush.
We encourage you to live in the moment, make memories and minimize the use of your mobile phones. Upon arrival at the event, your camera flash will be taped over with an Awakenings sticker. In this way, we minimize the use of flash as this can be bothering for artists and fellow visitors. When taking pictures and videos, please respect that some visitors might not want to be photographed or filmed.