Dutch music festival cut short following death of attendee
Pitfest, the Dutch music festival held in Emmen, was cut short over the weekend following the tragic death of a fan.
The event was set to take place between June 4th to June 6th. Sadly, on the final day, one festival-goer passed away during Gorilla Biscuits’ set, which caused performances by Dark Funeral and Gulerax to be cancelled.
No official details have yet been released regarding the identity of the deceased fan. According to Lambgoat, they suffered a fatal heart attack.
Taking to Instagram, Pitfest mournfully shared, “It is with great sadness that we have to announce that during Pitfest one of our visitors died.”
Their message continued, “During the performance of Gorilla Biscuits, someone got unwell on the site. Despite the quick deployment of the emergency services and medical professionals, aid was unfortunately not allowed to be useful anymore. It was later determined that there was a natural cause of death.”
The Dutch event then explained their decision to not continue with the festival, “Out of respect for the deceased, service family, friends and everyone else affected by this sad news, we have decided to discontinue the live music at that time.”
They also paid tribute to the deceased, adding, “Our thoughts go out to the bereaved. At a loss for words at moments like these. We wish them much strength and power as they process this loss.”
Pitfest’s emotional message continued, “In addition, we would like to express our appreciation for the first responders, our staff, volunteers and visitors who helped in any way during this urgent situation.”
Lastly, Pitfest reiterated that it “has always been a place where people come together around music, friendship, and connection,” which they say is “exactly why this loss hits us deeply.”
Additionally, in an interview with local publication RTV Drenthe, festival co-organiser Maik Reuvers said “everyone is devastated” by the loss of a fan at Pitfest.
Reuvers described it as the “best and busiest Pitfest ever” before the tragedy struck, which he “is the biggest anticlimax you can imagine”.
The organiser also praised other attendees for how they handled the circumstances, citing police fears about cancelling the live music, but said “we have the best audience in the world” and there was no trouble.
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