Dessel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel ended under intense heat as campers headed home with smiles—though many called for more water points in future editions.
Carts and wheelbarrows are useful.
“I’m also dragging along a friend’s gear, because he had one too many on Sunday night,”
says the supportive metal fan Jason.
The campers pack up their gear once more on Monday, but the booming cries of German metal icon Till Lindemann continue to echo across the festival grounds.
“After a top edition”, says one of the thousands of music lovers who spent the sultry nights in a tent in Dessel, Belgium. Fortunately for them, Monday is a lot cooler than the past few days.
“I’ve been coming to Graspop for many years and this edition is definitely in my personal top 3. I really enjoyed Korn, I grew up with that band in the nineties. And then all that fun with friends. This is pure vacation!”
Among the busily chatting Graspoppers, there is also a lady who barely has a voice left.
“It was great fun and super cool”,
is all she can say – very hoarsely.
“It was really hot. I put on sunscreen twice a day,”
Jason puffs, pulling a cart full of tents, tarps and clothes.
“And then there’s also some of my buddy’s gear. He had one too many yesterday. He got sick and that’s why I’m helping out now. We need to show some solidarity.”
For a camper who is enjoying the afterglow in a folding chair, there could easily be more cooling.
“A tip for the organization next year? Even more water points!”
And that organization looks back on a successful 28th edition.
“Because of the heat, it was a bit more crowded in the aid stations than in previous years, but it wasn’t too bad,”
says Peter Van Geel.
“There is air conditioning in those areas and usually it went much better when the felled festival-goers could catch their breath there.”
The harder guitar work was loved daily by some 55,000 festival attendees at Graspop in Dessel.
What challenges do campers face when winding down after a long event?
Lack of enough sleep and recuperation after days of nonstop activity causes fatigue, which makes packing and transporting equipment more challenging.
When a memorable experience comes to an end, motivation and mood can be impacted by feelings of sadness, loss, or “post-camp blues.”
It can be physically taxing for campers to disassemble tents, pack belongings, and move bulky equipment—often in difficult weather conditions like wind or heat.
Weather conditions like heat, wind, or rain can make packing and departure more difficult, leading to delays and discomfort.
Helping friends who might be exhausted, drunk, or experiencing emotional distress makes it more difficult to escape the place without incident.
Inadequate water and poor nourishment during the event might exacerbate fatigue and stress, which can affect one’s physical capacity to depart effectively.
