19-20 Aug: free Booch? festival in Heerlen

The free of charge Booch? festival will take place for the ninth time this year on saturday the 19th and sunday the 20th of august. Last year, with the well-known Dutch acts Krezip and Racoon and the German performers of the Apokalyptischen Reiter, 25.000 people visited the festival over two days. Check ‘history’ if you want to find out what other acts performed on one of the Booch? stages.

On saturday the festival will start at 20.00 till 01.00. On sunday the first band will start at 14.00 and the last one will finish at 23.00. On both days the party will go on in several bars’ that are situated at the festival squares. For the latest news about acts that are programmed by the organisation check ‘programma’.

The festival in General
Festival Booch? is a free of charge event that is organised once a year at different squares in the centre of Heerlen. The squares are situated around a magnificent building called ‘Glass Palace’. On the stages are national and international acts programmed reflecting many different music styles of the current popmusic scene. One of the reasons to programm different styles of music on each stage is to attract a broad audience. By programming a DJ after the performance of a rockband the Booch? foundation tries to give rockfans a taste of dance-music and visa versa. One can speak of a cross-over festival, only Booch? doesn’t programm rock music on the one stage and dance music on the other, it programms different styles of music on one stage. Also, there is a mix of acts that are well-known to the public and acts that are just starting to perform.

The name Booch?
The word Booch? has no particular meaning, but it always comes with a question mark. When the festival was organised for the first time in 1998 there weren’t that many cross-over festivals that programmed different styles of music on one stage. Therefore the organisers came up with the name Booch?. The questionmark stands for surprise, it reflects the way acts are programmed and it links to the upcoming bands that are not well-known (yet) with the public, but do have great potential. The best examples of beginning acts that were not well-known to the public that reveled the Booch? stages are Dj Tiësto (1999), Brainpower and Zuco 103 (both 2001).

Tickets
Free of charge!

Transport
By train:
The festival area is within walking distance of Heerlens’ railway station. When leaving the train, take the steps down to the tunnel and walk towards the city centre (if you end up in the busstation, you walked the wrong direction…!). When leaving the tunnel go to the left and walk into the shopping street. At the end of this street you will find yourselve on the main square of the festival.

By car from Eindhoven:
Take the A2 in direction Maastricht. At the junction called ‘Kerensheide’ take the A76 in direction Heerlen/Aken. After aproximately 13 kilometres take the exit Voerendaal/Heerlen the N281. Don’t drive faster than 100 or you will be flashed! Take the exit Valkenburg/Maastricht and take a left at the traffic lights. From there on follow the signs ‘Glaspaleis’ or the signs that will guide you to a multistorey carpark. There are 3 of these situated very close to the citycentre so when you leave your car you will probably hear the music already!

From Maastricht/Belgium:
When entering Heerlen follow the signs ‘Glaspaleis’.

From Germany:
From Aachen form the A4 take the E314 and enter the Netherlands. After about 1 kilometre take the exit ‘Simpelveld’ the N281. Leave the N281 at the exit Valkenburg/Maastricht and take a right at the traffic lights. From there on follow the signs ‘Glaspaleis’ or the signs that will guide you to a multistorey carpark. There are 3 of these situated very close to the citycentre so when you leave your car you will probably hear the music already!

For more information or questions send an email to info@booch.nl

Source: Booch? website (information available in Dutch, German and English)