On Saturday, the second day of the Gentse Feesten attracted 205,000 visitors to the city, nearly the same number as the previous year, with no major crowding issues reported, according to festival mayor Joris Vandenbroucke.
Despite the high turnout, problematic crowds were absent, and rainy weather fortunately stayed away. Vandenbroucke noted that the figure was 5,000 less than last year, equating to a decrease of less than 2%, qualifying Saturday as a success in both attendance and atmosphere.
Approximately 40,000 of those attendees travelled to the centre by bicycle, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. This means about a quarter of all visitors opted for cycling. Currently, there are 6,645 bicycle parking spots, already 400 more than last year, yet Vandenbroucke aims to expand further. An additional 2,400 spaces will be created in the three staffed bike parks, potentially offering over 9,000 spots for cyclists. However, adding new locations remains challenging. Parking too far from the festival area proves inconvenient, although only one bike was impounded for obstructive parking during the night from Saturday to Sunday.
The weather forecast for the coming days, however, appears less favourable. Acting mayor Hafsa El-Bazioui is closely monitoring the situation, anticipating possible thunderstorms between 20:00 and 22:00, after which conditions are expected to improve.
