CORE Festival – a collaboration between Tomorrowland and Rock Werchter – will not return to Brussels' Osseghem Park in 2024.
Despite what the organisation called two successful editions in Osseghem Park at the foot of the Atomium, CORE festival is taking a break from Brussels and Belgium and shifting its focus abroad.
"We are pressing pause for a bit," CORE Festival organisers told Belga News Agency. "In 2023, CORE had its first international edition in Tulum in Mexico. In early 2024, the festival will once again descend on Mexico. And not for one, but two weekends in a row."
Keeping the door open
CORE enjoys a lot of interest from abroad, the organisation said. "Other international events are also currently being reviewed for feasibility. The ambitions of the CORE team are high, and that is why priorities are being set. The focus will shift for a while in 2024, from Brussels to the rest of the world."
Although the organisation stressed that cooperation with the city of Brussels was "always very constructive," it remains to be seen whether the festival will return to its Brussels roots in the future. Both parties are nonetheless "keeping the door open".
"CORE Festival established itself as a surprising newcomer in the wide range of festivals on offer," the organisation said, adding that the festival started very successfully in Brussels. "The second edition in spring this year was also one to look back on with pride."
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The festival's second edition in 2023, however, received a lot of criticism for reportedly handing out a very large number of free tickets to ensure enough people would attend. There were also numerous complaints about the high prices for both tickets as well as food and drink vouchers.
This raises fears that despite what the organisation said, the festival did not gain an immediate foothold in Brussels after all, which could also be a reason why the festival is, for now, seeking new horizons abroad.
