Festival Sunsation in Lelystad registered in the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Network: ‘It is a living tradition’

By registering in the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Network, the organization and visitors demonstrate that they recognize the festival as intangible heritage: it is a living tradition that is passed on from generation to generation. And Sunsation is part of Flevoland’s identity, it connects artists and festival visitors with art, nature and history.

The initiative for registration was taken by the festival organization. Intangible heritage can only be registered by practitioners or those directly involved. Knowledge Center for Intangible Heritage Netherlands (KIEN) has confirmed that the Lelystad festival meets the criteria for intangible heritage as stated in the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and has accepted the notification made visible on the website .

‘Sunsation is more than a festival’

Thom Ummels, chairman and founder of Festival Sunsation: ‘By registering, we recognize that Sunsation is more than a festival. It is the oldest cultural festival in Flevoland and has been a unique tradition for more than forty years, contributing to the cultural landscape of Flevoland. Where visitors are an essential part of a special experience and where poetry, land art, nature, the history of Flevoland and the summer solstice come together. Registering in the network fills us with pride and gives us new energy for the future.’

42nd edition of Sunsation

The organization recently announced the first names of the 42nd edition of Festival Sunsation. Joris van Casteren, Myrthe Nauta and Yasmin Geradts, among others, will take to the stage in the weekend around the summer solstice. BASCUL, which provided the night programming last year, will once again be responsible for programming live electronic music on late Friday evenings this year.

Festival Sunsation starts on Friday, June 21 at 8:00 PM and ends on Saturday, June 22 at 9:00 AM. Sunsation remains free to access. Spending the night on the festival site, in a tent, caravan or camper, is also free. On the new website www.festivalsunsation.nl more information about the festival visit can be found.

Unique festival

Festival Sunsation is a two-day festival that takes place every year around the longest day. New generations of Flevolanders are actively involved in the development of Sunsation, including in programming, the management of the organization and in communication. Nature organization Het Flevo-landen is the manager of the Observatory. Land Art Flevoland brings the land art collection in Flevoland to the attention of a wide audience. The Zonnewende Flevoland Foundation organizes Festival Sunsation every year.