Meierijstad approves €1.50 daily festival levy
According to IQ Magazine, Paaspop, 7th Sunday and Harmony of Hardcore will owe €1.50 per paying visitor per day from January 1, 2028 under a levy approved by Meierijstad's council.
Paaspop, 7th Sunday and Harmony of Hardcore together attract roughly 200,000 visitors a year to Meierijstad, according to IQ Magazine. In its November 6 report, IQ said the municipal council voted on November 5, 2026 to make organisers pay €1.50 per paying visitor per day from January 1, 2028.
IQ identifies This Is Live Group as Paaspop's promoter and puts the festival's daily attendance at roughly 40,000. It describes 7th Sunday and Harmony of Hardcore as one-day festivals in Erp, drawing around 45,000 each.
MooiSchijndel puts expected annual municipal revenue at about €307,500. It reports that municipal portfolio holder Van den Tillaart argued the charge should cover indirect costs as well as direct staff time.
Organisers say they already pay for security, traffic measures, cleaning and medical facilities, IQ reports. Paaspop director Peter Sanders said after the vote, according to IQ, which cited Omroep Brabant: “We do and arrange everything ourselves for our festival.”
MooiSchijndel reports that the council executive will examine costs and explore direct financial agreements with organisers. The ordinance could be amended or withdrawn if a workable alternative emerges, with the executive due to revisit the issue while preparing the financial framework for 2028.