Three times is a charm!

It is with pride that we present the third edition of STROOM, the Festival which takes place in the beautiful Scheldt valley between Ghent and Antwerp. Together with our many partners in the valley - which can call itself a National Park since October 2023! - we have once again put together an adventurous programme, in which the river, nature and the theme of sustainability take on a prominent role.  

Our Festival programme takes us to picturesque villages and magnificent castles, connected by beautiful walking and cycling paths. Great concerts are interspersed with discourses and hikes. With our STROOMboot, we offer an inspiring musical workshop for children on the theme of 'water'. Again this year, our climate-neutral boat, De Vrijbuiter, docks at a different spot multiple times during the festival for a shore concert. The timing of the concert is determined by the tides. Our connection to the river couldn’t be any stronger!

We are also very happy to add some wonderful new locations to our programme along the Scheldt, but also on the banks of some tributaries. This takes us this year, for the first time, to Hemiksem, Destelbergen-Heusden and, moving along the Dender to Lebbeke and Aalst, and along the Durme to Lokeren.

As for our sustainability strategy, we are moving into a higher gear. We appointed a sustainability manager and drew up our own 'sustainability plan'. In all facets of the festival, we think about the consequences for nature and the climate, and try - together with all artists and partners - to minimise our negative impact on nature. In doing so, we resolutely endorse the Sustainable Enterprise Charter of VOKA. 

The beautiful Scheldt Valley is the ideal biotope for a festival that connects, where culture and climate, heritage and sustainability all come together organically. Our unique contribution to this is the voice of the artists. Besides all the scientific knowledge, we also need their imagination on our way to a new world. 

Together with all partners, artists and (of course!) the public, we celebrate the beauty of our planet, and commit to its preservation. 

Welcome!