Some festivals flare up, rinse a few line-ups, then quietly disappear.
Others cling on with nostalgia and hope.
Then there’s Pinkpop… still loud, still relevant, still pulling huge crowds more than half a century after it first cranked the volume knob.
This isn’t just a festival.
This is the world’s oldest and longest-running annual pop and rock music festival, still standing like a battered amp that somehow sounds better the harder you push it.
Held every year in Landgraaf, Pinkpop is the beating heart of Dutch festival culture and the biggest music event in the Netherlands. If you’ve ever bonded with strangers in a muddy field over riffs, rain, and questionable life choices… this one’s for you.
🌧️ A FESTIVAL BORN IN THE RAIN
Pinkpop first erupted in 1970, named after Pentecost, or Pinksteren in Dutch, a bank holiday famous for bad weather. Instead of fighting it, Pinkpop leaned in. Mud became tradition. Boots became mandatory. Complaining became pointless.
Since that first edition, the festival has run every single year, with only one unavoidable pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s not luck. That’s pure rock ‘n’ roll stubbornness.
The 54th edition took place on June 20, 21 and 22, 2025, once again taking over Megaland in Limburg for three days of glorious noise, communal chaos, and unforgettable moments.
👑 A LINE-UP HISTORY THAT READS LIKE A ROCK HALL OF FAME
Pinkpop doesn’t just book bands. It captures eras.
Over three million fans have passed through the gates, and more than 1,000 unique artists have taken to its stages. The list of past performers is genuinely ridiculous, featuring icons such as:
Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Metallica, Pearl Jam, U2, The Cure, Rage Against The Machine, Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay, and Robbie Williams.
That’s not nostalgia bait. That’s music history in muddy trainers.
🎟️ TICKETS: HOW MUCH DID PINKPOP 2025 COST?
Right, let’s talk money.
- Day ticket: around €155
Ideal if you’re popping in for one massive day and a headline set. - Weekend ticket: around €305
Three full days of music with regular camping included. Considering the scale of the festival, that’s cracking value.
Tickets don’t hang around long, and resale prices have a habit of getting spicy. Don’t sleep on it.
🏕️ CAMPING AT PINKPOP: PICK YOUR BATTLEGROUND
Camping at Pinkpop is part of the identity. Whether you want full mud-soaked chaos or something a bit more civilised, there’s an option to suit.
🔥 REGULAR CAMPING (INCLUDED WITH WEEKEND TICKET)
The classic Pinkpop experience.
- Included with every weekend ticket
- Bring your own tent and supplies
- Toilets, showers, and food stalls on site
- Lively, loud, and properly social
This is where the stories happen. Late-night chats, early-morning regrets, and neighbours you’ll remember long after the weekend ends.
🌟 COMFORT CAMPING (UPGRADE)
Festival life, but with a bit of mercy.
- Separate, calmer camping area
- More space between tents
- Better showers and toilets
- Phone charging facilities
You still bring your own tent, but you wake up feeling vaguely human. Perfect if you want to go hard without completely destroying yourself.
🛏️ GLAMPING (UPGRADE)
Yes, Pinkpop glamps. No judgement here.
- Pre-set tents or lodges
- Proper beds or quality airbeds
- Bedding included
- Upgraded sanitary facilities
- Zero tent-building stress
All the festival atmosphere, none of the midnight tent-pole arguments.
🚐 CAMPER / CARAVAN CAMPING (UPGRADE)
Arriving with wheels? Sorted.
- Dedicated campervan and caravan areas
- Electricity options available
- Shorter walks back at night
- Ideal for groups wanting a solid base
Festival vibes with a bit of home comfort and fewer missing socks.
📺 CAPTURED FOREVER: THE PINKPOP ARCHIVE
Since 1992, the festival has been professionally recorded and broadcast, quietly building one of the most impressive live-music archives anywhere.
More than 1,500 performances have been captured over the years, many now available online, letting fans jump between eras, genres, and legendary sets whenever the mood hits.
🔥 WHY PINKPOP STILL MATTERS
Pinkpop doesn’t chase trends. It doesn’t need gimmicks. It survives because it understands the basics:
- Book great artists
- Respect the crowd
- Let the music do the talking
In a world full of short-lived festivals, Pinkpop keeps showing up, rain or shine, mud or dust, and delivering every single year.
Long live Pinkpop.
See you in the field, mun 🤘🌧️🍻
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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