Down the Rabbit Hole (festival)

{{Infobox music festival

| name = Down the Rabbit Hole

| image = Foals at Down The Rabbit Hole 2019.jpg

| image_size = 300

| alt =

| caption = The main Hotot stage in 2019

| genre =

| dates = June or July

| venue = Recreatiegebied Groene Heuvels

| location = Ewijk, Netherlands

| years_active = 2014–present

| founders =

| attendance = 47,000https://fhm.nl/entertainment/down-the-rabbit-hole-2024-review (2024)

| capacity =

| website = [http://downtherabbithole.nl/ downtherabbithole.nl]

| organizer = Mojo Concerts

}}

Down the Rabbit Hole (DTRH) is a three-day music festival that takes place in the Groene Heuvels leisure area in the village of Ewijk (near Nijmegen) in the Netherlands. It was first organized in 2014 and has since been held annually late June or early July.

Like Lowlands, it is organized by Mojo Concerts{{Cite web |url=http://go.3fm.nl/festivals/nieuws-detail/5226/Down-The-Rabbit-Hole-in-recreatiegebied-bij-Nijmegen |title=Down The Rabbit Hole in recreatiegebied bij Nijmegen |language=Dutch |publisher=NPO 3FM |date=14 November 2013 |access-date=17 November 2014}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.gelderlander.nl/regio/wijchen-beuningen/broertje-van-lowlands-festival-op-groene-heuvels-ewijk-down-the-rabbit-hole-1.4096919 |title=Broertje van Lowlands-festival op Groene Heuvels Ewijk: Down the Rabbit Hole |language=Dutch |publisher=De Gelderlander |date=14 November 2013 |access-date=17 November 2014}} and marketed as a competitor to Best Kept Secret.{{Cite web |url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/dossier-lowlands/lowlands-organisatie-komt-met-hippieesk-festival-down-the-rabbit-hole~a3544789/ |title=Lowlands-organisatie komt met hippieësk festival Down The Rabbit Hole |language=Dutch |first=Just |last=Fontein |publisher=Volkskrant.nl |date=14 November 2013 |access-date=17 November 2014}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.nrc.nl/muziek/2014/06/27/nieuw-festival-down-the-rabbit-hole-tips-van-de-muziekredactie/ |title=Nieuw festival Down The Rabbit Hole: tips van de muziekredactie |language=Dutch |last=Judith |first=Laanen |publisher=NRC |date=27 June 2014 |access-date=17 November 2014}} The first edition was attended by around 10,000 people and nominated for two European Festival Awards.{{Cite web |url=http://3voor12.vpro.nl/nieuws/2014/Down-The-Rabbit-Hole-2014/Down-The-Rabbit-Hole-wil-naar-35.000-bezoekers-met-40-jaren-plan.html |title=Down The Rabbit Hole wil "naar 35.000 bezoekers met 40-jaren plan" |language=Dutch |first=Ingmar |last=Griffioen |publisher=3voor12 |date=30 June 2014 |access-date=17 November 2014}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.gelderlander.nl/regio/wijchen-beuningen/down-the-rabbit-hole-ewijk-genomineerd-voor-2-awards-1.4582118 |title=Down the Rabbit Hole Ewijk genomineerd voor 2 awards |language=Dutch |publisher=De Gelderlander |date=16 October 2014 |access-date=17 November 2014}} The three main stages – "Hotot", "Fuzzy Lop", and "Teddy Widder" – are named after rabbit breeds.

History

The festival's director is Eric van Eerdenburg, who also directs Lowlands. The first edition took place in 2014 from 27 to 29 June. A three-day ticket cost 135€, and it was initially marketed as a little brother to Lowlands. De Staat was the first band that opened the festival on the initial Friday. It was headlined by Damon Albarn, The Black Keys and Foals. Down the Rabbit Hole also wanted to book Jack White, but he turned the offer down because he did not want to play the same festival as The Black Keys, who he feuded with. Quickly, the festival drew comparisons to Best Kept Secret, which began a year prior.{{Cite web |date=2014-06-30 |title=Best Kept Secret vs Down The Rabbit Hole: zoek de verschillen |url=https://3voor12.vpro.nl/artikelen/overzicht/2014/Down-The-Rabbit-Hole-2014/Best-Kept-Secret-vs-Down-The-Rabbit-Hole--zoek-de-verschillen.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=3voor12 |language=nl}} During his set, Albarn broke the news that Bobby Womack had died.{{Cite web |date=2014-06-28 |title=#DTRH14: Damon Albarn eert overleden Bobby Womack met ingetogen show |url=https://3voor12.vpro.nl/artikelen/overzicht/2014/Down-The-Rabbit-Hole-2014/BKS14-Damon-Albarn.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=3voor12 |language=nl}} The Netherlands played Mexico in the 2014 FIFA World Cup at the same time that The Naked and Famous were playing, so half of all festival attendees watched a stream of the match on the hill instead of their set. Van Eerdenburg said that his plan was to grow the festival to be attended by 35,000 people soon.

On 17 December 2019, the festival announced its initial 2020 lineup.{{Cite web |date=2019-12-17 |title=Down The Rabbit Hole Announces 2020 Lineup Featuring Tyler, The Creator, FKA Twigs and Wilco - |url=https://music.mxdwn.com/2019/12/17/news/down-the-rabbit-hole-announces-2020-lineup-featuring-tyler-the-creator-fka-twigs-and-wilco/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=mxdwn Music |language=en-US}} On 21 April 2020, the edition was cancelled because the Dutch government prohibited large gatherings until 1 September, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |title=Geen Down The Rabbit Hole in 2020 |url=https://3voor12.vpro.nl/update~fa4f110e-59c7-4940-adfd-35dd325fa68a~geen-down-the-rabbit-hole-in-2020~.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=3voor12 |language=nl}} In April 2021, it was announced that the 2021 edition would be delayed until late August and the location would be moved to the Lowlands site at Biddinghuizen, because the traditional July date was at greater risk of being cancelled and the larger site allowed for better safety.{{Cite web |title=Down The Rabbit Hole 2021 verhuist naar augustus én het Lowlands terrein {{!}} Nieuws {{!}} KINK |url=https://kink.nl/nieuws/down-the-rabbit-hole-2021-verhuist-naar-augustus-en-het-lowlands-terrein |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=kink.nl |language=nl}} However, on 26 July 2021, the festival was cancelled because multi-day events with camping were prohibited by the government until 1 September, to meet stricter corona measures.{{Cite web |title=Ook geen Lowlands en Down the Rabbit Hole in 2021 {{!}} Nieuws op Festivalinfo |url=https://www.festivalinfo.nl/news/49950/Ook-geen-Lowlands-en-Down-the-Rabbit-Hole-in-2021/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Festivalinfo |language=nl}}