Rock for People brings big acts and a solar-powered stage to Hradec Králové

Rock for People, one of the summer’s biggest out-of-town festivals, takes place at Park 360 in Hradec Králové from June 8 to 11. Headline acts including Muse, Slipknot, Machine Gun Kelly, and The 1975 will play alongside a hundred more international and domestic artists. The full schedule including the lineup for every day of the festival is online.

People in Prague who already have a ticket can exchange them for a festival wristband at Komerční banka on Wenceslas Square until June 6. This will speed up entry to the festival.

Last year, the festival sold out and organizers expect it will again this year, even though the capacity has been increased to 40,000 people. Some categories of tickets are already sold out, and one-day tickets are nearly sold out.

Last year’s edition was named one of the Top 10 medium-sized European festivals by the European Festival Awards and the Event of the Year by Žebřík, which awards Czech music. This year’s festival will be even bigger.

“We have doubled our budget and are working on a truly remarkable edition this year,” festival director Michal Thomes said, mentioning that they attracted top talent despite competition from other top European festivals. “I am thrilled that we can bring the 27th Rock for People to another level and are now in the same league with the biggest festivals,” he added.

Acts will appear on six stages, plus a conference stage for discussions. The main acts will all be on the KB stage. Other stages will have specialties, such as the ČT art Stage, which will also show some films in addition to hosting live acts.

For people who want to participate, there again will be karaoke. The silent disco area lets people dance while wearing earbuds to a YouTube playlist already available online.

There is also an emphasis on sustainability this year. The KB FutureFest 2030 zone has two of the festival’s stages, the Solar Stage and the Conference Stage. The zone was created with an emphasis on sustainable and second-hand materials.

The Solar Stage will use solar power and batteries. Afternoons will feature discussions while musical acts will perform in the evenings. The zone will also rely on hydrogen generation. Recharging ports for phones will be available, and food in this part will be based on plants and alternative sources. Performers and guests will be transported using electric cars.

“The festival is like a medium-sized city. That is why we have included innovative technologies, services, designs, and programs in our zone that we believe indicate the trend of future lifestyles,” Hana Kovářová, executive director of Brand Strategy and Communication at Komerční banka, said.

Sustainability will also be reflected across the entire festival. No unnecessary chemicals will be used for cleaning, for example. The festival team will sort and recognize 18 types of waste. Some of the waste will be returned to the festival grounds in the form of building materials, mulch, fertilizer, or recycled products such as furnishings for festival visitors.

The festival will again be cashless this year and rely on wristbands that can be topped up, while debit cards or contactless payment won’t be accepted in the festival area. Unused funds can be reclaimed after the festival. The only time people would need cash is for the taxi service to and from the city.