In the late sixties, the new pop music did not penetrate much into Limburg. There are some 'underground cellars' or hip youth clubs, but the majority of young people still just love rock' n roll. Journalist Wim Wennekens takes care of the youth page 'NU' at De Nieuwe Limburger. This page is actually one elongated heart cry: 'nothing ever happens in Limburg'.
He soon finds a partner in Hans van Beers. This former teacher becomes director of the Trajectum youth center, which immediately gets a very hip look. Together they organize bus trips to the west to be able to attend performances by large pop groups. Until one thinks: let's organize something ourselves. However, they do not have to do this alone, the orchestra agency Paul van Kammen from Maastricht is called in. Paul van Kammen is a great help to select and contract the Limburg bands for Pinknick.
Gulperberg Panorama, indeed located at the top of the Gulpenerberg, needs to put itself on the world map. One Mr. Doze, the then manager of Camping Gulperberg, approaches Wim Wennekens whether he wants to organize a talent show on the grounds near the café. That will have to take place on Whit Monday, May 26, 1969. Wennekens doesn't really like that. He proposes to organize a pop festival instead, following the example of Monterey pop and Dutch predecessors in The Hague and near Utrecht. A number of hip Limburg bands are asked to come and play 'for free'. Wennekens and Van Beers organize a free pig-to-the-spit and free apples are available to the public. It is also announced in the local newspaper.
The event is called 'Pinknick'; because of Pentecost and because of VPRO's Piknik, which the trendy part of Limburg really looked up to. Almost 10,000 people come to it; not only pop lovers, but also grandparents with grandchildren. And families with empty shopping bags to load the apples. It is a great success.
Pinkpop is the result of the event that was organized on Monday 26 May 1969 on the site of the Gulpenerberg campsite in Gulpen. At that time, mainly Limburg amateur groups were playing, Opus 23, The Sharons and KEEM. This festival was then still called Pinknick. The nationally known acts were Armand, Geno's Blue Busters and Brainbox, then with Jan Akkerman, Pierre van der Linden on drums and Cas Lux. There was an official hash dealer with permission to sell 1 piece of maroc of 3 gram for 10 guilders per person, and a pig turned on the spit.
He soon finds a partner in Hans van Beers. This former teacher becomes director of the Trajectum youth center, which immediately gets a very hip look. Together they organize bus trips to the west to be able to attend performances by large pop groups. Until one thinks: let's organize something ourselves. However, they do not have to do this alone, the orchestra agency Paul van Kammen from Maastricht is called in. Paul van Kammen is a great help to select and contract the Limburg bands for Pinknick.
Gulperberg Panorama, indeed located at the top of the Gulpenerberg, needs to put itself on the world map. One Mr. Doze, the then manager of Camping Gulperberg, approaches Wim Wennekens whether he wants to organize a talent show on the grounds near the café. That will have to take place on Whit Monday, May 26, 1969. Wennekens doesn't really like that. He proposes to organize a pop festival instead, following the example of Monterey pop and Dutch predecessors in The Hague and near Utrecht. A number of hip Limburg bands are asked to come and play 'for free'. Wennekens and Van Beers organize a free pig-to-the-spit and free apples are available to the public. It is also announced in the local newspaper.
The event is called 'Pinknick'; because of Pentecost and because of VPRO's Piknik, which the trendy part of Limburg really looked up to. Almost 10,000 people come to it; not only pop lovers, but also grandparents with grandchildren. And families with empty shopping bags to load the apples. It is a great success.
Pinkpop is the result of the event that was organized on Monday 26 May 1969 on the site of the Gulpenerberg campsite in Gulpen. At that time, mainly Limburg amateur groups were playing, Opus 23, The Sharons and KEEM. This festival was then still called Pinknick. The nationally known acts were Armand, Geno's Blue Busters and Brainbox, then with Jan Akkerman, Pierre van der Linden on drums and Cas Lux. There was an official hash dealer with permission to sell 1 piece of maroc of 3 gram for 10 guilders per person, and a pig turned on the spit.
