Pohoda named the Best Medium-Sized Festival in Europe at the most prestigious European Festival Awards 2023
Pohoda has turned its nomination for the European Festival Awards 2023 into a win in the Best Medium-Sized Festival category. This confirms its place among the top festivals in Europe. The winners in each category were announced on January 17 during a gala ceremony in Groningen, the Netherlands. The whole Pohoda team is currently in Groningen, successfully kicking off our participation in Europe's biggest showcase festival, ESNS 2024.
18. January 2024
Pohoda won the award for the Best Medium-Sized Festival not only thanks to the music professionals who choose the final winner, but also thanks to the visitors who vote for their favourite in the first round. For the European Festival Awards, a medium-sized festival is defined as having a daily attendance of between 10,000 and 39,999 people. This award and the nomination itself are proof that we can make world-class festivals at home and that Slovakia is rightfully on the global festival map.
"We are happy, Pohoda is experiencing a historic moment. To be named the best European festival by experts from the global music scene is fantastic. I am convinced that this is good news for the whole music scene in Slovakia. Thanks to everyone who contributes to the Pohoda story, we are surrounded by amazing people – from those who work at the festival to the suppliers, agents, artists and those who define Pohoda the most – our visitors. They voted for us to be on the shortlist, from which we were then selected by an expert jury. I often say it, but it has never been truer than now – if there was an award for the best festival audience, Pohoda would be the clear winner and we are grateful for that. I would like to personally thank everyone on our team – I know how much effort they put into the festival, how thoroughly and warmly they prepare it, and this award is the result. Moreover, it came at the right time – it gives us strength and determination, and we look forward to meeting at future editions," adds Pohoda's director Michal Kaščák about the award.
Pohoda was also nominated in the categories of The Take a Stand Award and The Event Safety Award. The Event Safety Award recognises excellence in event safety and health. Pohoda Festival was nominated for its comprehensive solutions in safety, health, and prevention.
The Take a Stand Award puts the spotlight on the social activities and initiatives of European festivals that prioritise tolerance, humanity, and understanding in their programmes. Pohoda received the nomination for its engagement in issues such as the climate crisis, the war in Ukraine, and LGBTI+, reflecting these events in its 2023 programme in sync with events in Slovakia.
In the past, Pohoda won the European Festival Awards in the categories Take a Stand and Award For Excellence And Passion in 2018 and the Ecological Solutions Award in 2017.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all festival visitors, who are the heart and soul of the festival. It is also thanks to their participation that we were able to win these valuable awards, which will increase the visibility of Slovak festival culture on the world stage.