A wonderful WMC anniversary edition!

The WMC weekends produced many beautiful and emotional moments at the Parkstad Limburg Stadium, the Rodahal, and the theater. Thousands of musicians showcased their very best. Visitors enjoyed the competitions, the atmosphere at the Market Square, and the convivial vibe in the City Park. The power of music to foster fellowship and connection was demonstrated once again during the 20th edition of the World Music Contest.

New team, new chapter

For two and a half years, the team led by WMC Director Bart van der Roost worked on this anniversary edition. “Together with volunteers, partners, sponsors, the Municipality of Kerkrade, and the Province of Limburg, we have written this new chapter for the WMC. The fact that we were able to enjoy the WMC and BLOW! WMC this summer is thanks to the large group of people who have worked tirelessly over the past few years to preserve this unique competition. Their boundless dedication and courage were key to this success. This enthusiasm gave us, as a team, the drive to do everything possible to give the WMC this fresh new start.”

Visitor numbers

This edition of the WMC was a resounding success for everyone involved. Musicians performed at a very high level across all divisions and categories. This was greatly appreciated by the visitors who turned out in large numbers. The opening parade drew 18,000 visitors. The marching and show contests attracted 29,500 visitors, while the competitions and concerts held in the Rodahal and the theater were attended by no fewer than 18,500 people.

Media coverage

The anniversary edition of the WMC attracted significant attention from regional, national, and international media. This began with L1’s live broadcast of the opening parade, the prime-time NOS broadcast on NPO1, and coverage of the photogenic and dynamic marching and show contests in the stadium. This media interest continued into the third and fourth weekends during the competitions in the Rodahal and the theater. The WMC also performed strongly on social media, achieving a reach of no less than 15 million views over the four weekends.

Livestream

The livestream was also a success, attracting thousands of viewers worldwide. “Absolutely. Especially considering that we lacked a blueprint from 2022. We had to reinvent the wheel with our own livestream platform, Vida. This has laid a solid foundation for further enhancing quality and the user experience by 2030. We received several hundred new sign-ups for the livestream platform every day. It now hosts over 15,000 minutes of WMC footage, watched by audiences ranging from Sweden to Australia and Japan to the United States,” the WMC director explains.

Alderman Vinken (Municipality of Kerkrade): “The WMC is a showcase for our city and an event of international stature. As a municipality, we support the organization wherever necessary and are happy to contribute to the success of this remarkable festival. It is wonderful to see how music connects people and how the WMC puts our municipality on the global map.”

BLOW! WMC

For four weeks, the events BLOW! WMC drew large crowds to Kerkrade’s city center. With their combination of programming that appeals to regional audiences and a contemporary layout of the event sites, both events created a true celebration of community and togetherness. This is reflected, among other things, in the many positive messages visitors posted on social media.

Safety planning for the outdoor events proceeded smoothly. No significant incidents regarding public order or safety occurred during the event weekends.

The successful outdoor events were made possible through the excellent collaboration between numerous volunteers, local entrepreneurs, and municipal departments: “We are incredibly proud to have succeeded in bringing live music to both the Market Square and the City Park—in a fantastic atmosphere—every long weekend for four whole weeks, from afternoon until evening. Feedback shows that many visitors experienced the true WMC spirit during the many performances. All the volunteers behind BLOW! WMC worked day and night to ensure the audience enjoyed themselves. Together with local entrepreneurs, they demonstrated the meaning of Kerkrade hospitality to visitors from the region and far beyond,” said Alderman Heijltjes (Municipality of Kerkrade).

Future

In the coming months, time will be taken to conduct a thorough evaluation and prepare a comprehensive, transparent financial report. Bart van der Roost explains that the WMC intends to present these figures in the autumn. “We have one chance to convince the entire world that, together with the municipality, we have chosen the right path to make the WMC future-proof. Over the past few months, our team has punched above its weight. We cut our coat according to our cloth, doing only what was absolutely essential. We took drastic measures and let go of many things that were merely ‘nice to have.’ That didn’t always win us friends, but it provided the foundation for achieving a great result together—results I can see reflected in the weekly balance sheets. I believe in a bright future for the WMC and BLOW! WMC—right where the event belongs: in the global capital of wind music, Kerkrade.”