Oerol Festival
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Oerol is the name of a famous Dutch summer festival that takes place in June. For 10 days, the Dutch island of Terschelling is transformed into one huge theatre for more than 60 performances that take place from sunup to sundown.
Oerol means everywhere! Oerol takes its name from an old Terschelling tradition, when in early Spring and late Fall the cattle was allowed to roam freely on the island for a short time, grazing on any and all available greenery. In the winter the cattle stayed in stalls, and in the summer they were kept in their fields. The "oerol" tradition at both ends of the winter that shortened the time the farmers needed to feed the cattle in stalls, was ended finally with the coming of the paved road, since cars and bicyclists collided at night with sleeping cattle.
Nowadays "oerol" heralds a new wandering grazer; the festival tourist. For 10 days in June the Dutch island of Terschelling becomes the scene of an invasion of tourists who come to listen to music, watch performances, and see modern art in the dunes, woods, and villages of the island.
Over 55,000 people visit the island festival and some 85,000 tickets are sold for the various performances organized, while street theatre acts, art, and podium music is free during the festival. The underlying philosophy of the Oerol Festival is that the whole island of Terschelling in those 10 days serves as a stage and source of inspiration for national and international theatre producers, musicians and graphic artists. Beaches, woods, dunes and older landscapes function as stages. Shows have even been known to take place in drafty farm-sheds, damp boathouses or an army bunker. Barn theatre, street theatre, outdoor music performances, and more and more often multi-media performances are all part of The Terschelling Oerol Festival.
In 2006 Oerol celebrated its 25th year.
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