26 Mrt 2024
The story behind the largest knowledge festival: a unique fusion of knowledge and festival energy
In the Netherlands, there is a unique event that breaks through the conventional boundaries of conferences and embraces the energy of a festival, all with a strong focus on sharing knowledge. This event, known as The Largest Knowledge Festival of the Netherlands, is among others the brainchild of Kornelis Wetsema, a seasoned communication professional, and Rudie Jansman, who have been working together with the organization since 2016.
The Knowledge Festival is an event where the latest insights, stories, and practical examples are shared to help develop organizations, teams, and individuals. With themes such as personal leadership and technological development, the festival offers practical tools for improvement. Participants can enjoy an informal atmosphere, where they create their own program and take breaks to enjoy good food, drinks, and music.
From festival to festival: the origin of our own event
The concept of the Largest Knowledge Festival originated at Lowlands, when two friends of Kornelis and Rudie walked away from a band performance to attend a lecture. The idea of turning this experience around—creating a festival where lectures take center stage and music plays a supporting role—seemed well worth exploring.
With Kornelis’s background in marketing and communication combined with Rudie’s experience as a change manager, organizing a festival focused on innovative organizing felt like a logical step. Over the years, in addition to their own Largest Knowledge Festival, they have organized multiple knowledge events for third parties across the country.
The role of tactile in creating a true festival experience
We were looking for a new partner to upgrade our access system, as we had noticed that our previous system could be slow on the day itself and, during peak moments, could lead to unpleasant situations.
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Additionally, we were about to transition from a token-based system to a different payment solution. The idea of processing event payments via wristbands that also served as access passes appealed to us greatly. At the same time, the wristband, designed in our own style, adds to the festival feeling. How cool is that?
Tactile played an important role during this transition phase, both in the preparations leading up to the event and during the operational execution on the day itself. Their support significantly relieved our team and contributed to the smooth running of the festival.
The success of active communication strategies
Time and again, we face the challenge of reaching the right target audience and keeping them engaged. The fact that we regularly receive positive feedback about our active communication reassures us that we are on the right track. We strongly believe in keeping our communication personal and offering valuable knowledge to our readers. This is where our strength lies and what sets us apart.
In addition to the informative sessions and the vibrant festival atmosphere, great food and drinks are also provided. Through a convenient dashboard, the organization was able to gain insight at the end of the day into the revenue of different vendors, offering valuable data for future events.
The continued growth of the largest knowledge festival
The largest knowledge festival strives to remain relevant by adapting to changing themes and listening closely to the needs of its visitors. Future plans include organizing knowledge festivals for new organizations, launching a dedicated cycling knowledge festival that combines work and hobby, and commercializing their online platform with a variety of services.
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Organizing the largest knowledge festival brings Kornelis, Rudie and their team a great deal of joy every time, especially thanks to the enthusiastic reactions from visitors and the opportunities for innovation provided by partners such as Tactile.
