CONDITIONS and RULES:

Op Roakeldais festival

1.   The festival takes place every year, in the last week of June, starting on Wednesday and ending on Sunday.

2.   Groups have to arrive on Tuesday before and leave on Monday after the festival.

3.   The festival hosts about 15 foreign groups as well as some Dutch groups.

4.   It is an amateur festival and therefore meant in the first place to non-professional folk art groups of a high artistic standard. For the sake of preservation, the organizers prefer authentic folklore, but they accept adaptation to the stage.

5.   The aim of the organizers is not only to preserve the cultural heritage but also to allow people all over the world to learn to know each other better. Therefore much time is reserved for dancing together and sporting amusement. For the same reason the groups stay in host families.

6.   There is no organized competition between the groups.

Groups

1.   A participating group should have at least 15 performers and a maximum of 34 performers (incl. musicians, leaders, driver(s), etc.).

2.   It’s a problem to find lodgings for children (0-16 years), so the festival can’t accept children in the group.

3.   ‘Tourists’ (members who have nothing to do with the performances of the group) are not accepted. We do not accept them to stay in our host families and Op Roakeldais will not take care of them. They will have to pay themselves for their own costs.

4.   The group should dance with ‘live traditional music’; recorded music and instruments that need amplification is not accepted.

5.   Each group will be accompanied by a hostess-team of the organization and sometimes by a translator during the festival.

Performances

There are several kinds of performances during the festival:

Short time before the festival a detailed program will be sent to all groups.

1.   Dance performances in the own ‘Op Roakeldais-city hall, the main-stage of the festival with some 2000 seats. (performances of 12, 15 and 25 minutes a group)

2.   Dance performances in a music-dome in the festival area. (15 minutes a group)

3.   Dance-performances in schools as a part of a cultural study program. (preliminary schools)

4.   Dance performances in some communities for elderly people.

5.   Parades, Workshops and a Ball of the Nations are parts of the total-program.

Lodging

1.   The members of each group will stay with host families in and in some villages around Warffum.

2.   Two roommates stay with one family; the group leader is requested to divide the members into ‘couples’.

3.   During the week each member of the group is a member of the family, respecting the rules of the house.

4.   Host families are not being paid for their hospitality.

Costs

1.   The costs of transport to and from Holland are at the expenses of the group;

2.   Groups that travel by bus also need to use their own bus for traveling between the guest-families and the festival-town. (Warffum)

3.   The costs of the lodgings, meals, drinks, etc are at the expenses of Op Roakeldais. (mainly host-families)

4.   Groups that will arrive by plane will be transported from and back to the Airport Amsterdam (Schiphol) at the expenses of the festival-organization and do not receive any money for costs of traveling or for their participation.

5.   The festival pays the groups the pocket money according the rules of CIOFF. (€ 5,– a day a person)

Insurance

1.   Groups participate in the ‘Op Roakeldais Festival’ at their own risk.

2.   Groups have to be insured against all risks of life: illness, hospitalization, accidents, damages and third party risks. etc.

3.   The festival-organization will take no responsibility to any financial and/or other consequences regarding the above. Concerning hospitalization and repatriation, participants from European countries have to bring along an international social security document to be obtained from their Health Board before departure. They should also check whether repatriation is covered by their normal social security insurance. If not, they must arrange for extra insurance covering possible repatriation. Participants from countries, which have no bilateral agreement with the European Community on social security, must take travel illness insurance, that includes repatriation.

4.   There is First Aid during the performances for small accidents, etc.; which is free of charge.

5.   ‘Op Roakeldais-festival organization’ has taken and will take all precautions to avoid any unnecessary risk of participation for the participants as well as the audience and the ‘Op Roakeldais’ workers.

6.   The festival organization will not pay for any medical or hospital costs incurred by festival participants during the festival or on their way to or from the festival. All costs must be paid for by the patient at the time medical services are rendered, who should then file a claim with his or her own insurance company.

Politics/Religion 

1.   The festival-organization ‘Op Roakeldais’ respects all opinions concerning religion and politics;

2.   Groups can participate, independently of their religious and/or political backgrounds.

3.   Nevertheless the festival organization does not allow any religious or political activity in the dance area or any other place where the groups will stay.

4.   On Sunday (last day of the festival) there is a special Ecumenical Service in the local church; groups can attend and/or join in this ecumenical meeting.

Harm

1.   Any activity, either from any individual or any group, that could harm the festival is not allowed.

2.   ‘Op Roakeldais-festival organization’ will take measures should this be necessary.

Unforeseen

1.  In situations which are not covered by these ‘Conditions’ the festival organization ‘Op Roakeldais’ will reserve the rights to its own sound judgment. If necessary or requested, the festival-organization will consult individuals and/or groups who are involved. 

Guides

1.  Groups will be provided with a guide and if possible or necessary a translator who is fluent in the commonly native language.

2.  They will be available during the entire festival.

Handcrafts

1.  A market-stable of some 3mtr. x 1mtr. will be set up to allow participating groups to sell souvenir items (handicraft objects, records, CD’s and other appropriate articles) to the public.

Exchange of gifts

1.  During the reception with the local authorities of the municipality there is a possibility to exchange gifts. Also during the festival there is a short evaluation-talk with the board of the festival-organization where the participating groups can exchange a gift.

Climate

1.   The Netherlands has a moderate sea climate, which means that in June and July the weather can vary around 17 to 24°C during the day. (nights between 14 to 16°C.) We also have a lot of rainy days with lower temperatures. It’s recommended to take some warm clothes in your luggage.

Agreement

1.   By participating in the festival a group accepts these conditions of the festival.

2.   The leaders of the group are kindly but urgently requested to inform the members of their group about these conditions!!!