A 1,500 m2 skating rink, curling, quad biking on the Polar Trail, a 30-metre-high carousel and a music theatre. And that was not even all! The Winter Spectacle transformed Jaarbeurs into a true wonderland last winter. A new winter tradition was born.
Jaarbeurs is the largest venue in Utrecht and is super-central. It has national coverage. If you put something there, it immediately has charisma. And for an event like this, you just need a lot of space.Huub van de Vecht, Vecht Concepts
The idea for the Winterspektakel arose from a shared desire: Amsterdam and Brabant already had their large winter festivals, but Utrecht did not. Huub van de Vecht, of Vecht Concepts, had been planning a large, accessible winter event for some time. He joined forces with production partner ONA, with Iko Claassens. Together, they saw in Jaarbeurs the logical place to scale up the concept. "Jaarbeurs is the largest venue in Utrecht and is super central," Van de Vecht explains. "It has national reach. If you put something there, it has immediate appeal. And for an event like this, you just need a lot of space."
"A cup of coffee, an idea on the table and go".
The initial discussions with Jaarbeurs went surprisingly easily, according to Huub. "We had a cup of coffee with key account manager Jasper Peeters and put the idea on the table, then we e-mailed and phoned a lot. It was very casual. And what's nice: they think along in making it possible."
The beauty of this concept: Jaarbeurs has long wanted to organise a large nationwide Christmas event. Jasper says: "We've had Disney on Ice and a Christmas circus before, of course. But we wanted something even bigger, thematic and magical. In the first exploratory talks, we noticed; everything comes together here! And see the result."
Facts & Figures
- Number of visitors/participants:100,000
- Location used + session rooms:Hall 3, 4 and outdoor plaza
- Added value from Jaarbeurs to the event: Jaarbeurs has a large network. The team members can connect you with people who can connect to such a big event.
- Goal of the event:Bringing people together around the festive season
Building something beautiful together
The Winterspektakel was not a standard 'rent the space' construction. Jasper: "It goes beyond showing the hall and facilities and then handing over a key. Here, we set ourselves up as a thinking partner to create comfort in entrepreneurship." That choice was mainly in the way we work together and think long term. "This partnership is focused on growth and continuity. You don't enter into this for one edition, but for several years. Then you have to give each other space to build."
Clear cooperation
During the event period, the Winterspektakel ran in close cooperation with all parties. Iko: "It's quite an orderly cooperation: Jaarbeurs as the venue, we the rest. But if there were things like cleaning, logistics, daily coordination, it was always handled finely and flexibly. There was always an event manager present, the contact ran smoothly."
Huub adds that Jaarbeurs clearly played the role of partner, by thinking along with and actively connecting with parties and opportunities that contributed to the further development of the event. "Jaarbeurs has a large network. The team members can link you to people who can connect to such a large event. For example, on the business side such as coming up with arrangements and approaching companies looking for something in this setting."
An event for young and old
For Jaarbeurs , a public event in December is not just 'fun', it is also of strategic importance. Jasper: "December falls just after the traditional high season for Jaarbeurs . That's when we are looking for events that create excitement and attract people to Jaarbeurs . The Winter Spectacle attracts a lot of public and fits perfectly with Jaarbeurs: an event that is all about bringing people and families together. Children come in here at a young age, hopefully returning later.
On to the next edition
It has already been mentioned in passing: the hope for a new winter tradition at Jaarbeurs. The exact dates are not yet known, but that the Winter Spectacle will return in the Christmas holidays, maybe even a week earlier, is certain. Huub says: "We have welcomed more than 100,000 people. We see a lot of potential and are keen to build on it." Iko agrees and concludes: "Next year again. For sure!"
And it doesn't just stop at winter. In fact, this summer the concept is already getting a sequel! Namely: with the Utrecht Summer Spectacle. From 2 July to 2 August, Jaarbeurs will be transformed into a summer scene full of entertainment and surprises at every corner. Here, for example, you can relax on the city beach, let loose on a festival ground or climb in an adventure forest. This is how Jaarbeurs and the organisers of the shows are building a year-round public experience.
