It's that time of year again: the moment when Belgian music festivals reveal their programs. And this year, a number of them have taken to riding the wave of environmentalism. Besides LaSemo and Esperanzah, the latest to enter this group is Paradise City Festival. A long path bordered by trees and, at the end, an imposing castle dating from the 15th century. A large park with vast stretches of water. It is in this environment, at Château de Ribaucourt in Perk, Belgium outside of Brussels, that Paradise City Festival will take place this July 4-5, 2015. At the origins of this project are two young entrepreneurs, Dimitri Verschueren and Gilles De Decker. In 2013, they decided to create their own festival responding to their personal musical and ideological criteria. "We had been to numerous festivals in Belgium and elsewhere, but every time there was something missing, in our opinion. That's why we decided to create a festival of our own," explains Dimitri Verschueren. The festival they created hinges upon three pillars: green practices, indie and electronic music, and fine cuisine.

The ecological and sustainable aspect of the festival is reflected in several traits:

• Composting toilets,
• Stages and infrastructures made of recyclable or recycled materials,
• A focus on eco-mobility,
• Partnerships with local associations and producers,
• Re-usable cups and tap (rather than bottled) water.

"We also have CO2logic as our partner. Thanks to this Brussels association, we have been able to calculate and then considerably reduce our CO2 emissions. In return, Paradise City supports CO2 logic's climate projects, hoping to compensate for the remaining CO2 emissions created by the festival, in order to obtain the label of a CO2-neutral festival," specifies Dimitri Verchueren. The musical programming is eclectic and includes many new artists for festival-goers to discover. One will be able to listen to Belgian artists as well as those from elsewhere, such as Kölsch, Flight Facilities, Tout Va Bien, Art Department, Aeroplane, Monkey Safari, Robag Wruhme, and Hydrogen Sea. The organizers were able to surround themselves with partners such as LOVE, ATTAR! and Brussels monthly party organizers, as well as the label/event organizer Brüxsel Jardin and the Berlin agency, Jackmode. Concert organizer, Abstrkt, will ensure a quality stage-setup for live performances as well as two DJ stages.

The third cornerstone of the festival will be its cuisine. Quality food is the feature. "We will propose refined vegetarian dishes of superior quality. Everything will be made with fresh, local products," adds Dimitri Verschueren. The festival's final innovation is without a doubt its method of processing payments. No cash will be present on site. The organizers are applying a cashless method: all one has to do is charge a bracelet at a payment machine in order to be able to pay for drinks and food with a swipe of the wrist. Money left on the bracelet at the end of the festival can be reimbursed. Ultimately, is this an example of greenwashing, or is it a real ecological project? Come to Paradise City festival the July4-5, 2015 in order to find out if these young innovators' vision comes together!

What do you think of  sustainable festivals? Are there any such initiatives in your area? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments area below.

Original article, originally published in French, here.

Credits: Image 3 by Robert Richter. Images 1, 2, and data linked to sources.