Lowlands, considered by many to be the Dutch equivalent of Glastonbury, kicks off on Friday, with weather forecasters predicting a dry, sunny weekend ahead.

Officially known as A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise, the first Lowlands took place in 1993 with Rage Against The Machine, The Verve and Iggy Pop among the performers. This year’s festival promises 250 acts and performances across 12 stages as well as film, comedy, the visual arts and street theatre.

The doors to the Biddinghuizen campsite opened on Thursday morning at 9 am, leading to long jams on the access roads as festival goers sought to snap up the best places.

A ticket for Lowlands this year cost €325, a rise of €25 on 2023 and the festival is sold out. Wage costs are largely behind the increase, Bente Bollman of organisers Mojo, told RTL earlier. “Artists also want to be paid more. We are competing worldwide to bring in the big acts, including with festivals in Asia and the US. Artists can only be in one place at a time.

The Volkskrant carries a list of acts that are not to be missed, including Dutch singer Charlot who, it said, has something spooky about her, singer Arooj Aftab who gave one of the best performances at the North Sea Jazz festival and Amsterdam’s seven-piece band Personal Trainer.

None of the Volkskrant’s tips feature on the NRC’s list of 15 performances. Its list includes Róisín Murphy and Sugababes – for a touch of nostalgia – plus Chibi Ichigo, Blck Mamba and Jungle by Night.

Meanwhile, the Parool has been talking to seasoned Lowlands fans about how to survive the campsite and what to take. A camping chair is considered essential as are two different sets of earplugs – one for the festival and one to survive noise at night – and to freshen up during the day, wet wipes.

There has already been one small controversy. The traditional Hema camping store is no longer part of the line-up but McDonalds is making an entry, alongside the likes of Ikea and DIY store Hornbach.

Ikea is building a “giant sitting room full of mattresses where festival goers can recharge,” Lowlands director Eric van Eerdenburg told the Volkskrant. As for McDonalds, they will only be selling ice cream.