Down the Rabbit Hole, a three-day music festival in the Groene Heuvels holiday park in Ewijk, Gelderland, Netherlands, offers a unique blend of excellent music, civilised amenities, and a welcoming atmosphere. The festival, which started in 2014, has earned two nominations at the European Festival Awards and features lineups comparable to Primavera, with past headliners including Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem, Queens of the Stone Age, and Fred Again. The 2026 edition boasted Little Simz, The XX, and Florence and the Machine, supported by CMAT, David Byrne, and Empire of the Sun.
Civilised Festival Experience
Unlike many UK-dominated festivals, Down the Rabbit Hole maintains a clean and orderly environment. Attendees gather around festival-provided barrel barbecues, cook sausages and vegetables, and swim in the lake supervised by lifeguards. At night, people gather around firepits, all while behaving respectfully. The festival even provides toilet paper, a rarity at many events. This civilised atmosphere is attributed to the trust placed in the Dutch attendees, who are described as mannerly and welcoming.
Musical Highlights
The music at Down the Rabbit Hole is enhanced by the whimsical nature of Dutch crowds. During Empire of the Sun's set, hundreds flocked down a hill to join strangers in dancing, reminiscent of a viral video from Sasquatch Festival. David Byrne's performance saw spontaneous dance routines, including line dancing and hand-holding circles. This phenomenon surprised even the Dutch, as noted on Reddit.
Another standout was the rap duo Ijsland, consisting of Abel van Gijlswijk and Yousef Gnaoui. Their performance drew a feral crowd that knew every lyric, similar to Kneecap in Belfast. Videos on the festival's Instagram show swirling moshpits from above.
For English speakers, CMAT was a highlight, delivering an energetic set with songs like "The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station" and "I Don't Really Care For You." She shouted out Olivia Rodrigo, who covered "When a Good Man Cries" on Radio 1 Live Lounge. The crowd adopted the Dunboyne two-step for "I Wanna Be a Cowboy Baby," and many were moved during "Stay For Something."
Minor Drawback
The only downside is the programming: main dance acts performed before headliners on two nights, creating an awkward gear change. Yousuke Yukimatsu preceded The XX, and Overmono played before Florence and the Machine, described as the sonic equivalent of blue balls or toothpaste and orange juice.
Accommodation and Travel
Down the Rabbit Hole is primarily a camping festival, but Amsterdam is accessible via a shuttle bus and 1.5-hour train. The Hoxton Herengracht, a hip hotel in Amsterdam, offers comfortable rooms starting from €203 (£173) per night. Eurostar trains from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal take as little as four hours and 19 minutes, with generous luggage allowance allowing tents and camping chairs at no extra cost. Festival tickets cost €329 (£280), and Eurostar fares start at £39 one way.
