German event network Höme is offering refundable tickets to more than 120 festivals to motivate fans to buy passes early.

Tickets bought through Höme’s festival platform Infield can be cancelled up to seven days before the event starts at no extra cost, while festivals get to keep their ticket revenue.

The offer, which is made possible through a partnership with Scandinavian insurance provider Tryg Affinity, applies to festivals including Ikarus Festival, Nature One, Airbeat One and Ms Dockville.

“The idea of refundable tickets had been on our minds for a while, so we were thrilled when Höme approached us with this concept,” says Carolin Gebauer, director of marketing strategy & operations at Open Beatz.

“It was an easy decision to join. This benefits not only festivalgoers but also us as organisers, as it lowers the barrier for early ticket purchases.”

At the beginning of this year, US festival Hinterland also unveiled a unique refund policy called the ‘90 Degree Guarantee‘ which enables ticket holders to request returns for any day that is predicted to reach 90° (32C) or higher.

Höme’s refund initiative is part of its new Festival Weeks campaign which has engaged influencers, media and partners to create two weeks (1–16 March) of “unparalleled visibility” for its network of events.

“This benefits not only festivalgoers but also us as organisers, as it lowers the barrier for early ticket purchases”

“As cultural funding declines, costs rise, and the industry continues to navigate crisis after crisis, the Festival Weeks are shining a light on the festivals we love and ensuring their continued existence,” reads a statement from Höme.

In addition to refundable tickets, for the duration of the campaign, fans can win prizes ranging from a private camp chef to complete camping gear, train vouchers for festival travel, and a Golden Festival Ticket, granting access to all participating festivals.

Amelie Köppl, About Pop in Stuttgart, explains why they joined the campaign: “Festival organisers pour their time, energy, and passion into creating spaces for community, new artists, safer environments, and inspiration.

“These spaces are essential for an open society that fosters exchange beyond echo chambers. Being part of this campaign and this exceptional community makes us incredibly happy.”

In other news, FKP Scorpio has teamed up with DRK blood donation services NSTOB and Nord-Ost to encourage young people to donate blood for the first time.

Those who participate in the Music Gets in Your Blood campaign will be entered into a raffle for tickets to Hurricane, Southside, M’era Luna and Highfield. More than 84 tickets to the four festivals have been made available for the initiative.

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Festival for Festivals, an online event organised by German music festival platform Höme, will raise money for events by encouraging fans to recreate the festival experience at home and selling wristbands and merchandise.

Events participating in the Festival for Festivals initiative include Superbloom, Das Fest Karlsruhe, Rock of Ages, Maifeld Derby, Sea You Festival and MS Dockville.

From 21 to 23 August, German festival fans around will be encouraged to dig out their camping chairs and pitch their tents to transform their homes and gardens into their favourite festival site, as large-scale events remain outlawed until the end of October.

Festivalgoers will be able to don festival wristbands and t-shirts by purchasing the Festival for Festivals box, with all proceeds going to participating festivals. Priced at €35, the box also contains a Höme magazine, adhesive tattoos, a reusable plastic cup and a festival-scented air freshener.

“We will celebrate our festival landscape together in a virtually connected way”

Fans can choose to support an individual festival from the Festival for Festivals list or donate the money to a joint festival fund. A lucky few will also receive a golden festival wristband in their box, granting free access to all participating festivals next year.

Festival for Festivals is also releasing an app in August, which will feature interactive challenges for festivalgoers to compete in, as well as broadcasts of past festival performances and talks.

“In the past few weeks, we have all felt what we will miss due to the absence of the festival season this year, but we have also seen many – be it festival fans or organisers – sharing their enthusiasm for this huge, diverse festival landscape,” comments Höme co-founder Johannes Jacobi.

“This is where we want to start with the Festival for Festivals, by collecting money to support festivals, initiatives, artists and service providers, but also giving the festival fans a stage – and celebrating our festival landscape together in a virtually connected way.”

Festival boxes can be bought here until 19 July.

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