Maybe you yearn to run naked in a crowd of strangers without getting arrested for streaking? The Roskilde Festival offers exhibitionists everywhere the freedom to run around in the nip during the yearly Naked Run – a fantastic festival tradition on the go since 1999.
Nudity with a competitive element
Organised by Roskilde Festival Radio, the naked run around the campsite takes place on the Saturday of the festival. But it’s not all just fun and games like life drawing for example, as one male and one female winner are chosen – each receiving a ticket to next year’s festival. With approximately 30 contestants each year, the competition is fierce
Undress to impress
Previous winners include Lukas and Line Marie, who both kept things simple by having little more than their race numbers written across their bodies. Other contestants were all about aesthetics, opting for animal face paint and colourful body paint in preparation for the run.
At its heart, Roskilde is all about entertainment. The festival itself is an eight-day affair, even though the music only takes place over four days.
It's not just about the Naked Run
However, there’s a lot more to Roskilde than the Naked Run, with plenty of other annual traditions including pillow fights, walkabout theatre entertainment, massive water fights and over 150 food and drinks stands. Whether you want to see a 12-metre long ghettoblaster or visit a graffiti zone there’s something to suit every taste.
Raised 20 million for Charity since 1972…
Yet, the campsite opening and warm-up party is an event in itself, and all of the profits are donated to charity. Non-profit since 1972, the entire event is run by the Roskilde Festival Charity Society, and has raised more than £20 million to date. This year, the event organisers expect to have raised between £1,500,000 and £2,100,000.
The brainchild of high school students Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, the first Roskilde Festival was held in 1971 featuring 20 bands performing on one stage. However, ambitions were big, and today Roskilde is made up of seven stages covering over 80 hectares, providing more than 160 music acts in an eclectic line-up to suit its 100,000 strong audience.
What actually happens…
Entry includes access to the grounds and admission to the warm up events. Tickets for the full festival in 2017 went on sale for DKK 1995 (approximately £225.00) and allow you to try your luck in the Naked Run and other events. However, you can also purchase one-day festival passes, but be sure to get your ticket for the Saturday of the festival if you want to join the Naked Run. With numerous performances, art installations and resilient festival-goers streaking around the campsites, you certai
Incredible lineups...
The 2016 festival saw another spectacular line-up, featuring artists such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, LCD Soundsystem, Wiz Khalifa, Tame Impala and over 100 more from 30 different countries, making Roskilde consistently one of Europe’s essential music festivals. In addition to big names, Roskilde also features a multitude of medium and small stages where you can catch some top-notch Scandinavian acts.
Performances, Food Stalls, Shows, Bikes…
The campsite itself is split into ‘Agoras’ or zones, with each Agora hosting themed events as well as its own food stalls, shops, showers and more, complete with 31,000 volunteers. Plenty of people even rent on-site bikes during their stay to get around – you can try that naked too! The event take place on the Viking island of Zealand, outside Roskilde, which is a 30-minute train ride from Copenhagen in Denmark.
Next year’s festival is scheduled for 30th June - 7th July 2018. Buy Tickets!
