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NorthSide Director Apologises to Festivalgoers
Danish festival NorthSide, owned by live entertainment group Superstruct Entertainment, is reintroducing meat and fish options to its food stalls, reversing its 2022 decision to go fully plant-based.
The move marks a strategic shift toward broader inclusion and a renewed focus on engaging more local audiences.
Festival director Brian Nielsen acknowledges that the 2022 transition to a 100% plant-based menu—widely debated across Denmark—was made without sufficient audience consultation.
“In 2022, we forgot to ask the audience. Many people had kept their tickets through the pandemic, and in our eagerness, we forgot to ask our guests before making the radical decision to remove fish and meat.
The decision unfortunately broke traditions among the audience. Groups that had attended the festival together for years were split. Some refused to accept the decision, others found it exciting — but some were lost along the way, which was never the intention, according to the festival director.
“Some people no longer even consider attending our festival because they don’t see it as the role of a festival to decide what people should eat. Unfortunately, we must acknowledge that this share is quite large, and turning away these potential participants is simply not economically sustainable for us. It was a big mistake, and we would like to apologise for it” says Brian Nielsen.
From 2026, meat and fish will once again appear on the NorthSide menu, albeit in smaller quantities alongside continued plant-based offerings.
The change is part of a wider strategic shift for NorthSide, which aims to become more relevant to all Aarhus residents and expand its cultural footprint beyond the festival weekend. “Our music profile will become slightly broader,” says Nielsen. “It will include both international artists and major Danish acts—something for those who want to see indie names like Father John Misty as well as mainstream performers like Aphaca and Thomas Helmig.”
Sustainability remains central
While broadening its offering, NorthSide maintains sustainability as a core priority, now adding a stronger focus on social responsibility. The festival will align its work with ESG principles and continue initiatives such as the NorthSide Forest south of Aarhus, which contributes to co2 absorption, biodiversity, and groundwater protection.
“We remain committed to sustainability and social responsibility—both on and off the festival grounds,” says Nielsen. “The goal is to keep NorthSide as a laboratory for the future of festivals.”