Following last Friday's press conference, the Jaarbeurs held close discussions with the organisers of Dutch Comic Con and the municipality of Utrecht about whether the public event for fans of films, series, cosplay, comics, games and entertainment could go ahead. Unfortunately, the municipality decided this morning not to grant permission - the event is not seen as a so-called 'flow event'. Dutch Comic Con will therefore be moved to 26 and 27 March 2022.
"The relocation of the tenth edition of Dutch Comic Con hurts us a lot, because we would have been only too happy to have granted all our exhibitors and visitors another fantastic comic con in Jaarbeurs Utrecht. But unfortunately, the municipality of Utrecht does not classify our event as a transit event. And that means we have to bring bad news to all our comic con fans again," said CEO Jeroen van Hooff of Easyfairs Netherlands, the organiser of Dutch Comic Con.
CEO of the Royal Jaarbeurs, Albert Arp: "It is a huge disappointment for all fans of Dutch Comic Con and for the exhibitors that this great event cannot go ahead. And of course also for the organisation and for our employees who have been closely involved in the preparations. At the same time, because of the enormously high infection rates in our country, we also understand the municipality's decision. The safety of visitors and employees is also paramount for the organisation of the Dutch Comic Con and the Jaarbeurs."
For other events in the coming weeks, each event will be discussed with the municipality whether it can take place. These include the Middle Study Fair and the National Education Exhibition (NOT). Arp: "For these events too, we will give a definite answer as soon as possible. Particularly for the large, unplaced public events, we have to make an assessment on a situation-by-situation basis with the organisation and the municipality as to whether it falls under the category of 'transit events'."
Meetings and conferences can still go ahead at the Jaarbeurs, with the preconditions being that they can last up to 6pm and have a maximum of 1250 placated participants. Performances of the musical Tina at the Beatrix Theatre will also continue as normal, with a maximum of 1250 visitors.
