Music, nature and innovation at the new GROW Festival

Jun 23, 2017 | by Jerry Houtman | Event, Lifestyle, Music

About the author

Jerry is the name, online is my game. I'm a digital enthusiast, ranging from old skool gaming and Space Invaders to iPads and social media. The integration of digital elements in everyday life and art have my particular interest, and besides that I'm part time rockaholic.

This summer GROW Festival will take place for the first time, on the island of Utopia! A place that’s still undiscovered, but will soon become the self-sufficient breeding ground for sustainable innovation. On June 24, the island will be officially initiated, with a high-end line-up of hip-hop and electronic music, as well as an in-depth green program. Between performances of Hef, Ronnie Flex and Bokoesam, among others, GROW will take you on an expedition.

Music and more

At the water, on the sand and in the wild; GROW covers three stages of live acts and DJs. Big names from the Dutch hip-hop scene will perform, including the figurehead of street rap, Hef, hit sensation Ronnie Flex (with full band) and party starter Bokoesam. But the line-up transcends the genre, with a new generation of crossover artists such as Yung Nnelg, Mairo Nawaz, Yung Internet, Kevin, Tads Thots, Kid de Blits and Lo-fi Le-vi.

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GROW Unplugged continues where music stops though. Through smart and remarkable innovations, they show how the island can be self-sufficient and they plant a seed for visitors with a view towards a greener future. Consider it as a NEMO for adults, bringing nature, experimentation and amazement together. And you control the buttons. At the Edible Hideout you will be part of an edible house, at the Algenbar you will enjoy sea vegetables, and in the Weerwoud food forest you eat water ice made from weeds. This way you’ll acquire sustainable innovations in a fun, low-threshold way.

Island vibes

Isolated from the inhabited world you’ll find an idyllic spot near Almere called Utopia Island, where the festival takes place. Lush and green, surrounded by water and overlooking the city skyline! The island is being developed by young green entrepreneurs Urban Greeners as self-sufficient breeding ground for innovations in food, biodiversity, energy and movement in the coming years. This in view of the arrival of the Floriade 2022; the greenest district in the world.