Serbian Prime Minister Wants 20th Exit Festival In Summer

Solomun at Exit 2019
Marko Edge, EXIT Photo Team 2019 – Solomun at Exit 2019
Performing in the festival’s famous Dance Arena.

Serbia’s prime minister Ana Brnabic has asked the organizers of the country’s major festival Exit to not cancel this year’s event, but rather postpone to August.
Brnabic expects a drastic improvement of the health situation in Serbia as well as in many countries of Europe, based on recommendation by the Serbia’s health experts assembled in a National Crisis Team.
The joint conclusion was to go ahead with the festival this summer, albeit in August instead of July.
Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic
Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images – Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Sept. 18, 2019

„We recommend to move the festival to August because we expect that the situation [regarding the pandemic] in the whole of Europe will be totally under control by then,” Brnabic told journalists during a visit to a hospital in Novi Sad, where Exit Festival was born 20 years ago as a student protest against dictator Slobodan Milošević.

It has since grown into a massive event with a daily capacity of 55,000 and 40 stages. Last year, Exit Festival counted over 200,000 visitors from 90 countries across all four days, and contributed some €16.4 million ($18 million) to Serbia’s economy, totalling in nearly €200 million ($219 million) since its foundation two decades ago.
If Exit takes place this August, it would be in a reduced capacity that fits in with health and safety regulations from the government, which are constantly changing. Details on the allowed capacity weren’t available at press time.
Exit co-founder Dušan Kovačević said, the festival in its full format would probably not return until 2021, “but we are delighted to hear that the health situation is becoming increasingly better and that we’ll be able to mark the 20th anniversary of Exit this summer with meaningful and safe event.
“We will work closely with health officials in order to take all precautionary measures and make the festival in August as safe as possible. Between fear and optimism we always choose the latter, and we’re thrilled that we will have the opportunity to be together with our fans and favourite artists this summer,” Kovačević said.
Exit co-founder and Yourope board memeber Ivan Milivojev believes that the latest developments can help to save the whole industry: “It’s no secret that the event industry was heavily hit by the pandemic, and the initial predictions were truly devastating to millions of jobs and families that depend on it.
“This decision is very important for event fans all around the globe as even in different formats and smaller capacities, if possible and safe, events could bring back much needed relief from the hardship we have all been through,” he said.
Exit has welcomed great names in the past, including The Cure, Madonna, Guns’n’Roses, Arctic Monkeys, Grace Jones, Migos, David Guetta, Nina Kraviz, Carl Cox, Motorhead, Wu-Tang Clan and thousands more. 
The lineup for Exit’s 20th anniversary is currently led by David Guetta, DJ Snake, Tyga, Fatboy Slim and more.