'Opwekking 2026' through the eyes of No Risk colleague Marco

Our involvement in the events world does not stop when the computers are switched off at the end of the working day. No Risk colleague Marco Tijsterman (58) proves that every year. For more than twenty years, volunteering at the Opwekking Pentecost Conference has been a fixed part of his calendar. In this article, he shares his unique view of the safety and logistics behind the scenes.

Three generations of Opwekking

This year, the event returned during the Pentecost weekend (22 to 25 May) for its 56th edition. It is a major logistical and safety operation, and Marco knows it from the inside. "It has really become an event that passes from generation to generation in our family," he says. "My parents used to help out, and my daughter has also been active as a volunteer for years."

Marco and seven others are responsible for coordinating the Literature Tent. And no, this is not a small market stall, but a tent no less than 120 metres long that acts as the central point for book and gift sales.
"The tent supplier delivers the structure empty," Marco explains. "Then, from the 16th to the 21st, our close-knit team works extremely hard to build the complete layout, tills and logistics."

And that work is needed, because the tent attracts a lot of visitors. "At one point during the event, people queued for more than an hour for a signing session with an important speaker from the United States. The fact that we can keep that running smoothly together is fantastic."

A temporary 'city' calls for a professional approach

The scale of Opwekking is impressive. With around 60,000 visitors in total, the site is transformed within a few days into something the size of an average Dutch municipality. One striking feature is the large number of young people: no less than 60% of visitors are under 35, with strong growth among teenagers and people in their twenties. That is why there are dedicated fields for teens and young adults. And because it is a multi-day event, visitors can also camp on site. Separate from the festival grounds, a large area is set up as a temporary campsite.

As a No Risk employee, Marco automatically keeps an eye on potential risks too. An event of this size, which runs almost entirely on the efforts of around 4,000 volunteers, needs a professional operation behind it. Only then can the safety of both visitors and volunteers be properly safeguarded.

That is why Opwekking has its own command centre, equipped with drones and cameras to monitor crowd flows. There is also a fully staffed medical post and a dedicated fire crew on standby at the site.

Expect the unexpected

Fortunately, this year's conference passed without any significant incidents. But last year's edition showed exactly why a tight safety plan and good event insurance are far from unnecessary. The organisation was faced with an unexpected logistical nightmare: a sewage overflow on the staff accommodation field. Because of the immediate health risks, a large number of staff had to move their caravans and tents to another field at very short notice.

These kinds of unforeseen scenarios, where locations become unusable or programmes have to be changed, show exactly why No Risk exists. As an organisation, you can arrange the build-up, technical facilities and medical care as well as possible; there will always be unexpected factors that can put your planning under water, literally or figuratively. To stay with the sewage example: if a sewage pump fails and toilet units have to be closed, or if a sewer overflows, this can lead to partial or full evacuation. A few caravans or tents can often still be moved, but in some situations people may have to be sent home.

Understanding what is really happening

For No Risk, practical experience from colleagues such as Marco is extremely valuable. By being involved on the ground, we understand how complex the dynamics are between organisers, suppliers and thousands of volunteers. We take that knowledge back to our desks every day, so we can assess the risks of any major festival or conference with real accuracy.

Are you organising a large-scale public event? We understand what happens behind the scenes. Contact No Risk for watertight advice.