There will be no jumping and rocking audience among the pines at this year's Öland Roots.
Instead, there will be seated guests and a restaurant.
- It will be a unique concert concept with a restaurant and three-course menu, "fine dining", and a limited number of visitors for eight evenings, says Kalle Palmgren from the association Öland Roots.
Concert nights
On Wednesday evening, the festival opens for restaurant visitors and on Thursday the first concert will be held.
In a normal year, up to 7,000 visitors are admitted to the area.
This year, the pandemic means that there will be significantly fewer, a maximum of 300. And there will be no camping in connection with the festival.
- We have a unique and infection-proof concept, which means that you buy a ticket per night, and then you get to go home or settle at one of the nearby campsites or hostels, says Kalle Palmgren.
Economic setback
Last year, the corona pandemic put sticks in the festival wheel and everything was canceled.
Then Öland Roots took the opportunity to renovate the traditional, almost 100-year-old, dance floor.
And plan for how to survive the financial setback that the canceled festival entailed.
- It has been extremely difficult.
It is also one of the reasons why we started this project - to be able to survive.
Because we know how many people love this and want it to continue, says Kalle Palmgren.
New tag next year
This year there will be a little more quiet concert evenings with seated audiences.
But in a year, the association hopes that everything is as usual again.
- Our idea right now is that we will run a festival with camping next summer.
That is what we are investing in - and this is a step in the right direction, says Kalle Palmkvist.