Conditions

1. The festival takes place every year in the last week of June, starting on Wednesday and ending on Sunday.
2. Groups must arrive on Tuesday before the festival and depart on Monday after the festival.
3. About 15 foreign groups will perform at the festival, in addition to some Dutch groups.
4. It is an amateur festival and therefore primarily intended for non-professional folk art groups of a high artistic level. For the sake of preservation, the organizers prefer authentic folklore, but they accept adaptation to the stage.
5. The goal of the organizers is not only to preserve cultural heritage, but also to help people around the world get to know each other better. That is why a lot of time is reserved for dancing together and sporting entertainment. For the same reason, the groups stay in host families.
6. There is no organized competition between the groups.

Groups

1. A participating group consists of a minimum of 15 artists and a maximum of 34 artists (including musicians, leaders, driver(s), etc.).
2. It is a problem to find accommodation for children (0-16 years), so the festival cannot accept children in the group.
3. ‘Tourists’ (members who have nothing to do with the group’s performances) are not accepted. We do not accept them in our host families and Op Roakeldais will not accomodate them. They will have to pay for their own costs.
4. The group dances with ‘live traditional music’; recorded music and instruments requiring amplification will not be accepted.
5. Each group is accompanied during the festival by a hostess team from the organization and sometimes by an interpreter.

Performances

During the festival there are different types of performances:
A detailed program will be sent to all groups shortly before the festival.
1. Dance performances in our own ‘Op Roakeldais Town Hall’, the main stage of the festival with around 1500 seats. (performances of 12, 15 and 25 minutes per group)
2. Dance performances in a music dome on the festival grounds. (15 minutes per group)
3. Dance performances in schools as part of a cultural study program. (preliminary education)
4. Dance performances in some communities for the elderly.
5. Parades, Workshops and a Ball of the Nations are part of the total programme.

Accommodation

1. The members of each group stay with host families in and in some villages around Warffum.
2. Two housemates stay with one family; the group leader is asked to divide the members into ‘couples’.
3. During the week, each member of the group is a member of the family, subject to the house rules.
4. Host families are not paid for their hospitality.

Costs

1. The costs of transport to and from the Netherlands are borne by the group;
2. Groups traveling by bus must also use their own bus for travel between the host families and the festival city. (Warffum)
3. The costs of accommodation, meals, drinks, etc. are borne by Op Roakeldais. (mainly host families)
4. Groups arriving by plane will be transported to and from Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol) at the expense of the festival organization and will not receive any reimbursement for travel costs or participation.
5. The festival pays the groups pocket money according to CIOFF rules. (€5 per day per person)

Insurance

1. Groups participate in the ‘Op Roakeldais Festival’ at their own risk.
2. Groups must be insured against all life risks: illness, hospitalization, accidents, damage and third-party risks. etc.
3. The festival organization accepts no responsibility for any financial and/or other consequences relating to the above. With regard to hospitalization and repatriation, participants from European countries must bring an international social security document that they must request from their Health Council before departure. They should also check whether repatriation is covered by their normal social security insurance. If not, they must take out additional insurance for possible repatriation. Participants from countries that do not have a bilateral agreement with the European Community on social security must take out travel health insurance, including repatriation.
4. There is first aid during performances in case of minor accidents, etc.; which is free.
5. ‘Op Roakeldais festival organization’ has taken and will take all precautions to avoid any unnecessary risk of participation for the participants, the public and the employees of Op Roakeldais.
6. The festival organization will not reimburse any medical or hospital costs incurred by festival participants during the festival or on the way to or from the festival. All charges must be paid by the patient at the time medical services are provided, who must then file a claim with his or her own insurance company.

Politics/Religion

1.The festival organization ‘Op Roakeldais’ respects all opinions about religion and politics;
2. Groups can participate regardless of their religious and/or political background.
3. Nevertheless, the festival organization does not allow religious or political activities in the dance area or any other place of residence of the groups.
4. On Sunday (last day of the feast) there is a special ecumenical service in the local church; groups can attend and/or participate in this ecumenical meeting.

Sorrow

1. Any activity, whether by an individual or a group, that could damage the festival is not permitted.
2. ‘Op Roakeldais festival organization’ will take measures if necessary.
Unforeseen
1. In situations not provided for in these ‘Conditions’, the festival organization ‘Op Roakeldais’ reserves the right to judge at its own discretion. If necessary or requested, the festival organization will consult with the persons and/or groups involved.

Guides

Groups receive a guide and, if possible or necessary, a translator who speaks the common mother tongue fluently.
2. They are available throughout the festival.
Crafts
1. A market stable of about 3 meters. x 1mtr. will be set up to enable participating groups to sell souvenirs (craft items, records, CDs and other suitable items) to the public.
Exchange of gifts
1. During the reception with the local authorities of the municipality there is an opportunity to exchange gifts. Also during the festival there will be a short evaluation meeting with the board of the festival organization where the participating groups can exchange a gift.

climate

1. The Netherlands has a temperate maritime climate, which means that it can be between 17 and 24°C during the day in June and July. (nights between 14 and 16°C.) We also have many rainy days with lower temperatures. It is advisable to take some warm clothes with you in your luggage.

Agreement

1. By participating in the festival, a group accepts these festival terms and conditions.
2. The leaders of the group are kindly but urgently requested to inform the members of their group of these conditions!!!