Plastic bottles at events

Better party with plastic

Partying, dancing, camping – festivals attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year in Germany alone. One challenge: supply and safety. For this reason, drinks in glass bottles are banned at most events due to the risk of injury. Lightweight and unbreakable plastic bottles, on the other hand, are considered a safe and practical alternative. Not only that: they can even be used to make a musical instrument.

Festivals or pageants have existed since ancient times as opulent celebrations for kings and emperors. The history of festivals as we know them today began in 1959 with the Newport Folk Festival, followed by the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967 and the legendary Woodstock two years later. With 246,000 tickets sold, Lollapalooza Brazil in S?o Paulo was the largest music festival in the world in 2019. „Rock am Ring“ attracted 90,000 visitors in 2023, making it the most popular festival in Germany.

Plastic bottles yes, glass bottles no
Glass bottles are generally prohibited on the central event area, the infield, due to the risk of injury. Depending on the festival, this also applies to camping. That protects humans and animals.
Many open-air concerts, including overnight stays, take place on land used for agricultural purposes, such as pastures. Any broken glass left behind would have fatal consequences.

Plastic bottles are different. It’s no problem to take them to a festival; they are usually allowed not only for camping but also on the infield, depending on the festival regulations. The reasons are obvious: PET bottles do not break, are easy to carry and can be easily recycled afterwards. Incidentally, they are sustainable right from the start: plastic bottles save a lot of energy and emissions during production and transportation due to their low melting point and low weight compared to glass.

Making art and music with plastic bottles
Choosing plastic bottles at festivals is a safe and sustainable choice. And you can also be inspired by them: As Veronika Richterov? has been, for example. The Czech artist creates lifelike sculptures, such as plants and animals, from used PET bottles. Her worldwide exhibitions encourage visitors to discover used plastic not as waste, but as a valuable material.

A trend that inspires more and more people: There are numerous websites, blogs and videos on the internet dedicated to the creative „upcycling of PET bottles“. Manfred Bornmann is one of them. The musician uses PET bottles to build a xylophone that produces Caribbean-sounding tones. A special kind of sound experience – also suitable for your own festival in the garden at home.

Keywords:events, festivals, campen, party, music, free time, PET bottles, PET, safety