Oktoberfeest Sittard celebrated its 20th anniversary with an extraordinary six-day event that welcomed more than 250,000 visitors. The celebration is known for its unique blend of Bavarian tradition and high-end production, brought to life by Reflexion Events.
The event used Highlite International’s lighting solutions, carefully selected by lighting designer Lars Aarts from T.Y.S Productions.
Unlike typical Oktoberfest venues that rely on natural light, the stage area of the Sittard Weizen tent was entirely covered in black fabric to create a theatrical atmosphere. This approach allowed precise control over the lighting and ambience, turning the space into a dynamic canvas. “When you wrap the ceiling and sides in black, you can create depth and contrast”, explains lighting designer Lars Aarts, who has been part of the production team since the second edition. The stage, elevated 1.5 meters, was designed to blend seamlessly with the audience.
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The performers’ ankles remain hidden among the crowd, creating a beautiful visual transition. The floor lighting becomes invisible yet effective, especially with the strobe lights cutting through the audience.
The complete lighting system included:
- 12 Infinity Furion S602 Spot
- 22 Infinity Furion B402 Beam
- 10 Infinity Furion W402 WashBeam
- 8 Infinity Furion FX402 Bar
- 30 Showtec Shark - The Meg - Beam One
- 10 Showtec Spectra Strobe
- 3 sets Showtec Titan Strobe FLEX FX with 8 pods
- 5 sets Showtec Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze with 8 pods
- Showgear Snap Couplers
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Powerful Furion B402 Beam units and Titan Strobe FLEX FX fixtures were placed on the floor to project deeply into the tent, while warm-toned Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze pods were installed overhead to enhance audience engagement. FX402 Bars were used to fill visual gaps near backstage access points and were mounted on wheeled bases for greater flexibility during changes. “I was glad we could add side lighting near the entrances”, says Lars. “It helped avoid that ‘black hole’ effect when performers enter the stage”.
One of the main challenges was the limited weight capacity of the tent’s roof structure. To overcome this, lightweight fixtures with high output were selected, especially the Showtec Shark - The Meg - Beam One, which offered an ideal balance between performance and efficiency.
“There is no other fixture with that much power and so little weight”, says Lars. “This is the second year we’ve used them, and they are perfect for this type of installation”.
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Highlite’s Infinity fixtures proved exceptionally reliable throughout the event, with zero failures recorded during the six days of operation. Their optical quality, performance, and design were praised for meeting professional standards. Lars is a strong advocate of Infinity products.
They offer excellent value for money. Most clients don’t care about the brand, but about performance. Infinity has become a premium brand, in my view. The optics, performance and design are top-level. We had zero fixture failures over six days. We didn’t replace a single lamp. That’s rare. Other brands overload their heads with so many functions that they become fragile. Infinity products are solid.
Oktoberfeest Sittard continues to stand out by combining technical excellence with authentic Bavarian flair. “Some bands arrive expecting a basic Oktoberfest setup”, says Lars. “But what they find is a large-scale production. That energy influences their performance, and the audience feels it. It’s a virtuous cycle”. Each night begins with blue and white lighting, reinforcing the festive theme. Visitors don’t just come for beer and bratwurst—they come for a complete experience that rivals major music festivals. “Bands, organisers and visitors constantly tell us we push the tent to its limits”, Lars adds. “You won’t find a more advanced technical setup in any comparable Oktoberfest tent. In Sittard, people come for the full experience: the performers, the atmosphere, the impact”.
