Denmark’s largest festival for people with intellectual disabilities opens amid financial uncertainty

The world’s largest festival for people with intellectual disabilities, Sølund Musik-Festival, opens today in Skanderborg, Denmark, with three days of music and community—but organizers warn that declining ticket sales threaten its future.

This year’s event, the 41st edition, expects 18,000 attendees, featuring performances by artists including Tessa, Peter Sommer, and Aphaca. Festival director Sarah Theibel emphasized its mission: “Our dream is to create a place where people can meet, belong, and just be themselves. Many in our audience experience loneliness in daily life—here, they can feel part of something bigger.”

Yet ticket sales have dropped steadily since the pandemic, with 2026 figures 30 percent below 2019 levels. “We need to understand why sales keep falling,” Theibel said. “If we’re to continue, we must be financially sustainable.”

The festival nearly closed in 2024 after local municipalities reduced support, citing costs for participant caregivers. This year, organizers will analyze the decline to secure its future.

Among the 1,800 volunteers is Lars Bakdahl Jørgensen, who has an intellectual disability: “I love talking to people here and just enjoying myself.”