Pinkpop, the Netherlands’ oldest and best-known pop festival, took place for the first time in 1970 on Pentecost Monday, May 18, in Geleen. The name ‘Pinkpop’ is a combination of ‘Pinksteren’ the Dutch for Pentecost, and ‘Pop’ the festival is usually organized during the Pentecost weekend, except for the editions in 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016. Initially, the festival was a one-day festival but grew into a multi-day event in Geleen, Baarlo (one-off) and later finally Landgraaf.
It is also a prime example of how local bureaucracy can destroy a cultural institution in a town. Renovation of the location in Geleen forced Pinkpop to move to Baarlo on a one-off basis in 1987, where the festival had its 18th edition under harsh weather conditions. However, Pinkpop did not return to Geleen due to problems with permits but settled in the municipality of Landgraaf. That move did cost a lot of hospitality businesses a substantial loss of revenue and were forced to close down.
Following are some impressions of the time it was still in Geleen.
Source
History of Sorts 
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