Denmark's NorthSide: How to put on a green music festival

This year some 35,000 guests descended on NorthSide, one of Denmark's largest music festivals, from June 17-19. Many of the fans came from the area around Aarhus, the second-largest city in Denmark and one of the designated European Culture Capitals for 2017.

The majority of visitors to the festival arrive either by bike or on foot. Creative music fans gather on the bike path; you can snack on insects or hit the skateboard ramp on your way in.

There's no parking lot available for those who arrive by car. The thousands of bicycles can be locked up at the "BikeSide" lot for free. Security guards watch over the two-wheelers. A small repair shop ensures that a flat tire won't leave you stranded.

Festival visitors are greeted at the entry by tuxedoed "Trash Butlers" who come equipped with handheld vacuum cleaners and pocket ashtrays to give off the appearance of cleanliness.

The 16 "Trash Talkers" on site make sure festivalgoers are greeted with a clean space -and that the green areas stay green. Volunteers from as far away as Canada and Ireland help collect trash, which is separated on site. Still, a 100-percent environmentally-friendly festival is hardly possible.

Backstage, crew members are busy separating trash around the clock. With the goal of at least 60 percent of the trash to be recycled, even the small stands selling beer and candy need to sort their waste into seven different categories.

The food stands offer items that meet Danish standards for organics by around 90 percent. With an emphasis placed on regional products, festivalgoers can eat, for example, a grilled goat which was raised in the central Jutland province.

Danish festivalgoers Anna (left) and Amanda said that NorthSide can only look so clean thanks to a ban on camping. The two say the focus on sustainability is a huge plus. "It's great that that's a central focus," said Anna.

Chris and Anne came to NorthSide from Hamburg and said they'd never experienced such cleanliness at a festival in Germany. They also appreciated the child-friendly atmosphere as they'd brought their daughter along. "There's lots of room to play and also places to chill out away from all the action."

The festival attracted not only international talents like Iggy Pop, Duran Duran, the Chemical Brothers and Deftones, they also counted Danish musicians among their headliners this year, like Lukas Graham from Copenhagen. Photos: Teresa Weikmann