Free set by techno DJ Charlotte de Witte attracts 12,500 fans in Ghent

In Ghent, 12,500 fans of Charlotte de Witte turned up at the city pavilion for the popular Belgian techno DJ's free set. The event was supposed to be a surprise and was initially announced at a different venue. But on social media, there was so much buzz around the top international act that emergency services feared for safety.

Renowned techno DJ Charlotte de Witte is giving an hour-long free set under the city pavilion, from 4 pm to 5 pm. She thus wanted to thank her fans in her hometown. The venue was only announced at 1 pm to avoid a (too) large crowd. Just before 4 pm, more than 5,000 people had turned up, police reported. That number rose to 12,500 people.

The DJ had first announced on social media that the party would take place on the Oude Beestenmarkt. That announcement went viral, but the police and fire brigade feared that the small square would not be sufficiently safe for the event. After all, only 6,000 people can gather there, there are few escape routes and it lies on a major axis for public transport.

In consultation with de Witte, it was announced that the event would be moved to a new location. The city pavilion can handle a lot more people than the Oude Beestenmarkt. At the New Year's reception, 14,000 people gathered there recently.

The DJ is considered one of the biggest names in the techno scene. She rarely plays for free. She did previously surprise in a similar way in New York in the past.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Free set of DJ Charlotte de Witte in Ghent © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}