Sneeuwbal Winterfestival

Sneeuwbal Winterfestival is an outdoor winter festival of techno and house, in Utrecht. XSENSE organizes it. In 2013 the house signed itself X-sense. The first was Saturday 23 February 2013, in Park Transwijk. It sold out. The sky was grey and a northeast wind left a feel of five below zero. The music was in one large tent, with heating. On that day's bill were J.A.C.C.O, Ramon Tapia, Juan Sanchez, Billy Mason, Michel de Hey, and Egbert live. The photos are by Linda Bouritius. Almost everyone came by bike from Utrecht. That weekend a motor show was on at the Jaarbeurs and a short queue formed by the park. The toilets were outside. At the close, the lockers jammed. People still left calmly.

The park address is Koeriersterlaan 101. On the calendar, after that first one, are 8 February 2014, 31 January 2015, 30 January 2016, 28 January 2017, 27 January 2018, 26 January 2019, 25 January 2020, 30 January 2021, 28 January 2023, 27 January 2024, and 31 January 2026. The hours of those days run from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. They called 27 January 2024 the tenth birthday. The first counted day is February 2013, so the two counts do not match, and the start year stays at 2013.

On that 27 January 2024 they announced seven stages. Three of the names were Dolle Iglo, Poeder Piste, and the après-ski Café de Scheve Schaats. The bill listed, among others, Amber Broos, Benny Rodrigues, Dion, Dion Visser, Joëlla Jackson, Klaudia Gawlas, Menesix, Mr. Belt & Wezol, and T78. Outside the tents there was a snow slope and hot tubs. On the food square, mulled wine, hot chocolate, poffertjes, and waffles. The mascot is a penguin. That day it wore a party hat. The photos of the day carry the names of Manon van de Garde and of The Arrows. The first 1,000 tickets of that edition came out on Friday 3 February at 12:00, in the house shop. The phases go up in price: the first is the cheapest. The phase does not mark a spot on the grounds.

On Saturday 31 January 2026 the timetable, again at Park Transwijk, from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., left three stages. On De Ruige Piste: Jayzo from 2:00 to 3:00, Marco Faraone from 3:00 to 5:00, Alan Fitzpatrick from 5:00 to 7:00, Joyhauser from 7:00 to 9:00, and Pan-Pot from 9:00 to 11:00. Jayzo goes from Suriname to the Netherlands. Marco Faraone is from Italy. Alan Fitzpatrick, from the United Kingdom. Joyhauser, from Belgium. Pan-Pot, from Germany. On De Woeste Helling: Wes Schippers from 2:00 to 3:00, Rooléh until 4:30, Prunk until 6:30, Luuk van Dijk until 7:30, Benny Rodrigues with Luuk van Dijk from 7:30 to 8:30, Benny Rodrigues until 9:30, and Menesix until 11:00. Menesix goes from Brazil to the Netherlands. On De Scheve Schaats, LA Sound held the long stretches, with Mike Oskam from 5:30 to 6:00 and from 9:30 to 10:00, and Berry Brinks from 7:15 to 8:00. Mike Oskam and Berry Brinks sing in Dutch. The presale for that Saturday was 44.35 euros, before the fee. The minimum age is 18. At the gate they may ask for an ID card, a driving licence, or a passport.

The house now places the gathering at Fort bij Vechten, in Bunnik, at Achterdijk 12, from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. By car you follow the sign P Bezoekers. A bike goes in the racks at the entrance, with no attendant. From Utrecht Centraal a shuttle bus runs to the fort, at Mineurslaan, on the Jaarbeurs side. The bus ticket is bought in their shop. A taxi drop follows the sign Kiss & Ride. A group coach is sent ahead to info@xsense.nl. They ask for winter clothes and layers. The feel can sit below zero. A ski suit fits the code.

Inside, the bar and the food are paid with tokens. They are bought at a desk, by card or in cash. They are not changed, and they count only that day, until 11:00 p.m. There is no re-entry. The ticket is read on the phone: download it first, because there may be no signal inside. If it is lost, it can be asked for again. Resale goes through Ticketswap, from the CM.com purchase mail. Lockers hold three or four coats and open all day. A backpack, small flags, a GoPro, a disposable camera, and a stick deodorant still in the pack may come in. Own food and drink do not, nor laughing gas, nor selfie sticks, nor spray, nor bottles, nor glass, nor fireworks, nor umbrellas, nor chairs, nor tents. An allergy is written to info@xsense.nl, with the doctor's paper. A wheelchair can pass: the ground is grass and wooden deck, and there are accessible toilets at the first-aid post. Milk can be expressed there too. There is no fridge. A cold bag fits in the locker.