Extrema Outdoor Belgium 2018

About:
Extrema Outdoor Belgium, also known as XOBE, is an annual EDM festival held in the city of Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium. The festival takes place over a weekend in July and features multiple stages hosting a diverse lineup of local and international DJs and electronic music acts.

XOBE attracts thousands of electronic music fans from across Europe and beyond each year, making it one of the largest and most popular electronic music festivals in Belgium.

Famous For:
XOBE is known for including elaborate stage designs, impressive lighting displays, and immersive visuals. The festival also has a reputation for showcasing some of the biggest names in EDM, including techno, house, trance, and drum and bass DJs and producers.

Creation Purpose:
Extrema Outdoor Belgium was founded by the Belgian event production company, Extrema Music. The company was founded in 1992 by Peter Decuypere, who is also the founder of the iconic Belgian dance festival, I Love Techno.

Extrema Music has a long history of organizing electronic music events and festivals in Belgium and other countries, including the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy. The company's goal is to create unique and immersive experiences for music fans, with a focus on cutting-edge electronic music.

The festival's founder, Peter Decuypere, has stated that his goal in creating XOBE was to provide a platform for EDM and to promote the culture and community that surrounds it. He saw an opportunity to create an event that would bring together like-minded people from across Europe and provide a space for them to enjoy the music and connect with one another.

Fun Facts:
In 2019, the festival's main stage, called the "Main Stage," was shaped like a giant tree, complete with branches, leaves, and other natural elements.

The festival has won several awards over the years, including the "Best Medium-Sized Festival" award at the European Festival Awards in 2015 and 2016.

In 2020, the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is scheduled to return in July 2022 with an exciting lineup of electronic dance music acts.

Impact on the Music Industry:
XOBE had a significant impact on the music industry, particularly in the EDM community. The festival has helped to popularize EDM and introduced many new and upcoming artists to a wider audience.