Heads up, neighbors. Right behind the Geusselt Stadium, 600 drones are lined up in a neat grid, ready to lift off and tell a story you will not forget.
We caught up with director Servie Hermans about an hour before showtime. The rain had just stopped, and he was busy checking the launch platform. ‘Normally we put something underneath them, but today the ground works just fine’, he said.
The drone idea was born during a brainstorm session. Hermans wanted to bring the myths of the Bokkenrijders to life in a fresh way. 🎭
Why drones? Here is the thinking:
- Indoors you can use mirrors, holograms and graphic effects
- Outdoors, none of those tricks work
- With 600 drones, you can paint giant pictures in the open sky
The team searched for experts and landed at the German company Flying Stars. ‘It feels a bit like a really hard puzzle’, Hermans laughs. ‘But finishing it is so much more rewarding than an easy one.’
The show runs all month. Grab a jacket, bring someone you love, and go see it. ✨
The Bokkenrijders were notorious bandit gangs that roamed Limburg in the 18th century. According to local folklore, they flew through the night sky on the backs of magical goats to raid churches and farms. That mythical flying imagery is exactly why drones fit so perfectly: the legend is literally rising from the old books into the Maastricht sky.
Source: Municipality
