"Devil Fest" Falls Apart After Three Days, Critics Call it Failed Exit Copycat

The "Devil Fest" in Novi Sad, promoted as a significant summer event, has faltered just three days after its launch. The festival's planned market section, featuring 84 exhibitors, was canceled at the last minute. Organizers attribute the cancellation of daily activities to the current situation and predicted rain, while a citizens' group claims the public is deliberately boycotting the festival.

Despite flags indicating its presence on Petrovaradin Fortress, the festival lacks the anticipated vibrant atmosphere. Preparations had been extensive, but equipment is already being packed away. The cancellation of the daily bazaar, citing potential low traffic, has raised eyebrows. "We heard this from a person who tried to rent space there, who said it's the first time they've seen something like this canceled and that it's very symptomatic that it happened," said journalist Žarko Bogosavljević.

Attendance has also fallen far short of organizers' expectations. Bogosavljević noted that photos from the festival appear to show a small, confined space in front of the museum, estimating a maximum of a thousand people at its peak, a stark contrast to the 60,000 initially announced. He described this as a significant oversight.

Concerns have also been raised about the festival's organization and the exclusion of other events from the fortress in favor of those approved by the current administration. "And now suddenly the mayor is bombastically announcing some commercial Devil Fest that is supposed to replace Exit, without any prior announcement, idea, strategy, or anything, and it all seems very suspicious, and insulting to the people of Novi Sad," stated Miloš Pankov from the Citizens' Assembly. The organization was reportedly awarded to ALNIDA DOO, a company founded late last year with one employee, which had previously received five million dinars from the City for organizing a New Year's festival. Critics question why public tenders are not used for such events.

Mayor Žarko Mićin responded by stating that the Devil Fest is not funded by the city budget. Meanwhile, the "Louder Than Censorship" initiative plans to host a Blacklist festival, aimed at artists who claim to be marginalized due to their views.