Ridder Haspels (NL)

Ridder Haspels is Technical & Sustainability Director at Chasing the Hihat, an Amsterdam-based event organization behind day festivals such as Komm Schon Alter, De Zon and Georgies, as well as the multi-day festival Lago Lago in the east of the Netherlands.

Together with friends, Ridder began organizing underground raves in Amsterdam warehouses during his university years, where he was responsible for creating, building and operating the light shows. Over the past 12 years, these gatherings have evolved into large-scale music festivals hosting up to 30,000 visitors per day. In line with this growth, Ridder’s role has expanded to overseeing the full scope of technical production, ensuring smooth execution from concept to realization. He also leads Chasing the Hihat’s sustainability strategy, developing and implementing data-driven solutions to reduce environmental impact. In addition, Ridder represents the organization in the Green Deal Circular Festivals, a European initiative of 50 festivals collaborating to create a blueprint for fully circular events. He further contributes stage and installation designs, blending his technical expertise with his background and passion for design.