On July 5th Fort Lunet II opened its gates to Grounded Events; it was time to bring back the yearly festival. Since the Grounded crew made itself home to Fort Lunet I, they were challenged to transform the island of Fort Lunet II, Grounded style. To turn nature into a garden party, while preserving and cherishing the thriving nature, is what makes a true sustainable festival like Summer Minifest. Powered by the municipality’s Initiatievenfonds the community was able to build a one-day paradise of culture and knowledge.
Scattered all over the monumental island there were various bubbles of experiences. Behind the buzzing festival happenings, various lectures about eco-restoration and an alternative to the current banking system called “time banking”, took place. Right next to these talks there were relaxing and very active workshops to engage the visitors in movement and breathing. Just as these rooted activities, mobile get-togethers of live music jamming on a cargo bike and a collective of moving flow arts were around throughout the day.
Those who wandered to the far corner of the garden party found themselves in the music arena. Blasting from a tent on top of one of the island’s bunkers, grooves, oomphs and bloops filled the air. Guests not only dubbed out to live reggae, but could also vibe to smooth and warm house music, get lost in trance-inducing didgeridoo-driven psytrance or turn feral to rave vinyls. The bunker’s roof was completely floored with wooden decking and a DIY stage decor which visitors could design, add and edit, ruled by a giant moose bouncy castle where the inner child could surface.
In the center of it all was Grounded Kitchen’s food court that tied everything together. Guests enjoyed a diverse (mostly plantbased) menu compiled of local produce, like chili sin carne-loaded fries, Grounded’s famous KFC (Klok-Fried-Cauliflower) and a healthy quinoa salad. Complementary to the tasteful menu was the extensive bar cocktail menu, filled to the brim with unique blends of flowers and liquor.
The casual explorer eventually wound up in the Magical Forest, an intricate and picturesque little path to be discovered in the midst of the trees that make up the heart of the island. Here, a small but gloomy exhibition by a HKU graduate and a Nijverheid resident emerged that lurked in the bushes. Metal sculptures that could come right out of a cult of some sort towered above the low vegetation, some of them fused with light-art. Further deep behind a tree hid a dreadful human-sized worm, ready to ambush any mindless wanderer. The Magical Forest was there for anyone that looked to be surprised by what the island had to offer.
Along the edge of the island several tiny living rooms could be found, where many spontaneous happenings occurred, ranging from laid-back lectures to intensive dance workshops. As the day strolled on and the night slowly entered the gates, the biome lit up its lights to provide the company a warm and cozy ambiance for the last few hours.
Grounded Summer Minifest 2025 might have been a precursor of what is to come; what is the Grounded crew capable of next year? Will Fort Lunet II be transformed to a wonderland once again? Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next edition!
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