The two day event is an experiment to try to work out whether there is a safe way to allow large social gatherings without increasing the spread of the virus.

But with the average number of new infections in the country up by 25% since last week, questions are being asked about the wisdom of holding a festival during a pandemic.

Our correspondent Anna Hooligan, sent this report from Bidding Goossen near Amsterdam, surreal as it might look, a reminder of what life was once like and an opportunity to pilot a way back to this.

Yeah, I'm just really happy that we can go party again.

What does it feel like you're for IQ?

1500 people managed to get a ticket for this, and everyone here had to show a negative test before they were allowed in.

Everyone is meant to be wearing a Moscow, and as you can see, they aren't neither realized or they don't care.

And of course, the risk with an event like this is when people stop following the rules that could potentially affect everyone outside this controlled environment.

Soon they were all mixing, and the masks had mostly vanished.

Once you're into the mood of dancing and partying, they fly away.

In no time they become a party hat, as I usually say, as all these people are tested and no negatives, that, of course, this is not a normal situation.

You have to see them as test bunnies during an experiment.

This is not normal life.

There will be people who think it's unethical to use these young people like guinea pigs.

What do you say to them?

Uhh!

All these people, all the participants know that there's a minor risk.

They are well aware of it.

We believe from the first data that we can say the risk is not much higher than staying at home.

These are motion sensors designed to track the group dynamics, and the government is paying for the scientific research.

This event will inevitably raise eyebrows and questions about how ethical it is, especially when neighboring nations are locking down.

Here in the Netherlands, the infection rate has gone up by 25% since last week in What sense is this valuable when the risks are still so great?

Yeah, it will only give us the data to reopen the society.

If you plan it right, you can do safe things.

So this is not an unsafe event.

The entertainment industry in the Netherlands and around the world has been shut down by measures to stop our social interactions.

The isolation has huge consequences for businesses and our mental health.

And this is very much because I really love dancing.

So for me personally, it's a big missing to miss this.

So yeah, I love it.

I enjoy it to the next.

Yeah, we've missed each other and now we can go to a party again.

This feels like a revelation of freedom.

Again, We're really happy to be able to meet like this again.

Yeah, it feels so surreal.

Meet different people and handshake and hugging.

And it's like you've been doing a lot of hugging then.

Yeah, really.

Everyone, everyone.

They'll be tested again next week to see if this event has been the source of an outbreak.

Although on previous occasions not everyone showed up for the second test.

Looking ahead to festival season.

Mhm.

This might be a model for other countries to follow.