On This Day in 2011, a Meat-Heavy Belgian Music Festival Goes Vegetarian for One Day To Appease Headliner Morrissey

In 2011, the Belgian music festival Lokerse Feesten, known for their horse-meat sausages and other meaty delights, shocked everyone when they went vegetarian for a day. For 24 hours, all meat was banned inside the festival grounds. This move was made to appease the notorious vegetarian sensibilities of Morrissey.

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The festival was trying to get Morrissey to headline, and he allegedly had requests before he would commit to a performance. Festival organizers had long been trying to get Morrissey to attend, according to a 2011 report from The Guardian.

“Many months we worked on it, for weeks we waited for an answer, many nights were spent sleepless,” said the organizers at the time. When Morrissey agreed, with stipulations, the festival called it “a welcome catering challenge.”

The day Morrissey performed, there was no meat cooking anywhere. The organizers planned “an array of vegetarian dishes” and called the day a “healthy break” from the norm. However, outside the festival grounds, vendors were allowed to cook meat, as they weren’t affected by the ban. Still, one assumes Morrissey may have been placated by the gesture.

Morrissey Requests Meat-Free Festival Day After Walking Out of Coachella in 2009 Due To “Burning Flesh”

The often divisive Morrissey has been a vegetarian since he was 11 years old, and takes his anti-cruelty beliefs to heart. He has never been shy about speaking up about his views, which has put him at odds with some people over the years.

Coachella 2009 is a prime example of this. That April, Morrissey was performing at the California festival when he walked off stage in the middle of his set. Apparently, there was a barbecue going backstage, and he was overwhelmed by the smoke and fumes.

“I can smell burning flesh … and I hope to God it’s human,” he said before walking off. Still, he returned eventually to finish the set. Though, he again made it clear where he stood on consuming meat.

“The smell of burning animals is making me sick. I just couldn’t bear it,” he told the crowd when he returned. Now, Morrissey has recently announced a 2025 North American tour in the fall and extending into the new year. He will play mostly theaters, as it looks like his days of huge festivals are behind him.

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