The connecting moonlight
The myth of Hxtival Westerbeek
In a time when fear gripped the Land van Cuijk, women and men with special gifts were hunted down. In Oploo, Sint Anthonis, and the surrounding villages, people whispered about witches, sages, and seers, and tried to drive them away. Many were captured, and a gruesome fate awaited them. But a few managed to escape.
They did not flee in groups; that was too dangerous. So they set off individually, along the narrow sandy paths and through the dense forests where the moon barely penetrated. Alone, weary and full of despair, they sought a place where no one would find them. Thus, without knowing it of one another, they ended up in the woods around Westerbeek, in the area that would later be known as Siberia: rugged, silent, and inhospitable.
Hidden among the bushes, they held their breath. The sound of branches creaking under unfamiliar footsteps, the rustling of leaves in the wind: everything could mean danger. The night seemed endless. Only when the clouds parted and the full moon cast its silver glow like a welcome blanket over the stepping stone path did one of them dare to step forward.
The first took a step into the soft moonlight. And like magic came the rest, one by one they emerged, as if the moon were calling them. Where they had once fought separately, they now stood together, bound by something stronger than persecution: the knowledge that they were no longer alone.
They say that they made a covenant there, in that circle of light. That from that night on, the place was permeated with their power, and that their promise: to always return to each other, has never been broken.
The trees in Siberia still whisper about that night. And people still gather there to celebrate what cannot be extinguished: freedom, connection, and magic. Today, that gathering bears the name HXtival and is celebrated twice a year at the Verbindingsboerderij de Koolberg in Westerbeek, where the renowned location serves as the central heart of the festival.
Historical explanation
For centuries, the Siberia nature reserve near Westerbeek was known for its dense forests and quiet sandy paths. Due to its remote location, it was a place where people could retreat undisturbed, a landscape perfectly suited for hiding places and secrets. Today, Siberia is a beautiful nature and hiking area where peace and quiet still prevail, as if the old stories still whisper in the trees.
