The bandas festival breaks a new record with more than 50,000 visitors over the weekend. Friendly atmosphere and mobilized volunteers confirm the vitality of an intergenerational meeting which is now an unmissable spring event in the South-West.
The last barriers removed, the equipment put away, it was time for a first assessment this Tuesday with the president of the bandas festival, Gilles Boyer.
“We have the first figures and this edition marks a new record with an estimated attendance of more than 50,000 people over the weekend. The previous record dated from the 50th festival, and we were then at 46,000. This year, we started very strong from the Friday evening, but in fact, without it being too visible, we had more entries on Saturday and that’s a good sign because it proves that the public was well distributed throughout the site”, appreciates the president.
In fact, if certain places remain very popular, such as the cloister, from Place des Argentiers to the Square Lestage car park, the new spaces created in recent years have also found their audience.
Safety first
Despite a few reported thefts, “the other satisfaction was the good-natured atmosphere which reigned throughout the weekend, without any major excesses to deplore”. “The fact of having put the package on security, it pays off. We see it in the first feedback from spectators who thank us for that, for the welcome, for the sanitary facilities too. Everyone was able to have a good time, all the generations”, underlines the president of the Gers festival.
Also returning to the storm alert which hastened the end of the festival on Sunday afternoon, Gilles Boyer is not bitter. “We couldn’t make another decision. It’s a lesser evil. The competition was still able to take place on stage. It’s better that we did that and passed by than the other way around. Everything was concerted. The authorities took into account our experience.”
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In terms of security, since his arrival as president of the organizing association, Gilles Boyer has not been spared from hazards. “First it was the terrorist, two years ago, then the storm on Saturday evening, last year, then the storm on Sunday…”
He nevertheless remains serene. “The security service knows the terrain well. With the gendarmes, everyone works well together. With the cameras, interventions are very quick. Everything we do in terms of prevention is bearing fruit. We also see it with blood alcohol controls. On more than 3,000 carried out, we are only around forty positive.”
So much satisfaction which is based on the experience of the organizers and the investment of the 450 volunteers.
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“They do a lot of work. It’s very important for an association like ours. Some people have a lot of pressure and everyone does their best to make sure everyone, all the generations who participate in the festival, are happy. Again, that’s the DNA of the festival.”
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