These are the first French music festivals to be canceled due to the Coronavirus epidemic. The organizers of Tomorrowland Winter and Rock The Pistes, which were to be held in March in the Alps, announced this Thursday morning that they decide to cancel the two musical events.
The 2 nd edition of Tomorrowland Winter, a huge electro event with Martin Garrix and Kungs among others in the Alpe-d'Huez resort, was to take place from March 14 to 21. 20,000 festival-goers from around the world were expected. The Belgian organizers received "with a heavy heart" the decision of the prefect of Isère to ban the demonstration. "We obviously respect this decision but we were 90% ready," said a spokesperson. The editing had started since the beginning of February 2020. This will have a financial impact on us and on the station, of course. On site, we had 1,200 employees over the week. "
Since most of the concerts are held outdoors, why not just cancel those under the marquee? "The French authorities have estimated that the presence of 20,000 people in the same place was considered to be confinement," replies this spokesperson. In its press release, the Belgian organizers speak of "drastic measures" on "large gatherings of people in confined areas" but also "those bringing together participants of different nationalities".
The Alpe d'Huez ski area (which also brings together Oz en Oisans, Vaujany, Auris en Oisans and Villard Reculas) remains open to visitors and all the usual activities take place normally (ski lifts, ski slopes, bars, restaurants …), As in any French ski resort. "All our festival-goers will be contacted personally by email and via their Tomorrowland account in order to define the next stages of reimbursement", specifies the festival team, who will nonetheless give them an appointment next year.
Even if the concerts are outdoors
The situation is slightly different for Rock The Pistes, which was to host between 25,000 and 30,000 festival-goers from March 15 to 21 on the Portes du Soleil ski area, around Morzine to attend concerts among others by Skip The Use, Iam and Stranglers. The festival is free, the organizers cannot reimburse rock lovers who had taken accommodation and transport to come to Haute-Savoie. "We advise them to come anyway because the station and the area remain open during this period," answers Benoît Cloirec, coordinator of the Portes du Soleil. Otherwise, they can approach their travel agency for insurance. ”
Again, we are surprised at a cancellation when there is no confinement. The festival is at altitude and entirely in the open air. "It is the prefect of Haute-Savoie who asks us to cancel and we comply with his decision, even if we are disappointed, recognizes Benoît Cloirec. The fact that there are more cases of Coronavirus in Haute-Savoie than elsewhere weighed in his decision. And the Swiss canceled their concerts out of solidarity and logic. We are only three kilometers away. "
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What are the financial consequences? "It is above all a question of image," said the Portes du Soleil coordinator. But this cancellation will have a cost, of course. Our budget is 750,000 euros and a little less than half of the losses will be covered by insurance. "
