Francofolies de la Rochelle or Vieilles Charrues: two of the biggest festivals in France have not yet filled up on tickets, while standing concerts are coming. The fault of a health pass, seen as a constraint, to popularize and play down to festival-goers according to the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot. The question was invited to the second edition of the Estates General of festivals on Monday in Bourges. Philippe Chapelon, general delegate of Snes (National Union of entertainment entrepreneurs) even asked if the abolition of the health pass, a brake on the ticketing of large festivals (above 1,000 spectators), was not possible.
"
Some pretend the happy days have returned, but the pandemic is still there, the abolition of the health pass cannot be considered immediately, it would be irresponsible
", replied the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot, present in Bourges . "
It should be remembered that the health pass is not a constraint but an opportunity, and that the health pass is not a vaccination passport
," the minister insisted. As a reminder, the health pass is obtained on presentation of a negative PCR or antigen test of less than 48 hours, or of a document indicating that one has been vaccinated (two doses, or a single dose for Johnson and Johnson or people who have had the Covid).
With the health pass, festivals are secure, you have to go there, do not abstain, neither in politics nor in festivals
Roselyne Bachelot
“
Without the health pass, there would have been more restrictions.
There, with the health pass, the festivals are secure, you have to go, do not abstain, neither in politics nor in festivals,
”insisted Ms. Bachelot with a smile.
The good news is there, however: from June 30, standing concerts return with gauges of 75% indoors and 100% outdoors.
But the ticket
offices
“
are sluggish
”, as Jean-Philippe Thiellay, president of the National Music Center (CNM), a body that oversees the industry, pointed out in Bourges.
Only 50% of tickets found takers for the Vieilles Charrues, a festival in Brittany reconfigured this year with ten evenings (July 8-18) for 5,000 people.
At the Francofolies, "
on all the closed rooms it's full, for the artists postponed from 2020 to 2021 on the big stage it's full, but on the three evenings to be recomposed compared to 2020, we are at 60% of tickets sold.
It is not ridiculous but I did not think that we would sell less than imagined
, notes for AFP Gérard Pont, patron of the festival, present in Bourges.
"We must explain that the tests are fast and free"
The director of Francofolies
“
There is a communication campaign to do, I call it the 'healthy pass'. While everyone was calling for the return of festivals, I would never have imagined that this health pass would be a drag, especially since now we can be up, all the elements are there for the party
”, adds the director of Francos (July 10-14 in La Rochelle). Same speech at Jérôme Tréhorel, director of Vieilles Charrues, present in Bourges. “
There is a problem of confusion and understanding around the health pass. We say
"
constraint
"
but it is a tool that allows you to relive concerts as before, standing,
"he
told
AFP.
"
There is communication work to do, the culture of tests is more natural in urban areas than in rural areas, it must be explained that the tests are free, they are fast
", develops the person in charge of this. festival in the Finistère countryside in Carhaix. “
What is complex is that amusement parks do not need a health pass
,” says Gérard Pont. Asked also on this point by Philippe Chapelon (not present in Bourges, but who intervened remotely), Mrs. Bachelot retorted: “
We cannot compare the public circulating in an amusement park with that of a metal festival. , massed at 5000 in a pit during concerts of 2 to 3 hours
”.