Toulouse. A second edition of the Lantern Festival? The mayor of Blagnac sets his conditions
Through Quentin Marais
Published on
For two months, the city of Blagnac hosted the Lantern Festivalwhich had animated Gaillac (Tarn), before arriving in Haute-Garonne. joseph carlesthe mayor of Blagnac, it is favorable to start again on a second edition… but sets its conditions.
“It’s a satisfaction”
A little over a week after the end of the festival, which had its last evening on February 1, 2022, the first city councilor showed his satisfaction. “On a eu 410,000 tickets sold, including 324,000 paying visitors. »
Visitors who come from everywhere: from Occitania for 360,000, from Haute-Garonne for 275,000, from the Metropolis for 185,000…. From this point of view, it is a real success, in particular because we know that all the festivals, due to the pandemic, have lost between 40 and 50% of attendance. There, we do more or less the attendance that there had been in Gaillac, two years ago.
Hosting such an event aroused many fears: traffic jams, disturbances for local residents. ” From that side, it went just as well, appreciates the mayor. I haven’t been inundated with protest emails… The festival-goers have been very disciplined. »
Finally, the chosen one was able to listen to the feedback of the latter. “They thought it was a magical spectacle. The gaze of the children, when I went there, was also an element of satisfaction. »
A call to communities
If the city of Blagnac can smile, its mayor wants to be careful. “A festival like this is not self-financing. There must be an intervention of the public authorities“, calls Joseph Carles.
The city of Blagnac supported the first edition, but I asked the other communities, the metropolis, the Department, the Region, to help us, if we have to start the operation again. I would be quite in favor of starting again, but I also cannot commit the town of Blagnac to a second financing which would not be covered, whereas it is a festival which is aimed at people from Occitania, from the Department, from The city.
“Everyone must participate”add the mayor, who is solicited from all sides for a second edition to see the light of day. “Association presidents, hoteliers, restaurateurs but also 70% of the 170 volunteers want to start over,” says Joseph Carles.
A common will to pursue
Patrice Gausserand, co-organizer of the festival, shares the opinion of the elected official. “I gave my opinion to repeat this event, the ball is in the court of the town hall. »
On a 3-year contract with Blagnac, there is a review clause each year, either by the town hall or by us. With covid, out of 410,000 visitors… We think it would be a shame to leave Blagnac without having experienced an episode without covid! At a time when all the festivals are fermenting, we will have done the same as in Gaillac, we did very well.
The co-organizer points out: “ there was everything not to succeed. 8-10 days of bad weather, government instructions, the Covid… A lot of people didn’t come because they needed the health pass. But the goal is achieved: do as much as Gaillac, with all these health constraints. »
“We can do even better”
In the event that the continuation of the adventure in Blagnac would be official, Joseph Carles and Patrice Gausserand would refrain from offering an “improved” version of this first edition.
“We will have to change the things that are wrong, on we had problems, and that will have to be listed, ”warns the second. “We are going to work again to see under what conditions we could improve things »chain the first.
The festival-goers, leaving the P5 car park, went to park in the commercial area and went to the restaurants, where there was a lot of activity. A few downtown restaurants say they did not contribute to the festival. What we favored was the tranquility of the city. But we can capitalize on the restoration in the heart of Blagnac.
Decision before the end of February
The final decision therefore rests with Joseph Carles, the mayor of Blagnac. ” I want to take it before the end of February. I have until March 31, but I’m not going to wait, he replies. We had to decide before the end of this month, because if over redonewe have to get back on the road right away, and if we don’t do it again, the output of this operation must be processed. »
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