At the beginning of April, while France was confined, the decision of the town hall of Nîmes (Gard) did not really surprise the aficionados: scheduled from May 28 to June 1, the traditional Pentecost feria, which ignites each year the streets of the Gallo-Roman city were canceled. The Covid-19 was right for this celebration, where promiscuity is everywhere: in the streets, in bodegas, in arenas.
"It seems very complicated to imagine bringing together tens of thousands of spectators in the arenas and several hundred thousand festivals in the streets," lamented Jean-Paul Fournier (LR), the mayor of Nîmes, candidate for his succession. From now on, all the hopes of the revelers are turned to the Feria des Vendanges, the other feria of Nîmes, scheduled from September 17 to 20. But can it really take place?
"Nîmes cannot afford a year without a feria"
Gaëlle, a Nîmes girl, a fan of the early hours of the feria, hopes with all my heart. Above all, she says, that this edition, unlike that of Pentecost where tourists flock, is "quite local. There is less risk of case imports ”. “This edition must take place, it is vital for the city, for the merchants, says Maeva, another lover of the event. Nimes cannot afford a year without a feria. "
The city of Nîmes indicates, for its part, that it is continuing the organization of the event, supported by the latest government announcements on deconfinement: the "maximum gauge of 5,000 people for major events, stadiums and halls spectacle ”will remain in effect, in principle, until September 1. In principle. An almost normal edition is thus in the boxes. But to prepare for all eventualities, the municipality indicates that it has asked its services to work on "alternative scenarios to the organization of the feria, even with limited reception capacities, new devices for compliance with health standards" .
Bullfighting in the arenas
The city of Nîmes also notes that it will remain attentive "to the evolution of the epidemiological situation", and to the "recommendations of the prefect during the summer". Solicited by 20 Minutes , the services of the Gard prefecture did not respond to our requests on Tuesday. "Everything will depend on the evolution of the epidemic, but nothing will be prevented," said Thierry Doucet, his chief of staff, at the Nîmes Gazette.
Finally, Simon Casas, the patron of the arenas of Nîmes, ensures that he is already working on setting up a bullfighting program in the Roman amphitheater, in September, at the Feria des Vendanges, said he announced to France Bleu Gard Lozère. But we must wait for the municipal to pass before discussing the organization of this feria like no other with the victorious team, agrees the former bullfighter.
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Coronavirus in Nîmes: The Pentecost Feria will not take place because of the epidemic
- Covid 19
- Languedoc-Roussillon
- Society
- Deconfinement
- Coronavirus
- Nimes
- Feria