The list of the big summer festivals of current music canceled is still growing due to the health crisis.

The organizers of Art Rock (Saint-Brieuc), Main Square (in Arras) and Lollapalooza (in Paris) have in turn threw in the towel and made an appointment in 2022. 

Art Rock, Main Square, Lollapalooza: the list of big summer music festivals canceled is getting longer, due to a stubborn health crisis and crippling restrictions.

These events, which had already not been able to take place in 2020, join the cohort of XXL festivals which have already thrown in the towel, such as Solidays (228,000 people in 2019), Hellfest (180,000 spectators in 2019) or even Garorock (162,000 spectators in 2019).

"It's sad, the list is growing and it is not over," comments for AFP Malika Seguineau, of Prodiss (National Union of producers, broadcasters, festivals and theaters in the private sector).

"The big summer tours depend to a large extent on the holding of festivals: we end up thinking that 2021 could be worse than 2020 ... It's terrible," says the manager. 

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The limit of 5,000 people, set by the government, deemed untenable by many organizers 

The framework set by the government for the organization of festivals this summer - 5,000 people maximum, seated and distanced - is not suitable for most major current music events.

The Main Square (115,000 people in 2019 in Arras) thus indicated on Wednesday that these conditions "do not correspond" to the spirit of the festival and to the expectations of its audience: "Can we really deprive ourselves of conviviality, of exchange? , the frenzy and sharing that are the spice of the event? ".

The organizers answered no and made an appointment in 2022.

Art Rock (80,000 people in 2019 in Saint-Brieuc) highlighted Tuesday the "deterioration of the health context and the total lack of perspective as to the reopening of cultural places" to justify its cancellation.

The words are pretty much the same on the side of Lollapalooza in Paris (95,000 people in 2019), which also gave up on Tuesday.

Art Rock hopes to be able to set up an alternative event in September but already evokes "6 million euros of economic flows and more than 1.8 million receipts which will miss the economy of our territory (region)" .

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All eyes are on the Eurockéennes de Belfort 

All eyes are now on the Eurockéennes de Belfort (128,000 people in 2019) with international programming.

Its director general Jean-Paul Roland had spoken of a "dead end" during a virtual round table organized by the Senate in mid-March, which does not bode well.

Especially since the public of the "Eurocks", polled in early March (more than 21,000 responses), 72% rejected the idea of ​​attending concerts while seated.

For now, among the major current music festivals, Les Vieilles Charrues (270,000 spectators in 2019) and Francofolies (150,000 in 2019) have promised to take place while adapting.