Geneva: The Lake Parade finds its audience despite the rain

For the 23^e Edition, the Lake Parade “Reverse” borrowed an unprecedented course around the harbor on Saturday afternoon. Twelve tanks stood ready at the height of Baby-Plage to reach the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc, on the other side of the Lacustre.

As the previous edition, Representatives of the world at the Geneva night came in number: the evening village, the tropical chariot of the Uptown, the Jungle House Festival or the Brazilian chariot, Baile Da Revoada. The Geneva Market Union puts a little greenery on the route with its tank on the garden side and the Cygnes shopping center, a few feathers. As usual, McDonald’s opens the walk, with its double truck and trailer hitch. “Its objective is to put accessible music to launch the procession and put an atmosphere,” explains the organizer Christian Kupferschmid.

“Unmissable demonstration”

At 3 p.m., the Lake Parade awaits the top start under a rather mild sky. Elodie, disguised and Grime, had not returned for ten years. She is moved because she chose the demonstration to bury the life of a young girl from her friend Valentina who had never participated. “The atmosphere is great, it vibrates, the music is good and the alcohol too!” A cocktail in hand, the two friends are ready in front of their favorite tank, the Uptown tropical. “The DJs are super, enthuses Valentina, they play Latino.”

Maxime comes from Thonon. He participated for the first time with a group of friends, a crown of Hawaiian flowers around his neck. “It’s been a long time since I wanted to come to party with friends and meet in benevolence.” His friend Arnaud estimates the “essential” demonstration. “We went to the Street Parade of Zurich last year and we wanted to see what wood the Lake Parade heats up. I saw two or three nice disguises! ”

David, an inflatable bathtub around the waist, participates for the second year, with an appropriate outfit given the weather forecasts. Alexia has been coming to the Lake Parade since the age of six. Today she has 29. She wears silver santiabas, a matching cowboy hat and glitter on her face. “I like to dress extravagantly. The tanks, the music, is exceptional. ”

Abundant rain

The procession sets out slowly at 3:30 p.m. François Henri, the sixties, is flamboyant in his “royal palace” pink costume. He attracts all eyes and signs his twentieth participation. He regrets the few costumes this year. “In the 90s, everyone was.”

The cannon of the chariot of the evening village propels clouds of foam, for the pleasure of young and old. The sound system spits its techno music. The dancers on the vehicle invite the public to do the same. Sudden rain comes to shower the ardor a little. It is 4 p.m. Some ignore it and continue their frantic dance. Others try to take shelter.

Foam barrel

Mousse and rain mingle happily. Igor is with his little girl whose stroller has been sprayed. “She lived the battle,” notes the amused father. The little one seems a bit lost. An older girl tries to house her with her umbrella. She is the daughter of Reynald, who comes from Valleiry. He himself organizes tanks in the Technoparades de France. “I wanted to show my 8 year old daughter what a foam barrel looked like.” He is delighted. “People have to have fun and enjoy music. This kind of party brews all ethnic groups is magic. ”

The rain continues to fall forcefully. Some, a little discouraged, leave the procession at the end of the Quai Gustave-Ador, but most of them hang. Around 5:15 p.m., the sky finally calms down and wandering becomes more joyful. According to the police, the demonstration brought together 10,000 participants. For the organizers, they were rather 20 to 30,000. “Some people went to change and returned to dance around the trucks until 9 pm on the Wilson quay,” said Christian Kupferschmid. He nevertheless recognizes that the year was special. “We had to do thee route backwards Because of the Fan Zone of the Women’s Eurofoot. ”

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