In four years, 30 % of traditional meetings have disappeared according to a recent study. In question: lack of volunteers, high costs and ever stricter safety rules.
Balls, votive festivals, gastronomic or musical meetings … These traditions, which animate the villages throughout the year, gradually disappear. According to a study carried out by Infopro Digital for the most beautiful festivals in France, 30 % of traditional festivals have disappeared over the past four years.
The north of France has lost many festivals
Today, only six out of ten municipalities are still organizing a party, while a quarter has never known it. The north of France is the most affected region, with 15 % of the municipalities that have arrested their holidays and 25 % that have never organized them.
Still according to this study, the events that resist are often of religious origin, followed by musical or gastronomic events. National celebrations, like the July 14 ball, weigh only 6 % of the total. And in 78 % of cases, the municipalities also offer other events during the year to bring together its inhabitants.
Maintaining these meetings requires considerable investment. If some municipalities give up, it is first of all because of the lack of volunteers, ever more demanding security standards and too tight budgets. According to the study, almost one in two communes would like to be accompanied by communities to continue to organize these festivals.
On the budget side, subsidies and ticket office represent 80 % of the revenues generated. In more than two out of three cases, expenses are covered and sometimes there is even a small surplus. Only a quarter of these events costs more than it reports. And for 94 % of mayors, these meetings remain an essential asset to support and radiate their town.
