Vieilles Charrues - festval future in doubt

Some serious issues ahead for the Vieilles Charrues festival, France's biggest summer music event. Organisers are warning that this year's event, scheduled for July 11-14, could be the final edition of the festival unless the problems are addressed.

They're concerned about several measures that the local government has called on, including a loss of the land they can use for the event which means a loss of half of the camping area and less parking space, the local authority acquiring the festival organisers' office at the main entry to the event and a charge of 400,000  Euros for use of the site at Kerampuilh, despite organisers saying they'd agreed for it to be used for five years with the festival donating more than 2 million Euros in work, shows and the equivalent of 2,000 tickets to the local authority.

Organisers say the constant changes have resulted in a lack of stability that now endangers the future of the festival.

It's a difficult situation, and it comes at a time when the future of many large-scale music events is looking uncertain due to the economy and the difficulties that came in the wake of Covid, Vieilles Charrues cancelling its 2020 event.

The festival was created in 1992 and has been held in Carhaix since 1995 and over the three-decades-plus that it's been held, it's attracted some of the biggest names in music - both French and international - to Carhaix in Brittany. Some of the international acts that have played there include the likes of Bruce Springsteen. Iggy Pop, Muse, Lou Reed, The Cure, Bob Dylan, Rammstein, Neil Young, Lana Del Rey and Depeche Mode, while from France, acts like Stromae, Indochine, Justice, Etienne Daho, Vanessa Paradis, -M- have all played along with legends like Johnny Hallyday, Jane Birkin Charles Aznavour and Jacques Dutronc.

Last year’s edition included Robbie Williams, Blur, Soprano, Rosalia and Red Hot Chili Peppers in headline slots, alongside sets from BigFLo & Oli, Jeanne Added, Shaka Ponk, Lomepal, Pomme, Phoenix and Silmarils.

Despite having the big names at the top of the bill, the event has not lost touch with its roots, with local acts and newly emerging artists regularly getting the opportunity to perform.

The festival is - to say the least - a big deal and it draws a crowd of hundreds of thousands to the area, last year's event attracting its biggest-ever crown of some 346,000 people. 

A petition has been launched, calling for a halt to the threat to the future of the festival, with over 25,000 having signed it so far. The end of Vieilles Charrues would be a massive loss. Hopefully, things can be resolved before too much longer.