This End of the World, the volunteers were waiting for it impatiently. Most come from the beginnings of the festival on the Crozon peninsula (Finistère). So after these two years of pandemic, “it feels good” to find the festival, breathes Rachel, a long-time volunteer. “We see people we haven’t seen for a year or two… We missed it!“.
Ronan is a little stressed. “It’s going to make us weird!”. Volunteer at the entrances, he will have “more work this year”. Putting bracelets on 6,000 and 20,000 people is not the same thing. But the stress is quickly dissipated in the glass of ponch and the couscous offered at the volunteer tavern.
A lot of preparatory work ahead
On the site, the festival-goers will soon replace the tractors, the barricades not yet installed, the garbage bags in bulk. Charlotte is an environmental volunteer; she ensures that the site is kept clean. “It’s a lot of work ahead”, she says, wiping her forehead with her glove. “To make sure that at the end the festival is easier to clean up, it requires crazy preparation. For example, it was the volunteers who made all the ashtrays which are cut out of beer barrels, they welded the bin supports and we made the panels to explain how the dry toilets, sorting…”
20,000 festival-goers
The Tierra Brasil stand team, which will offer Brazilian food all weekend, is in its second edition. “Last year, there were only 5,000 people, it’s a big challenge ahead of us!” launches, all excited, Stephanie. The girls cut the courgettes, squeeze the lemons, peel the onions…”Over 5kg!” Paula exclaims. “I’ve never cut so many in my life! In order not to cry, we found a solution: diving masks”. No doubt, all the volunteers are more than motivated. Everything will be ready for tonight. Only one thing is missing: the festival-goers.