This is a first in Montpellier. The Palmarosa electro festival took place this Saturday August 20 at the Domaine du Grammont, near the Zénith. Nearly 6,000 festival-goers were expected to listen to the artists Kavinsky, Bon Entendeur and Christian Löffler in particular, but above all to enjoy innovative facilities. Composts, selective sorting bins, environmental awareness stands… The festival aims to be ethical and respectful of the environment.. It even plans to recycle and transform urine, to make natural fertilizer for farmers.
Another peculiarity: Palmarosa is trying to sell local products. “We refused to work with major European beer groups to knock on the door of a Montpellier brewer, develop our own recipe and create Palmarosa, the official beer of the festival, which is brewed less than 4 kilometers away.“, specifies John Bertrand, the organizer of the festival.
We refused to work with major European beer groups to knock on the door of a Montpellier brewer
From the entrance, instructions are given to properly sort your waste. Aurélien, a festival-goer, is delighted: “I find it good that big festivals are starting to do that.“The young man is a volunteer at a smaller festival.”We are still having a hard time getting into it. To see that big events manage to go in this momentum, it’s rather positive!”
– Emma Saulzet
Glass in hand, Eikel walks around waiting for his favorite artist, Kavinsky. He too, benefits from the eco-responsible side: “Honestly, it’s quite nice. There are recycling pallets, plant stands for compost… it warms my heart.”
Laurie, another festival-goer sitting on a towel, even talks about a festival of the future.
Virginie and Maéva are volunteers. They deal with waste management. “There is nothing on the ground, rejoices Virginia. Look, really everyone is playing the game and it’s great.” Maeva adds: “I’ve never seen so many bins at a festival!” The two women do not even have to scrutinize the slightest discarded cigarette butt.
A safer festival
Palmarosa also emphasizes the protection of women. A team is present throughout the festival to fight against any type of harassment or sexist and sexual violence. That was all it took to convince Camille, who had come with her friends. “More and more, paying attention to the environment, paying attention to the women’s cause and the commitment you can have every day, that’s really important to me. I feel represented here.“The young woman has already put glitter on her face, she is ready for the electro evening, in an eco-friendly atmosphere.
The organizer John Bertrand explains these commitments by raising awareness. “We were festival-goers, we know what gets a little stuck: the wait at the bar, the toilets, etc. We have maximized the comfort of festival-goers. It’s a first edition, it’s a seduction operation to show what we can do. Of course that has a cost.“
Palmarosa is supported by the City of Montpellier and the Metropolis, as part of its candidacy to become European Capital of Culture in 2028.