“More than 80 million euros” collected since the beginning of the festival according to its founder

“More than 80 million euros” have been collected in 25 years of existence of the Solidays festival, estimates Friday, June 23 on France Inter Luc Barruet, founder of the Solidarité Sida association, which organizes the music festival. The 25th edition of Solidays begins Friday afternoon at the Parisian Longchamp racecourse: 80 concerts on nine stages are scheduled until Sunday, June 25.

“This money was used to finance programs in France and abroad”explains Luc Barruet, “as much to provide formula milk to women with HIV in Marseille, as action-treatment programs in Burkina Faso or income-generating activities in Senegal, because women are the first victims of AIDS and the first challenge for them is to remain socially integrated”.

“One of the cheapest festivals in France”

“This festival is an educational tool”, Pointe Luc Barruet, with association stands, exhibitions and on-site prevention. It is also “one of the cheapest festivals in France”, with places at 49 euros for a day ticket, points out the founder of Solidarité Sida, while the charges are increasing. 247,000 festival-goers took part in Solidays last year.

Luc Barruet does not say he is worried about holding the festival next year, before the 2024 Olympics. On the other hand, “the conditions of realization” will be very difficult, he assures us: “On human resources, service providers, we are going to have trouble. A security guard [Solidays en compte 400] costs between 23 and 24 euros per hour. Next year, it’s 35 euros per hour according to the fixed rates. These games are already having a very heavy impact for festival organizers.”