It’s the festivals’ turn to put pressure on the government

While performance halls and cinemas were able to reopen on Monday, it is now the turn of festival organizers to ask the government for answers.

With less than five months to the summer period, they would at least like to know what to expect in order to be able to plan their events.

“We want to have an idea, to have a game plan. We need a game plan. This is what is important to be able to move forward,” said Chantal Boivin, director of Productions Hakim. The company organizes and manages several major events in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, including the International Festival of World Rhythms, the Festival of World Beers and the Festival La Grande Ourse.

“In March, we usually present our programming. That’s how we attract the public, festival-goers and tourists to come to us for our festivals. There, we will not be able to do it, that’s for sure, ”said Chantal Boivin, who hopes to obtain indications from the government as quickly as possible.

The Productions Hakim team is trying, as best they can, to set up the program for its events, but having no idea of ​​the sanitary measures in force during the summer, the calendar remains hypothetical.

In this context, it is very difficult, even impossible, to sign contracts with international artists.

“We can’t start working with uncertainty and start thinking we’re in a world of Care Bears, hoping and then backing off. We got close [des artistes internationaux], we wait. They understand our situation well, but they will not wait until the beginning of March, ”detailed Chantal Boivin.

For its part, the Jonquière en Musique organization prefers not to take any chances. For a second year, she made a line on international artists.

“It’s a decision that has been made. We did it last year and we’re doing it again this year. Because that is risky. Will they be able to cross borders?” asked the general manager of Jonquière en Musique, Alain Tremblay, convinced that the program will be just as interesting with Quebec artists. Eight artists out of twelve are already confirmed.

Although he sees the current situation as a challenge, Mr. Tremblay would still like to know what to expect.

“Especially when you work in events, you work with a lot of equipment that is used for construction. If we don’t reserve our equipment… we have to do it right away. To have answers faster, we could say “I take that, I take that”. You have to prepare,” he explained.