Initiated in 2021, Palm'Fest is a festival of pop, rock and electro music. Every year, at the beginning of September, it vibrates Palmyra and radiates throughout the Royan coastline. With its eclectic programming and its beautiful headliners, the Palm Fest has become in just a few years an unmissable event in the region.
Very young in the panorama of regional music festivals, the Palm'Fest has already made its place in the cultural landscape. For two evenings, it attracts thousands of spectators who come to attend concerts in a magical place.
The genesis of Palm'Fest
The Palm'Fest is the fruit of the ambition of 8 childhood friends, now in their thirties, united under the association The positive wave. All from Royan Atlantique, they dreamed of creating an open, varied, original and quality musical gathering in order to energize the region. It's done. On the eve of the 2023 edition, we wanted to know a little more about the genesis of the project and the ingredients of its success. Interview with Vincent Gaillardon, president of the association.
How did you come up with the idea of creating a music festival?
When we were around fifteen years old, we participated in the activities offered by the Maison de la Treille in Tremblade. At the time, Vincent Mériglier was in charge of this association dedicated to young people. He organized a lot of outings including a festival: the Ronce Fest'. For the occasion, he relocated the La Tremblade skate park to Place Brochard in Ronce-les-Bains and organized a concert in the evening. These memorable memories marked our childhood. Later, we started getting together to attend major festivals like Hellfest or Garorock.
These events thrilled us so much that we, in turn, wanted to share these good vibes in our territory.
From the first edition, the festival met with the expected success. How do you explain it?
A major musical event was missing on the Arvert peninsula. The chosen period is not trivial either. The beginning of September marks the end of summer. We can thus reach the locals but also the young seasonal workers still present. From the first edition, we wanted to hit hard by bringing in renowned artists like Even ou Synapson.
For the organization, we knew how to surround ourselves well. In the team, we are all very busy because the majority of us are business leaders, but nothing to do with events. As a result, we called on a project manager: Zébulon. Specialized in technical management and general management, he takes care of logistics, tent management, layout planning, installation planning as well as security and sound and lighting management. We were also supported by the Les Fous Cavés association for the management of volunteers.
What are your goals for the future?
The festival has already grown significantly in 3 years. The maximum capacity per evening increased from 5 to 000 people, thus classifying it in the major events category. This position generates more meetings with administrative authorities: town hall, prefecture, security commissions, etc. and therefore more pressure in the organization. With a budget of €750, obtained thanks to the support of communities but also private partners, 000 was a year of investment. So, for 2023, our objective is to maintain the same size so as not to be overtaken.
The organization of the festival
We owe the success of Palm'Fest to a well-thought-out organization but also to the involvement of hundreds of volunteers throughout the festival. To better get the pulse of the event, we went there a few days before. Under the blazing sun, it's excitement. Everyone is busy. Everyone has their job, everyone knows what they have to do. In just two days, the 4 hectares of the site are already fenced off with barriers and the installation of the large stage is well underway. To guide us on the site and the role of each person, we met Bruno, a young retiree responsible for the volunteers.
He accompanies us in discovering the site. This year, the festival reception area at Point Sublime is even bigger. It extends to the parking lot below near the port of La Palmyre, converted into a catering area with food trucks and refreshment bar. The main stage is larger and equipped with additional technical resources. There is also artist merchandising to complement that of Palm'Fest and a second bar, operated by professionals.
Bruno, where are you from and how did you become responsible for volunteers at Palm'Fest?
Originally from Limoges, I moved around a lot when I was working and I was looking for a place to spend happy days during my retirement. I discovered Les Mathes and moved there a few years ago. I participated in the Palm'Fest adventure from the start. For the 2nd edition, I invested a lot during the editing and I created affinities with the organizers, in particular with Adrien Geay. In 2023, they asked me to take charge of the volunteers, which I accepted.
It's a very nice and rewarding position, both on a human level and on a technical level, because you learn lots of things!
What exactly do your missions consist of?
First of all, there is the recruitment of volunteers via an online form. I monitor the progress of registrations as well as the wishes of participants in order to best distribute them by pole to optimize the organization. Then, I manage the volunteer accommodation part with our partner campsite. Finally, I am very involved in setting up the festival. I help coordinate with our manager Zébulon, particularly for managing the arrival of materials and the logistics for scene changes.
You talk about a “pole” in the voluntary organization. Can you tell us a little more? How many volunteers participate in the event?
In fact, we have defined different types of mission on the festival : ticketing, public reception, artist reception, bar service, merchandising (boutique), cashless service (digital means of payment), the green brigade for site maintenance or even logistics and the store general. To cover all of these positions, we must count on the participation of 110 volunteers per evening minimum. And for the assembly and dismantling of the site, there are around thirty of us.
At Palm'Fest, passionate volunteers
Regardless of their age and the mission entrusted to them, the volunteers we meet all have a smile on their lips and an unfailing commitment.
This is the case for Francis who takes care of the logistics: “I manage everything from mechanical keys to the pair of scissors, including the piece of string, the tape… In fact, I never stop chasing people ! But this allows you to have a central management point for all small equipment. We no longer wonder where to find such and such a thing.”
“At the bar, you have to know how to deal with rushes.” For the second year in a row, Jim, a student, is one of the 25 volunteers who work to serve festival-goers. What he likes most is having an enriching experience in a good atmosphere.
Maëly and Cynaelle are volunteers for the first time. Their role ? Welcome the public, beep entry tickets and put bracelets on festival-goers. Originally from the Royan region, they learned about the festival last year thanks to the Culture Pass and social networks and wanted to try the adventure from the inside.
Most volunteers are locals. Others are close to the organizers like Justin in the cashless service or Élodie in merchandising. Both have responded to support them and are ready to change hats as needed.
Ultimately, a common bond unites them: their commitment to this beautiful human adventure.
Renowned artists in La Palmyre
With famous artists like Ofenbach, Deluxe or Etienne de Crécy, the cutting-edge programming of the 2nd edition of Palm'Fest attracted nearly 10 people.
For this 3rd opus, we sneaked into the crowd, as soon as the doors opened, to question the public. If we find the group on the bill skip the use or DJ star Bakermat, he's the Belgian rapper Romeo Elvis which seems to be the most anticipated. Many festival-goers come from Charente-Maritime and they all agree on one point: the very eclectic programming allows all age groups to be reached. This makes it even more of a family festival.
Mixing regional talents with major artists is also one of the ambitions of Palm'Fest.
We also found some rather unusual spectators, Maïté and Sylvie, mothers of artists from the LaGrappe collective. This Royan rap collective, made up of young people aged 20 to 25, participated and won the Palm'Fest springboard in 2022. As a reward, they perform on the main stage of the festival with Mendilabaz. “It’s an accomplishment for them because they are just beginning their job as artists,” they tell us.
With 3 evenings of shows and 16 concerts in total, the Palm'Fest will have brought together more than 12 festival-goers in La Palmyre in 000.
If the Palm'Fest has established itself as a flagship event, it is undoubtedly thanks to the musical diversity offered, combining headliners, discoveries and the local scene. In 2024, the electro-rock program still brings together renowned artists such as Superbus, The rue or, Feder to be seen on stage on September 6 and 7. But, beyond the quality of the programming, we must also remember the warm and good-natured atmosphere that reigns at the festival.
Practical information
- Online ticketing, in Tourist Information Offices or on site on the evening of the concerts
- Doors open at 17 p.m. and 18 p.m.
- Beginning of the concerts at 18:30 p.m.
- Prices: from €37 1 evening pass Adult
- Catering on site: 8 food trucks
- Dematerialized payment on site (cashless)
- Access for disabled
How to get here
SUBLIME POINT
Beach Boulevard
Palmyra
17570 Les Mathes
- Free car parks nearby
- Cycle path to the village of Mathes (campsites)
Prepare your stay in La Palmyre
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