| Solidays | |
|---|---|
 Main stage of the 2013 edition | |
| Dates | Mid-June |
| Locations | Longchamp Racecourse,Paris, France |
| Years active | 1999 – present |
| Founders | Luc Barruet |
| Website | www |
Solidays (/ˈsɒlɪdeɪz/) is a French annual music festival that takes place at theLongchamp Racecourse inParis at the end of June. Organized by Solidarité sida (a FrenchHIV/AIDS awareness group for youth), the event brings together more than 150 artists and 170 000 festival-goers for three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). The proceeds from the festival are donated to organisations fighting againstHIV/AIDS, especially for those focusing on theAfrican continent.
The festival has been held since 1999. The performers involved in Solidays accept a reduced fee or appear for free as a sign of their solidarity.[1] The 2013 edition raised over 2 million euros.[2] The festival also featuresbungee jumping in addition to the music.[3] The 2022 festival happened on June 24-26.[4][5]
Over the years, many French and foreign artists have appeared at Solidays, includingDJ Snake,Bigflo & Oli,Kungs,Mac Miller,Vanessa Paradis,M83,Synapson,Paul Kalkbrenner,Bénabar,Madeon,Shaka Ponk,David Guetta,Kool & the Gang,Stromae,Louis Bertignac,Lily Allen,Louise Attaque,Grand Corps Malade,Earth, Wind & Fire andDiplo.
On 13 April 2020, the festival announced on its website that the 2020 edition of the festival would be cancelled because of the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic.[6] Luc Barruet, the founder of the festival, asked festival goers not to ask for reimbursement because he said that the cancellation was putting the festival in danger.[7]
La décision d'annuler le festival est l'une des plus difficiles que nous ayons eue à prendre. Elle plonge Solidarité Sida dans une réalité brutale. 3 millions d'euros de résultat attendus vont disparaître. Dès lors, comment financer les nombreux programmes d'aide aux malades et de prévention menés ou soutenus grâce à Solidays ?
Une procédure de remboursement va être mise en place pour ceux qui le souhaitent. Mais "nous demandons à ceux qui le peuvent de ne pas solliciter le remboursement des billets déjà achetés. Ils ne seront pas valables pour une édition prochaine", indique Luc Barruet.
