It remains to be seen with fear, but the decision will be taken at the end of April. The titillating cultural festival will set the city ablaze for ten days from 16 to 25 July 2021. During the Ghent Festivities, Polé Polé will bring the best of pop, Latin and world to a frenzied setting on the historic Graslei. For ten days, Polé Polé colors Ghent's city center and provides a southern and sultry ambiance on and around a stage along the water. A program full of live bands and after parties.
For the first time, there were no Ghent parties in 2020. A logical conclusion after Prime Minister Wilmès' announcement that no festivals and mass events were held until the end of August. Today all Gentenaars cherish the hope that the parties can continue this year. The Festivities are part of the Ghent DNA and attract around 100.000 visitors every day for ten days.
"The Ghent Festivities have been taking place at the same time in July for 176 years, I think this is a tradition we should not deviate from, not even for corona."
Letting go of a hundred thousand people in the streets of Ghent and dancing and singing in front of a stage packed together might not be the best idea either. The city of Ghent is making an extra 200.000 euros available to party in 2021. Because 2021 will not be corona-free, extra measures will be necessary anyway and these will cost money. In addition to the free material that organizers can use, they can also get a corona kit. These kits contain all hygienic necessities and the signage material to safely organize events.
Almost a fifth of Gentenaars have now been vaccinated and 7000 doses will be taken next week. The vaccination campaign is also gradually gaining momentum in Ghent. If we succeed, we can once again anchor the great cultural folk festival in Ghent's DNA forever this year and pass it on to the next generations. This way, the Ghent Festivities are guaranteed to be something to look forward to every year.
