The town of Istres has reason to rejoice. The activities offered this summer were a hit, whether it was Starry Thursdays, the music festival, the Nuits d’Istres or even the Feria.
« We had a summer full of successes, exceptional » says Véronique Decombis, municipal councilor responsible for tourism and twinning, vice-president of “Provence Tourisme”. For Jérémy Sierra, municipal councilor responsible for events, “ this summer season, always so diverse, remains unique and remarkable. Attendance, already very satisfactory last year, was increased ».
Indeed, between the beginning of June and the end of September 2024, “some 207,000 people took advantage of the numerous activities offered by the events management, the tourist office and the numerous associations which participate in this dynamism praised and praised throughout the department” detailed the town of Istres. A result which does not include the 50,000 registered for the BA125 open house weekend.
Starry Thursdays take first place on the podium
According to the city of Istres, “the 2024 edition of Starry Thursdays, placed under the sign of the “Stars of Sport”, in relation to the Olympic and Paralympic year, totals 80,000 fans in five evenings, with weekly peaks at 17,000 people in August. La Feria takes second place with 35,000 aficionados, including 14,000 who attended the bullfights and the novillada. The music festival attracted 13,000 curious people. Followed by the festivities of July 13 and the Istres festivals at the beginning of August with 12,000 people (including 8,500 for the Rues de l’étang).
“The activities of the Istrian Toro club, including the bullfights in the swimming pools at the arenas, attracted 10,000 people. The launch party of “Summer Vibrations” hosted by DJ The Avener took place in front of 6,000 people. The three evenings of the Nuits d’Istres, at the beginning of July, totaled 5,251 seats with an average occupancy rate of 91%. Jazz at Ranquet continued to gain momentum with 3,300 spectators during its three evenings on the sand. festival committee, the toro club and the Boule sauvage attracted 5,600 people”, specifies the town of Istres.
More than 3,000 people also took part in the activities of Istres tourisme le club while the Château des Baumes, whose office provides entertainment, attracted 1,500 visitors, an increase of 33%. Director of “Provence Tourisme”, Isabelle Brémond welcomed this vitality: “ Few municipalities in the department take so many actions. When I see the number of activities offered, there is no equivalent ».
Summer over, the town of Istres is now hosting two highly anticipated events for this fall: the Halloween festivities on October 31 in the old center and the wine and gastronomy fair from November 1 to 3 at the multipurpose hall.
photo credit city of Istres
