Festivals complain about Quartier des spectacles
Several major festivals have written an open letter complaining of problems at the Quartier des spectacles which divide into two main categories: the resurgence of the area means there are many new bars and restaurants with which the festivals’ own offerings can’t compete, and the popularity of the area for condo development has filled up all the empty lots the festivals once used.
I’ve wondered before on the blog about the wisdom of turning the area into a residential one, and here we are. And the noise complaints haven’t started coming in yet.
Update: The city is already concerned about noise from the Quartier des spectacles during festivals, and is putting in devices to estimate the sound levels.
Blork 10:25 on 2019-02-25 Permalink
“…the resurgence of the area means there are many new bars and restaurants with which the festivals’ own offerings can’t compete.” I find it hard to shed any tears about this one. Are they really complaining about downtown revitalization because it means they have a harder time selling overpriced and underwhelming snacks? Come on! I’d much rather a vitalized area with a lot of activity and smaller-level festivities than a downtown wasteland going through cycles of cash-grabbing and opportunism otherwise known as “festivals.”.
For example, imagine if the jazz festival had to scale back and just be about jazz, instead of being about creating a fenced-off private bar with overpriced shitty beer. Would that really be a bad thing?
Chris 10:33 on 2019-02-25 Permalink
Ahem to that. The “beer” they sell at Jazz Fest is depressing. And of course they want to search you coming in in case you’ve brought something actually drinkable.
DeWolf 11:54 on 2019-02-25 Permalink
Notice it’s just the big guys complaining. Somehow, smaller festivals have figured out that, if they sell booze that people actually want to drink at reasonable prices, people will buy a lot of it. Last year, Mutek partnered with Harricana to release a custom-brewed pale ale, and Pouzza has something like 20 different beers on tap from Beau’s and Trou du diable.
If you take the Jazz Fest route and sell cans of Coors Light for $8, well, you can’t really blame anyone for going somewhere else to drink.
I have noticed that the food offerings at the major festivals have improved a lot over the years, to the point where it’s actually worthwhile stopping by just to get something to eat from one of the food trucks. So clearly the festivals are adapting, but I guess they just wanted to whinge a bit along the way.
Kevin 12:01 on 2019-02-25 Permalink
The longest food lineup at the JazzFest is for the people who carve mangoes.
I was sorely disappointed last year with the rest of the offerings because the food was very pricey for a tiny portion — so I walked away.
Francofolies had some nice offerings foodwise.
Kate 21:58 on 2019-02-25 Permalink
So the question is: are the festivals merely a profit-making venture for a few people, and is that a good thing for the city?