The Eurockéennes de Belfort (French pronunciation: [øʁɔkeɛn bɛlfɔʁ]; English: Eurockeans of Belfort) is one of France's largest rock music festivals. The Eurockéennes, a play on words involving rock (rock music) and européennes (Europeans), is a festival based in a nature reserve beside Lac de Malsaucy Belfort.

Eurockéennes festival at the Malsaucy site

About

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History

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1989 marked the first time round for the festival, when it went under the name Le Ballon - Territoire de musiques, named after the nearby Ballon d'Alsace. The festival was organised to take place on the Ballon d'Alsace, but the peninsula on the Malsaucy lake was chosen in the end, because it was easier to link by car, bus and even train. It was the brainchild of the Conseil général of the Territoire de Belfort, who wanted to dynamise their département with a big cultural event for its youths.

In 1990 the festival was renamed les Eurockéennes de Belfort.

Attendance:

  • 10,000 in 1989
  • 70,000 in 1993
  • 80,000 in 2002
  • 95,000 in 2004
  • 100,000 in 2006
  • 100,000 in 2008
  • 127,000 in 2013 (on 4 days)
  • 102,000 in 2015
  • 130,000 in 2017
  • 135,000 in 2018

Les Eurockéennes takes place on the peninsula of Lake Malsaucy, 10 kilometres from Belfort. A number of different stages are present – la Grande Scène, le Chapiteau, la Loggia and la Plage. Most of the time there are simultaneous concerts on different stages; altogether in 2005 there were about 70.

A campsite, 3 km from the main site, is the free and temporary home to 15000 festival-goers, with a free shuttle bus running between the campsite and the entrance to the main area.

2020 and 2021 editions and COVID-19 pandemic

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It was announced on 13 April 2020 that the 2020 edition would be cancelled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Eurockeennes 2021 was cancelled as well.[2]

Les tremplins

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Tremplins (stepping stones) are organised to allow youth groups to get to know one another. These are organised in Alsace, Bourgogne, Franche-Comté (Doubs, Jura, Haute-Saône and Territoire de Belfort), Lorraine, Germany and Switzerland.

Billing

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2014

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2012

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2011

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2010

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2009

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2008

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2007

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2006

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2005

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2004

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2003

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2002

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2001

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2000

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1999

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1998

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1997

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1996

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1995

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1994

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1993

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1992

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1991

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Vopli Vidopliassova's set was released on LP and CD a year later as Abo abo.

1990

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Due to a storm, many performances had to be cut out, including Davy Spillane Band - Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine - Les Garçons Bouchers - P.V.O. - Stephan Eicher - Stéphane Riva).

1989

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References

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  1. ^ "Coronavirus : le festival des Eurockéennes de Belfort, prévu du 2 au 5 juillet est annulé". France Info. 13 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Eurockéennes 2021 : Muse ne fera pas danser le festival, qui annonce son annulation pour le deuxième été consécutif". France Info. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  3. ^ Cameron, Keith (June 2008). "Let me entertain you…". Q #263. p. 78.
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