52,000 people enjoy a historic Cruilla festival

Impressive security process

The event was held at the Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona on July 8, 9 and 10. It applied the principle of the Love of Lesbian concert: first, with systematic tests every day, a requirement that is hardly ever seen (an event that asks for a test usually asks for it to be less than 48 or 72 hours old). Second, with mandatory FFP2 masks that were delivered at the entrance for free. Third, this event also had the advantage of being outdoors, a much safer environment. What was removed was the safety distance. 

This health part was designed with the collaboration with the Foundation for the Fight Against AIDS and Infectious Diseases and the approval of the Ministry of Health, Culture and the Interior Ministry of the Generalitat de Catalunya. It was an impressive test infrastructure, looking like a huge field hospital (see photo) arranged in the ccib. The results came directly to the bracelet (which is also used for cashless consumption at the event), speeding up the entry. The number of staff was also absolutely impressive, achieving that the two times I entered the venue, there was no line at all. 

In addition to the reimbursement of their ticket, those who had a positive screening result were referred to a medical team. And here is a key value of this event, which allowed the identification of several hundred positive people, people who did not know it and therefore would have infected others in their daily lives, resulting in a much improved collective health security. The fulfillment of the fact of wearing his mask except at the time of consumption was good, helped by artists who reminded this need for responsibility. Obviously it was not total, people with beer in hand did not put on the mask between drinks, but between the fact that everyone had a negative test and the effect of identifying patients unaware of it, the health balance of the event could be positive. The result will be seen in the coming weeks in any case since the list of participants will be crossed with the CatSalud data. 

The cost of the antigen test and the medical staff was partially passed on to the attendees, with a price of € 8.5 for those who perform an antigen test (one-day ticket), € 12 for two antigen tests (weekend passes), and € 15 for three antigen tests (full subscription). The tests were managed by Agency 21. 

The emotion

Little to say here, you had to be present, let’s just say that since the beginning of the pandemic, I don’t think I have seen such collective joy and excitement. Smiles, laughter, hugs, and the feeling of being a community united by this passion for music. Events are great. 

Musical programming and happenings

At the musical programming level, artists such as Two Door Cinema Club, 2many djs Morcheeba, Amaral, Muró, León Benavente, Izal, Dorian, Fuel Fandango, Natos & Waor, among others, performed. 

The event took special care of gastronomy, offering “the Gastroteca del Cruïlla”, a 1,000m2 space that included 35 food trucks that served tastings with a leading role in local products. Prodeca, the promoter of Catalan food, through Gastroteca has facilitated contacts and commercial relations with different Catalan food operators and local producers and INCAVI promoted the presence of Catalan wines at the festival. 

Explore formats and extend the show in time

If something has exacerbated the pandemic, it is the will to propose new formats. And Cruilla also stands out here as especially daring, almost going from an annual festival to a cycle of happenings distributed along the year: after the summer, Cruïlla de Tardor returns, a series of concerts in which Miki Nuñez, Cala Vento, Mala Rodríguez, will perform as well as Startled Girl, Balkan Paradise Orchestra, Caravan Palace. And in 2022, at the Cruïlla Primavera, the concerts of Grant-Lee Phillips, Fuel Fandango, and Novedades Carminha will take place between January and March.