The edition of the Boom Festival, which starts on Thursday in Idanha-a-Nova, with the presence of 1,128 artists, is dedicated to “Radical Love”, a theme “that responds to a current and urgent demand”, according to the organization.
“This is the culmination of a year of intense preparation, thought and worked in depth by a team of talented and committed people who produced an edition of Boom that we think is – we hope it will be – the best ever,” Artur Mendes, from the organization, explained to the Lusa agency today.
Education and sustainable practices are one of the hallmarks of Boom Festival which, in eight consecutive editions, has been distinguished with the ‘Greener Festival Award’, an international award that rewards exemplary events for the industry through its sustainability practices.
Artur Mendes considers that the Granja estate in Idanha-a-Nova, in the interior of the country, “is the ideal setting” for a week “to be the home of the 39,000 people who will arrive from 178 countries, one more nationality than a year ago”.
“The theme that inspires this meeting responds to a current and urgent need: radical love. What we celebrate here is this need to stop disunity, prejudice, separation and judgment about others who we mistakenly, stupidly, think are different from us. What we will celebrate here is the transformational power of love and coexistence and respect for nature and for each other,” he said.
The head of the organization of the 14th edition of Boom Festival also stressed that the agenda of music and debates for this edition “is extraordinary”.
“We have artists, thinkers and therapists from all over the world to help us live better and understand better. The stages and art we present reflect this concern and will serve as an encouragement to the audience to feel comfortable and inspired,” he stressed.
After four years without an edition due to the covid-19 pandemic, the organization decided to make two consecutive editions, in 2022 and 2023.
However, Boom officials point out that, despite being held this year (the fifth consecutive edition with sold-out capacity), they do not intend to turn this cultural event into an annual festival, so it will maintain the biennial format.
To cope with the presence of the 39 thousand boomers, who until the 27th will be installed in the Granja estate, there are 45 organic restaurants and supermarkets in ‘Boomland’ and 32 suppliers are registered (15 from the Castelo Branco district, 16 national and one international).
Around 2,000 people of 86 nationalities, including staff and volunteers, will be working at Boom.
Boom Festival also offers 21 program areas and features 1,128 artists from 29 nationalities, with this year’s highlight being a sculpture by Michael Benisty.
The organization also took several preventive measures in terms of fuel management in the peripheral strip and inside the enclosure, grading of parking lots and caravanning.
Internal emergency and first intervention teams have also been set up, heavy firefighting equipment has been installed in strategic areas with easy access and light firefighting equipment (fire extinguishers and armed hydrators) has been installed throughout the venue and watchtowers. There is also a fire station installed inside the enclosure.
In 2009, the year Boom Festival settled in Herdade da Granja, the organization also transferred its headquarters to the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, creating, since then, the IdanhaCulta association, which is dedicated to social, cultural, recreational and environmental development.
The organization eventually acquired this 180-hectare estate in 2017.
Boom is an independent festival, without sponsors, and is recognized as environmentally conscious, well-managed and with significant actions to reduce waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.