BURGUNDY CURBS ST VINCENT FESTIVAL

Published: 23 July, 2008

By James Aufenast

Burgundy's St Vincent festival is to be drastically reduced in size after complaints from producers that the festival had become too unwieldy and costly. However, the organisers have denied rumours that the event is to be scrapped. One of Burgundy's major festivals, St Vincent has been running since 1938 and involves new showings of wines from Burgundy producers, street marches and Catholic mass. However, it had "become complicated to organise, and too expensive," said organiser Louis-Marc Chevignard at the Confrrie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, speaking through Sopexa. "Small towns and villages were losing a lot of money," he said. "We want to take the festival back to what it was - for local people." The organisers want to reduce numbers from last year's 150,000 to around 30,000. 2002 will be the last event in its current incarnation, to be held in Montagny. "It's a bit like Notting Hill, which has got out of hand," said Sopexa spokesperson Catherine Manac'h. "They want to get away from the tourist element." The end of the festival would mean a loss of income for many overseas travel agents.

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