Street art Success of the "Plage des Six Pompes" in its new form

After a year's forced break due to the storm, the La Plage des Six Pompes festival came to an end on Sunday. The street festival in La Chaux-de-Fonds attracted between 10,000 and 12,000 spectators on each of the six days.

After the rain came the beautiful weather, the festival organizers wrote in a press release on Sunday. There were over 200 performances at La Plage des Six Pompes. Around 50 Swiss and international theater, dance and aerial circus groups took part in the festival.

The reunion of La Plage with its audience was a success. Despite the reduction in the size of the festival perimeter in the center, the audience moved to the outdoor stages or to the industrial district, the organizers reported. As a result, the playing areas in the center were not overcrowded, the organizers said.

The changed geography of La Plage worked well. The new venues, such as Beau-Site, exceeded all expectations in terms of visitor numbers. Minister of Culture Elisabeth Baume-Schneider attended the opening of the festival.

As has always been the case in street art, the same applies here: You throw a few coins in the hat. The artists benefited from the generosity of the public and were able to fill their hats. Payment could also be made by cell phone app or via the website. Thanks to the good weather, a support fund has been set up for the coming years.

The festival operates with a budget of over 900,000 francs. It generates 35 percent of its income from its bars and the rental of stands. The next edition is planned for August 5 to 10, 2025.