A new attendance record for the Gourmet Book Festival in Périgueux

“A beautiful edition that kept all the promises”: it was with these words that Delphine Labail, the mayor of Périgueux, started the closing press conference of the 19th edition of the Gourmet Book Festival, Sunday November 17. Without hiding some unusual “little surprises” (heating cuts, electricity and Internet messaging failure), the councilor said she was “very satisfactory” with the vintage which has just ended, confirming in her opinion “the turn taken from salon to festival” in 2021, with an event returning every year.

Some figures provided by the municipality to demonstrate this year's success: 22,000 visitors (free entry), 84 authors representing 30 publishing houses; 76 editorial meetings and 37 proposals for demonstrations and workshops (all sold out); around ten cultural events; 1,500 children welcomed on Friday. “It’s a festival that has things to say and that bets on indulgence,” rejoices Delphine Labail, also happy to reveal audience figures that are sharply increasing on social networks with 270,000 accounts reached (including 200,000 on Instagram) with the strength of tenfold video production.

Former honorary presidents invited next year

With Thierry Marx in the apron of honorary president, well-being, eating well and inclusion (even in a prison environment, read “DL” from Saturday November 16), were the strong themes of this vintage. The City has not even had time to digest that it is already heading towards the next edition, marking the 20th anniversary of the festival, whose longevity will reach the 35th year. If all of Thierry Marx's numerous predecessors are already invited (Philippe Etchebest, Régis Marcon, Olivier Roellinger'), we will have to wait (as always) several months before discovering the next lead, who some would like to be female. One thing is certain: the 2025 edition of the Gourmet Book Festival will extend over four days, starting on Thursday, with the reception of the first 1,500 schoolchildren and children's authors. “This anniversary will be a springboard to look ahead, have a direction, and will be the one that will bring this mandate to a close,” announces Delphine Labail, whose intentions to run again for the municipality only need to be made official. “Thinking together about a better, more just and virtuous world is our project. » And already a whole program.