From November 30, 2024, it will be Christmas early in Niort. The City will launch its Christmas festivities that Saturday. A festive day on which “between 10,000 and 15,000 people” are expected, according to an estimate from Franck Boutinon, the head of the City's events department, based on attendance in previous years.
From mid-afternoon (3:45 p.m.), three artistic companies will invite residents to follow them as they stroll through the city to get an overview of the different sites and activities. The highlight is the launch of the illuminations and projections on the Keep from 6 p.m. “This time it won’t be a tale like last year,” announces Franck Boutinon. But rather a succession of paintings on the theme of winter to marvel at with the city's emblematic building as a backdrop. They will be shown in a loop (approximately every ten minutes) in the evening, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., from 1is December.
Giant luminous bears
Luminous “fascinating giant” bears from the Remue Ménage company will then take the public from the Donjon to La Brèche for the highlight of the evening, the fireworks. Ten minutes of show by Ruggieri with a new feature, the City turns on the sound: “This year, it will be sound” reveals Jeanine Barbotin, assistant in charge of events.
This Saturday, which should be an eye-catcher, will open a month of festivities until December 24, punctuated by other events. The City announces in total “25 shows in the city center and thirteen companies present”. Among the new features, two ice sculptors will demonstrate their talents on December 23 (rue Ricard) and 24 (rue Victor-Hugo).
Regulars will find the usual chalets, around fifty in total spread across three locations. At the foot of the Keep, the Christmas market will bring together around forty of which “five or six new ones” specifies the events assistant. The public will find creations in ceramics, textiles, leather, jewelry, metal sculptures, paintings… An offer “eclectic to have the widest possible offer to buy a gift to put under the tree”, continues the manager of the events department. Without forgetting the hot chocolate or mulled wine and pancake stands “to share a moment of conviviality”.
“We don’t ask the price of the gift”
A few chalets will also be located on the Place du Temple where the children will find the ice rink. And still others await the public in rue Victor-Hugo and place de la Brèche. The first, renamed “rue des Bout'choux”, will present automatons. At Place de la Brèche, children should enjoy three rides: the toboggan run, the chain carousel and the tree carousel.
The budget for this month of festivities will remain a mystery. When questioned, the assistant in charge of events jumps in: “We don’t talk about money. As the mayor says, when we give you a gift at Christmas, we don’t ask the price of the gift.”
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