2023-08-19 05:00:00
”If the weather hadn’t been bad, we would have had an extraordinary year. We had started well. Admittedly, we had 14 days of rain but this last week has been excellent.” The feeling of fry maker Junior De Corte, who took the place of his venerable father Patrick De Corte, seems to be shared by all trades at the Foire du Midi. For the manager of the Polyp, the large octopus installed right next to the Ferris Wheel too, this 2023 edition is good. “However, we are an open business, more subject to the pangs of the weather,” comments Jonathan Pailhe. “We will take a slight shortfall because of the rain but, overall, I can’t say that I had a bad fair.”
croustillon, lunch fair, test, best, winner ©cameriere ennio
A very good vintage therefore, close to the 2019 record. Despite the unfavorable weather, the Foire du Midi will exceed one million visitors this year. As of Thursday August 17, 972,355 visitors have spent at least one hour of their time there. There’s one weekend left to shoot, including the popular Sunday at reduced prices. “We are heading for a very good edition”, rejoices the Brussels alderman for Economic Affairs Fabian Maingain (Defi). “Much better than 2022 and very close to the 2019 record.”
July 20 and 21, the best days
For the record, this 2023 edition is the first without any restrictions since the Covid crisis. The two best days were July 20 and 21, with more than 45,000 people each day on the fairground, knowing that a good day revolves around 30,000 visitors.
The Fair had attracted 663,139 visitors in 2022, 500,496 in 2021, 1,122,947 in 2019. In 2020, it had been canceled due to Covid.
Unsurprisingly, the inhabitants of Brussels are the most numerous to tread the pavement of the Fair: 650,825 visitors. More precisely still, the inhabitants of Brussels-City represent a third of Belgian visitors, followed by Saint-Gillois, Anderlechtois, Molenbeekois and Forestois.
The Foire du Midi is the spirit of Brussels!
The vast majority also come from Belgium, with 869,376 visitors out of the almost million once morest 109,972 foreigners, proof that the Foire du Midi still has great potential for foreign customers. In detail, people come mainly from France (27,000 visitors) then from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy.
“An improvement in security”
In terms of security too, the 2023 edition seems to be a good vintage. “Police reports show improved security. No major incident was reported, no accident occurred. “Apart from a few thefts in the caravans, we have not suffered any fights, etc.,” continues Fabian Maingain.
Called into question at the start of the Fair, the noise level was also not singled out by Bruxelles Environnement, whose inspection carried out at the end of July did not find a noise level higher than the Fair’s regulations. As a reminder, the City of Brussels has implemented its own noise regulations. A noise check among residents, still carried out by Brussels Environment, has not yet delivered its results.
Foire du Midi: a derogation from noise standards
Many residents of the bottom of the Fair have nevertheless filed a complaint. Brussels Environment received 14 this year. Goedele Desmet endured the noise well, even if she had “the impression that the showmen had turned down the amplified music a little.” She also filed a complaint. “Rainy days were fine. On the other hand, these last days of good weather, it was once more very hard. And I’m not on the front line. I really feel sorry for the residents at the front of the street. The noise came mainly from the showmen shouting into their microphones and the cries of visitors.
Member of the local residents’ committee, Goedele Desmet also recalls that the City of Brussels has indeed authorized the increase in the sound level to 95 dB by means of the installation of a sound level meter “while regional legislation imposes 85dB”.
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