With events of all kinds, the fairground made the Nave of the Grand Palais into a pleasure dome, the big wheel giving the public its first ever close-up view of the glass roof!
The attractions, stripped of their decoration, were revealed as metallic, mechanical structures. Drawing a public of all ages, they included: rotating swings, dodgems for children and adults, small roundabouts for the very young, a labyrinth house over 30 feet in height, wooden horses, and shooting galleries.
Who could resist the booths rekindling childhood memories with old-world confectionery, waffles and candy floss?
Initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Communication, "Jours de fêtes" was organised by the Parc de la Villette, in partnership with the French Fairground operators' association (Comité de promotion de la Fête Foraine Française) and the National Circus School in Rosny-sous-bois.
"Jours de Fêtes" in the Grand Palais was an event dedicated to sharing.
The public was invited to attend circus performances conceived by Bernard Turin and France's National Circus School in Rosny-sous-bois. A 540-seater arena was installed in the Nave and offered twice-daily shows that thrilled and astounded their audiences.
A wide choice of workshops gave visitors the opportunity to try their hand at juggling, balancing, acrobatics and trampolining.
An initiative introduced by the Etablissement public du Grand Palais and implemented by Marcel Campion, President of the Association du monde festif, "Jours de Fêtes" was back at the Grand Palais from December 18 2009 to January 1 2010. The latest version brought together the arts of the fairground and gypsy jazz.
Staged in the Nave of the Grand Palais, "Jours de fêtes" is an outstanding year's end event that has a very broad public appeal. The lighting, specially designed by François Austerlitz, created a magical, fairytale atmosphere in the midst of the fairground attractions, including the big wheel, the 1900 carrousel merry-go-round and the "children's world" area. Visitors of all ages enjoyed the unique collection loaned by the Fairground Arts Museum, showcasing the artistic heritage of the world of the funfair. To celebrate the centenary of the birth of legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt, stars of French and international gypsy jazz joined in the party.
The programme included:
- fairground attractions
- an exhibition of "Treasures of the Museum of Fairground Arts"
- a musical programme entitled "The gypsy encampment"
The 2nd edition was a huge success, drawing nearly 220,000 visitors with attendance peaking at 25,000 people per day!
