In the meeting room of the Maison des associations, in Uzel, the tone is gloomy this Friday, May 15 in the evening. The president of the festival committee, Gaël Thomas, comes to announce that the party is over, at least for the current team which makes up the association’s office. “I have resigned,” he said to the fifteen people who made up the audience at this extraordinary general meeting, explaining his departure for “personal reasons.”
“I don’t want to anymore”
After 26 years of managing the lottery, the grilled pig and the fireworks on August 14, the conductor of the Uzelaise festival wanted to “hand over”, but has so far not found a buyer. “I tried, but each time I was given the hot potato.” And the wait for a new president was cut short prematurely, by the mass departures. Shortly after the municipal elections, more than half of the office resigned, a large part of the members threw in the towel. “It’s like that every time the municipality changes,” he sighs. I still find myself with three or four, but this time, I don’t want to start looking for new members again.”
When I arrived 26 years ago, it was the same thing. We started to mix politics and culture.
“No politics on the table”
In the room, the new mayor, Nicolas Toudic, questions these resignations. “We hear that the festival committee does not want to work with the new municipality. But the goal is not at all to be divisive. My wish is not for the holiday committee to stop. We have been asked quite a bit since March. We didn’t take the time to sit around the table,” the latter says he wants to be a “facilitator”.
“Since I arrived 26 years ago, it’s been the same thing,” reassures Gaël Thomas, explaining that these mass departures are not unusual during a change of municipality. “We mix politics and culture. But I don’t want politics around the table. At the limit, there is cohabitation.”
The association can remain dormant while it reflects, after a while, there is definitely someone who will make a decision.
During the general meeting of Friday May 15, the Uzel festival committee was put on hold, due to lack of a candidate for the position of president. (Le Télégramme/Alice Gleizes)
“Of course the dissolution”
Faced with silence in the room when Gaël Thomas asks if there is a buyer, the decision is made to put the association on hold – having not been able to fulfill the condition of immediate resumption, and wanting to “avoid dissolution”. “The association can remain dormant while it reflects. After a while, someone will definitely make up their mind,” he hopes. And to talk about balanced finances, with an overall operating budget of €28,000, €35,000 in revenue for €33,000 in expenses. The events for the year 2026 are canceled. “On August 14, the fireworks will normally be maintained,” he nevertheless announced.
