Blue Balls Festival heats up
Blue Balls, one of the largest festivals in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, has come to a sparkling end under the guidance of United States reggae star Shaggy.
The nine-day festival, which started on July 18, attracted 100,000 blues and jazz, as well as world music, rock and pop lovers to around 100 shows at several locations around Lucerne and its lake.
Among those in the international line-up this year were singers k.d. lang, Macy Gray and Beverley Knight, as well as the legendary George Benson. Erykah Badu, who features on the festival’s poster, was one of the opening acts.
The number of visitors was more or less the same as last year, but festival director Urs Leierer said breaking even was going to be close: the number of optional pins sold in the open areas dropped by 20 per cent, but tickets for the Jean Nouvel-designed Culture and Convention Centre rocketed by up to 70 per cent.
Next year’s Blue Balls Festival will take place from July 17-25.
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