Travel: Barcelona’s ten-day Circuit Festival returns (part two)
Danny Hilton talks to Tes Cuadreny (Communication Manager & Girlie Circuit Director) about Circuit Festival Barcelona – in the second of two parts, we get the lo-down on Circuit rival events, Girlie Circuit and smash some Circuit party stereotypes.
What do you think about the rival gay ‘Olympic Gaymes’ events?
I saw the advertising for this, and I know the people who are organizing this –these people want to take advantage of what we’re doing all year. These are very small parties, I’m not going to say bad things about these people, I know them very well, they are people wanting to take advantage of the work we’re doing for Circuit. These are small parties at smaller clubs, and they will try to take people away from Circuit, and everyone has the right to have his trial, so they will try, I don’t think it’s going to work, for sure, the thing just came out one week ago.
We respect everyone, and even if they don’t respect back – for me it’s kind of disrespectful to do this.
You’ve got events for the girls this year – tell us about them!
The girls are difficult to work for, because of the way they spend money, the way they understand leisure, the way they go out and the things they love and feel passionate about are very different. We are very aware of their taste, of what they like, and we’ve made a great deal of investment this year. Girlie Circuit has become the largest outdoor lesbian festival in Europe, and we’d like to take care of it. We needed to demonstrate to the girls that we care about them, so we decided to give them much bigger parties this year, with amazing productions – we kept the prices just the same as the first year, which is very difficult for us, because when the girls go out, they don’t spend as much money as the guys – they don’t drink the same. And the girls love to go to the cultural events and the talks way more than the guy. They’ll even have speed dating so they can talk and meet.
I’ve spoken to a few people who are nervous about coming to Circuit because they’re not gym-fit or muscly. What would you say to the average guy who doesn’t have a 6-pac?
It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a 6-pac! If you have a belly, just rock it! You come to Circuit to enjoy. I’m not going to lie; of course there are people who spend the whole week in the gym preparing for Circuit. Sometimes I think this is silly, because you go to a festival to enjoy, not to be in pain for three or four months to look like a super-hunk, it’s not necessary.
Yes there are people who like to pose and show off, but you don’t have to be masculine, you don’t have to be a stereotype, just be yourself and if you’re a fantastic sissy, or drag or whatever, you come, and you enjoy just the same. It’s important to say, because many people have this view of Circuit as a ‘muscle alpha event’, but me this is stupid, completely, it’s a mistake. This stereotype is horrible, its fascist and we don’t like it at all.
OK, maybe its our image’s fault, because it’s a stereotype, but in order to have this success you have to offer an image of some muscle guys, because people find them attractive, but if you come here with a fun attitude to enjoy, then that’s all you’ll need. Well, this and a swim suit. The rest is up to you.
Which events are you most looking forward to?
Well of course, the waterpark is going to be huge, it’s always huge, but this year it’s going to be pretty crazy, we’re bringing Loreeen (Eurovision winner), a nice little present for all the people coming.
Also the beach party at Atlantida – it’s a venue that the people just love, when people are there they just go mad for it, dancing under the sun and then after under the stars, the vibrations are very special, you just can’t describe it. You have to live it.
