The return of conviviality with the Neighbors Day in Agen

Its street aperitifs, its Spanish inns, its musical tunes and its discussions until the end of the night, the Neighbours’ Day and its unique atmosphere are back, after a turbulent period…

« It represents the conviviality that we have lost a little », as Samia Achour, the president of the council of district 20, points out, somewhat impatient to see the link reconnect over a drink, or two…

Indeed, in its district, the Neighbours’ Day could not be considered masked and on presentation of a health pass, Quartier 20 has therefore not met in this way since 2019. « It went against of the spirit of the party for us”, explains the one who could not imagine refusing people on the pretext that their vaccination status was not up to date.

But the Covid has damaged relations between neighbors, each having isolated themselves. « This party will be like an update of the neighborhood », launches Samia Achour, evoking the newcomers, and the oldest, who have many things to bring to each other. « There emerges a real network of mutual aid, it’s social ties, it’s essential, » she comments.

In district 13, we even noticed that these informal and festive meetings were more conducive to discussion. “Besides, we only do that,” assures its president Patrick Delaplanche. « This Neighbors Day is a tradition, a festive moment, we reach more people than usual, » he adds. Its neighborhood council will take advantage of the occasion to hold its general assembly. It is, once is not custom, a glass in the hand that the projects of the district will be discussed.

Traditionally, the aperitif is offered by the neighborhood councils and the meal is done casually, everyone bringing salads and quiches to share, a tradition that neighborhood 13 has insisted on maintaining, even in the midst of a pandemic, to « break isolation ». « It’s one of our missions, it seemed more important to us than ever », as Patrick Delaplanche explains.

Games (belote, pétanque district 18), dance (district 3), music (districts 6 and 13), Agen will become a big playground this Friday evening, and some districts will even play extra time on Saturday. This is the case of district 18 which invites its inhabitants to meet at noon on Saturday for a meal in the form of a Spanish inn followed by a relaxing afternoon in the Pompeyrie park; and from district 13 which organizes the Neighbors Day in the courtyard of the Sembel school. « We did this on Friday evening last year, but it’s still complicated to set everything up after the children have left », as the president of the district council explains to us.

« This allows you to get to know the neighborhood councilors better, » concludes Martine Cazals, the president of neighborhood council 18.

“This is a major event for the city! »

The Neighbours’ Day is a national event, in each city, local residents take ownership of this festival on the scale of their street or their district. And in Agen, the deputy in charge of the challenge of citizen participation and neighborhood life Thomas Zamboni can only be satisfied to note the success of the event. “I’m super happy when I see that we have 21 returns from 23 districts! “, he launches. “And in addition to the neighborhoods, we have smaller committees that meet, like the inhabitants of rue Ducourneau or rue Marcel-Rogué”, he adds. The latter specifies that the town hall only provides logistical assistance, financial and material resources and possible street closure orders, but for the rest, everyone organizes the event as they see fit, and such is the strength of this Neighbours’ Day. “We will attend all this with my colleagues elected to the districts”, slips also Thomas Zamboni, happy to see this great popular festival returning to Agen.

The entertainment program in the neighborhoods

Ward 1
A meal is planned on the forecourt of the museum/theater on May 20 at 7 p.m.

Ward 3
An aperitif is planned, as well as a Spanish inn accompanied by a dance evening at the Joseph Bara school on May 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Ward 4 and 5
A Spanish hostel is organized at the Paul Bert school on May 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Ward 6
A Spanish inn is planned. It will be accompanied by musical entertainment at Place Terre des Hommes on May 20 at 6 p.m.

Ward 7
An aperitif is offered by the district council with a Spanish inn on avenue des Jardinailles, but also rue des Vergers on May 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Ward 9
A Spanish hostel is organized rue du Maréchal-Lannes (at the roundabout) on May 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Ward 12
A Spanish inn is planned at 22 rue Ducourneau on May 20 at 7 p.m.

Ward 13
Aperitif meal and musical entertainment are planned at the Sembel school on May 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Ward 15
An aperitif is organized, in addition to a Spanish inn on rue des Corniéres/corner rue Puits du Saumon on May 20 at 7 p.m.

Ward 16
A Spanish inn is planned at Place Foch on May 20 at 7 p.m.

Ward 18
An aperitif and a Spanish inn are organized at the Parc de Pompeyrie on May 21 at 12 p.m.

Ward 20
A catered meal is organized at two different locations on May 20 at 7 p.m.: one in the Cité Bézis (on the petanque ground), and the other at the level of the ZAC de la Masse at the height of the intersection of rue Tolède and Tuapse.

Ward 21
An aperitif and a Spanish inn are organized in rue des Castors on May 20 at 6:30 p.m.