The first edition of The Town festival in São Paulo will take place in September, and its plans are already being revealed to the public. One of them is a relevant experience focused on ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance issues).
The event will be produced by the same company as Rock in Rio, Rock World, and will attempt to consolidate the sustainable advancements that Rock in Rio has already implemented, such as energy use and recycling, in partnership with sponsors.
Rock in Rio has been seeking actions to offset the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the festival since 2006, and has held the ISO 20121 certification for sustainable events since 2013.
“We sought a perspective to begin planning the event from the outside in,” explains Roberta Medina, vice president of reputation at Rock World (via Estadão ). Thus, actions related to audience mobility were considered fundamental to reducing emissions.
The train and subway lines will operate 24 hours a day during the event, a first for the city of São Paulo. The event will be held at the Interlagos racetrack and will last five days (September 2, 3, 7, 9 and 10) — the total audience is estimated at 500,000 people.
Furthermore, the use of renewable energy will be done differently. Just like at Rock in Rio, The Town will use solar-powered streetlights in partnership with Neoenergia. The stages also feature innovations, being constructed with recyclable steel, and, according to partner Gerdau, some of this steel will remain at the racetrack for use in other events, while some will be recycled again.
Other initiatives include a recycling stand and direct donations to a Haitian slum, aiming to renovate homes, improve infrastructure, and encourage employment among residents.
The festival will also do something different with the distribution of cups, which can get out of control at events like this. Braskem, along with beverage suppliers such as Heineken and Coca-Cola, will control the cups using technology. By linking the cup to their CPF (Brazilian tax identification number), customers can use the same cup throughout the festival and may later win prizes such as earrings, raincoats, fanny packs, and even tickets for the following day. Cups can also be sanitized free of charge at the brand's space.
All the actions will be a test at The Town, although some have already been used at Rock in Rio. Find out more about the festival by clicking here . There are still tickets available for some days of the event.
