Denounce the "privatization" of Arenal beach to see the solar eclipse with an entrance fee of 45 euros

PalmaThe authorization of a private electronic music festival on the beach of l'Arenal in Sant Antoni, coinciding with the solar eclipse on August 12, has opened a new controversy in the municipality. The entity Salvem Sa Badia de Portmany denounces that the event, dubbed Feels Like Eclipse Festival, will entail the "privatization" of a public space during one of the most anticipated astronomical phenomena of the year, as the organization is selling tickets for 45 euros that include "front-row seats for an unforgettable experience" on the main beach of the municipality.

According to the collective, the decision comes just a few weeks after the Ibiza Global Festival, which between July 3 and 5 also occupied l'Arenal and caused numerous neighborhood complaints due to the noise and disturbances generated throughout the bay of Portmany.

Salvem Sa Badia considers that this new authorization opens a debate about the use of public space and about the concept of "general interest" which, as it denounces, is used to justify these types of events. The entity maintains that residents should also be able to enjoy the eclipse from a public beach without having to pay an entrance fee or coexist with electronic music during the phenomenon.

The collective also warns that the festival's celebration coincides with a period of maximum visitor influx to Sant Antoni. The eclipse will occur during sunset, one of the peak hours of concentration of people in the bay, which, according to the association, could aggravate mobility and safety problems in a municipality that already registers high tourist saturation.

In view of this situation, Salvem Sa Badia has submitted a formal request for access to the administrative files of both the Feels Like Eclipse Festival and the Ibiza Global Festival. The objective is to review the authorizations, technical reports, resolutions, decrees, and any complaints related to both events. The entity recalls that these are private initiatives and not acts integrated within the patron saint festivities or municipal programming.

Complaints after the Ibiza Global Festival

The association claims to have collected dozens of testimonies from neighbors after the Ibiza Global Festival, as well as videos and acoustic measurements made with mobile applications. According to these testimonies, the music was heard in a large part of the bay, including the Cala d'en Bou area, where some residents claim to have registered values close to 90 decibels inside their homes during the early morning.

The complaints also refer to light pollution. A resident of Can Tomàs, located about four kilometers from Arenal beach, states that the festival spotlights were visible from his home and denounces the presence of intense lighting and stroboscopic effects. Salvem Sa Badia warns that this type of lighting could affect the Balearic shearwater, an endangered endemic marine species, especially during the period of the chicks' first flight.

Several residents also maintain that the music continued beyond midnight and exceeded the usually authorized levels. One of those affected states that, upon contacting the Local Police, they were informed that the event "had no noise limit," a statement that has not been officially confirmed by the City Council.

Finally, the neighbors also denounce the presence of waste on the beach after the festival, such as bracelets, plastic cups, balloons, and glass fragments, warning of the possible environmental impact on the coastline. Salvem Sa Badia now calls for the City Council to review the authorization model for this type of event and to prioritize the preservation of public space, the rest of the residents, and environmental protection over private initiatives.