62nd Confolens Festival

Starting Monday 12th August 

Until Sunday 18th August

During this week in August, the town centre of Confolens closes to traffic and devotes itself to celebrating the world of dance and music. This year 19 musical and dance troupes from all 5 continents arrive in Confolens to thrill and entertain us all. 

The focus for all this excitement is the town square surrounded by food and drink stalls facing the "world" stage where all the visiting troupes will perform through the week plus a catalogue of bands and groups in an eclectic mix of musical genre & styles.

More formal performances from the visiting troupes are held in the 3,000 seat festival theatre "Théâtre des Ribières" on the banks of the Vienne where extravaganzas in a feast of colour and sound are held: Horizon du Monde and Création Éphémére as well as the opening and closing galas plus the concerts with Le Condor and Tri Yann

Access to the centre for pedestrians is generally free to enjoy the festive atmosphere but during fête days, you must pay 8€ to enter the town

• Thursday from 9:30
• Friday from 15:30
• Sunday 9:30 

During these fête days, all the troupes will parade through the streets: Thursday @ 14:30, Friday evening and Sunday @ 17:30. And of course Friday night's parade is followed by street parties and, at midnight, a fabulous firework display.

Browse the programme online or download it (PDF)

Event Schedule 

Below are some of the major events during the festival but there are performances throughout the day in the World Square. Apart from the events below, all other performances are gratuit but don't forget, access to the town on Thursday, Friday and Sunday requires the purchase of a day pass.

Monday 12th

10:30 Workshop: Provençal cuisine 20€
17:00-18:00 Concert: Diatomalo 6€
21:00 Concert: Le Condor 22€

Tuesday 13th

9:30-12:00 Workshop: drumming with Bunda Blanca 6€
11:00 Kids events 3€
14:30-17:00 Workshop: drumming with Bunda Blanca 6€
15:30-17:00 Kids events 3€
17:00 Concert: Hungarian troupe 6€
21:00 Gala: Opening ceremony 27€

 

Wednesday 14th

9:30-12:00 Workshop: dance with the Belorussian troupe 6€
11:00-12:30 Kids events 3€
15:00-16:30 Gala: Horizon du Monde 15€
15:30-17:00 Kids events 3€
17:00-18:00 Concert: Congo-Brazzaville 6€
21:00 Gala: Creation Ephemere 15€

Thursday 15th

9:00-17:00 Workshop: Diatonic Accordian 12€
from 10:30 Day pass - Ville en Fête 8€
14:30 Parade through the streets of the town
21:00 Gala: Creation Ephemere 15€

Friday 16th

9:00-17:00 Workshop: Diatonic Accordian 12€
9:30-12:00 Workshop: dance with the Dutch troupe 6€
11:00-12:30 Kids events 3€
14:30-16:30 Family: dancing with La Bourré Gannatoise troupe 6€
from 15:30 Evening pass - Nuit en Fête 8€
21:00 Street party followed by Fireworks

Saturday 17th

9:00-17:00 Workshop: Diatonic Accordian 12€
9:30-12:00 Workshop: dance with Ghanian troupe 6€
11:00-12:30 Kids events 3€
14:30-17:00 Workshop: dance with French troupe (Gannat) 6€
14:30-16:30 Family: dancing with the Ecuadorian troupe 6€
15:30-17:30 Family: meet with Paraguyan troupe 6€
17:30-18:30 Concert: Dutch troupe 6€
21:00 Concert: Tri Yann 27€

Sunday 18th

from 10:30 Day pass - Ville en Fête 8€
17:20 Parade through the streets of the town
21:00 Gala: Closing ceremony with all the troupes 27€

Performance Locations

Main Stages

• Ribières Theatre (festival stage)  1 
• Place Henri Coursaget (town square concerts)  2 
• Ferme St. Michele (workshops)  16 
• Crevelier Arena (meet the troupes)  3 

Dance stages:

• Crevelier Arena  3 
• Bridge end (by the festival office)  8 
• Place de la Fontrose (fountain at the end of the old bridge  13 
• Place de la Liberté (opposite the presse)  12 
• Place de la Eglise (St. Maxim's)  17 

Performers & Participating Troupes

Concert performers

Tri Yann (Nantes - Breton singers)
Le Condor (Provence - Gaulish roots)

Dance Troupes

La Bourrée Ganatoise (Auvergne)
Association Culturelle Mudapy (Paraguay)
Nkrabea Dance Ensemble (Ghana)
Lo Gerbo Baudo de Confolens (Confolens)
Ensemble Hoy Tur d'Ankara (Turkey)
Group Polesskie Zori de Pinsk (Belarus)
Ensemble Tungurahua d'Ambato (Ecudaor)
Ensemble Paloina d'Amsterdam (Holland)
Tianfu National Art Group (China)
Tiszavirag Dance Ensemble de Szeged (Hungary)

Musicians

Bunda Blanca (Charente - drummers)
Association Musicale Diatomalo (Brittany - diatonic accordions+)
I Nu de Nouméa (New Caledonia - polynesian fusion)
El Mariachi Valdes (Mexico - mariachi group)
Biemb'Art (Congo-Brazzaville - African drums)
Banda Lous Brandalous (Confolens - brass band)
Les Fous Jou (Drôme - cheesy brass band)