Not to be missed during the year
Festival Premiers Plans (January): Every year, this emblematic cultural event proposes a selection of first works by competing young European producers. At the same time, the festival also organise public readings of first full length scripts or scenarios, lessons in film, discussions, and previews.
Made in Angers (February): businesses open their doors to you. Luxury, agri-foods, high tech, research … get to the heart of the Anjou economy and find out about its skills during a special visit to these businesses. Three weekends are especially dedicated to unusual museums, crafts and gourmet workshops where, with demonstrations, you are shown work and techniques impregnated with tradition. On-line ticket sales throughout the event
Festival du Cinéma d’Afrique (every 2 years in April): Celebration of the films (full length and short) and cultures of Africa.
Festival Tour de Scènes (May): since 1998, Tour de Scènes has up-dated a real hive of creativity which is mainly local, but also regional and national, through a mix of the main musical trends of the moment.
Festival d’Anjou (June): France’s second theatre festival, programming in some 20 open air shows in the historic sites of the département.
Fête du Vélo (June): Europe’s biggest gathering of cyclists! One of France’s finest routes, the Levée de la Loire, is set aside for cyclists for the day: 140 km guaranteed car free, and 100% nature, to make the day for the 35,000 people expected. A warm, fun, family atmosphere for exploring the banks and villages of the Loire and its tributaries, safely and free from pollution.
Nov’art (June to August): For 25 years, the district of Villevêque has been providing a contemporary art route through its heritage sites. For the 3rd year in a row, the works are coming down from the walls for an outing between the Loir and the Château des Evêques. This year, Nov’Art presents the new Children’s Fair.
Trelazé Summer Festival (May to September): A flourish of exhibitions punctuated with high notes: jazz, baroque music, rai, chanson, new music, open air cinema, Fest Noz … Performers include Zouk Machine, Nâdiya, Steve Coleman, Bernard Soustrot and Jean Dekyndt, Ensemble Le Palais Royal, Johnny Clegg…
Angers Summer Festival (July-August): One of the high points of the culture of Angers: world music, classical music, chanson, dance and humour, in the company of performers and teams from all over the world… Tickets can be purchased on line throughout the event
Every Tuesday and Thursday in the cloister of the Abbaye Toussaint – Jazz in the bar on Wednesday evenings.
Street festivities: Les Accroches Cœurs (September): The Ville d’Angers and the company Jo Bithume invite you to take a three-day trip to the heart of the realm of the imagination. Some thirty groups and six brass bands will accompany you on this journey. On the programme: street theatre, circus, dance, music, open air cinema, plastic installations… The whole town is transformed, and not forgetting the open air cafes with dance floors and the aperitifs with the brass band!
Tryptique, contemporary art exhibition (October-November): for more than 20 years, Tryptique has been enabling the public to discover art in all the forms of contemporary expression. The Hotel de Ville will be displaying many works of art, from paintings to sculpture via photos, for over a month.
International Festival of Journalism and the Scoop (November): An original international competition designed to reward the best documents and journalistic scoops. This festival has become a must for information professionals. At the Angers Centre des Congrès.
Soleils d’hiver (December): The Winter Sun festival warms up Angers with its lights, the traditional Christmas market (45 stalls), Father Christmas’s workshops, the fair trade village, entertainments, screenings, shows, and exhibitions.