Festivals and cultural events Finistère

Brest summers have been festive at the port for twenty years now. This event organised by the municipality is free and open to all. The programme, created by Jacques Guérin and his Quai Ouest Musiques Company, satisfy all tastes. The Thursday port idea was initiated in 1989 with the aim of uniting the Brest people each Thursday evening during summer. Do not miss this gathering for a great popular and friendly musical festival on the banks of the port. Many quality concerts, shows are programmed for free. It becomes most interesting when the port becomes over-crowded.

Every year for Easter Sunday, Châteauneuf-du-Faou organizes the largest Fest Deiz ha Noz traditional of Brittany, the Spring of Châteauneuf. This is the occasion to bring together all the best dancers, singers and music bells for almost 12 hours. And there are some people who come together for the occasion! To tell you, in 2017 there were no fewer than 225 singers surrounded by hundreds of dancers… As for this year of its 43 rd edition, the Châteauneuf Spring is no longer in its test! A festival of great repute not to be missed for anyone who wants to discover the strange and wonderful world of Breton culture. So the program: music, dances and restoration!

Every summer since 1923, the Cornouaille festival, one of the oldest events in Brittany, has been animating and colouring Quimper with Breton music and traditions. From the square in front of the cathedral to the foot of Mont Frugy, through the streets of old Quimper and the Quai de l'Odet, the city is in celebration for 6 days, draining the crowds. On the programme: election of the Queen of Cornwall, a big parade of Celtic circles and bagadoùs, fest-noz, aperitif-concerts on Place Saint-Corentin, children's entertainment, concerts at the Novomax and in the Pavilion of the Expo Park.

Every year, Brest hosts a bagadoù contest organised by the Assemblée des sonneurs Bodadeg Ar Sonerion. The first round takes place at Quartz, and the following rounds in the other Breton departments. Each bagad offers a continuous flow of Breton music of a region or a determined territory for ten minutes. At least half of these performances must be made up of music to dance. In 2015, the event will celebrate its 66th edition.

Organized by the Penn Ar Jazz association, this music festival brings together the public around openness and cross-fertilization: traditional music, hip-hop, improvisation, etc. Theo Ceccaldi "Freaks", Thomas de Pourquery and Supersonic, BCUC, Annie Ebrel and Riccardo del Fra, Eric Chenaux, Palm Unit, etc.: many artists perform from 28 September to 14 October: at Mac Orlan, Quartz, Espace Vauban, Conservatoire, Centre d'art Passerelle, Carène or even at the Maison du théâtre, popular venues in Brest.

Since 1986, the West Coast Association has been campaigning for the promotion of cinema, particularly the short film in Brittany. So every year, it is an indispensable rendezvous that it organizes: the European Festival of Short Films. The opportunity to propose an exceptional programme, a range of the film practices of our neighbours, from the Czech Republic to Norway, to Hungary and Ireland! This is a summary of the best European films that can be found in the rooms in Brest. But not because, since some particular genres are put to the honor, the crazy and endearing films in Brest Off, a type of cinema that takes risks in the Competition UFO, Breton achievements in Made in Breizh, current problems in Europe short… For the smaller ones, three short films are proposed to awaken their curiosity. Animated films and fiction from 3 years old, "For Pitchounes", for 8 years "Tales and colours", and for 13 years "Mines of nothing." Meetings, educational booklet, exhibitions, workshops: everything is done to enable children to better understand the world of images. All of them will be spoiled, small and large, enthusiastic or curious, amateurs of escape or meeting. Every autumn, therefore, it is an invitation to travel to the European Film Festival.

Association Longueur d'ondes is a cultural association based in Brest. It offers specialized professional training in radio and podcasting. Throughout the year, it also organizes workshops on radio practice and media education for a variety of audiences. The association is also responsible for developing the Oufipo podcast platform. In addition to its training and workshop activities, the association organizes the annual Longueur d'ondes festival, dedicated to radio and listening. For those wishing to help organize the festival or run radio workshops, the association offers 8-month Civic Service missions starting in October.