Festivals and cultural events Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Since 1991, every year since 1991, the Citadel has been abuzz with excitement. Together with the band La Citadelle, at carnival time, the festival La Citadelle en Bordées is the second highlight of the year for this sailors' district. In Dunkirk, the Citadel is surrounded by basins, it can only be accessed by bridges, so it is a sort of small "island" with a soul and is still very much dedicated to the economy of the port and the sea. This festival therefore logically resounds with sailors' songs, but also with folk, Celtic groups, blues, and French songs that are sometimes offbeat and humorous. At Les Bordées, you'll find people flitting from stage to stage (there are 10 of them!) and from café to café. And when it comes to bars and restaurants, there's plenty to choose from! In addition to these establishments that set up large tables outside, there is always the possibility of eating "a French fry", along the heritage ships of the Port Museum, strolling in the middle of an often compact crowd, especially at the Quai de la Citadelle, and being guided by the sound of the bands. The people of Dunkirk love this event and it's easy to see why. About twenty groups can be seen free of charge. Atmosphere until the end of the night!

It's the only book village north of Paris. In 2006, Esquelbecq took up the challenge of becoming a book village. All year round, the village offers a wide range of events, including a book market, literary aperitif, reading salon, meetings with authors and exhibitions. The highlight of the year is the Nuit des livres, a major event held every year on the first weekend in July. It will take place on July 6, 2024. Esquelbecq's exceptional setting, a blend of rurality and interesting architectural buildings (Hallekerke Saint-Folquin, château...), is in keeping with the ambitions of facilitating access to literary expression and culture for as many people as possible, but also with the promise of visiting a pretty corner of culture in Flanders. It's impossible not to fall under the spell of Esquelbecq, village of books and heritage. Christmas and book market on November 16 and 17, 2024. Book market every^3rd Sunday from September to May.Places to visit:

- Le Chef-d'oeuvre retrouvé

- Carpe Diem bookshop

- Books and you

Other establishments contribute to the cultural renown of this charming village:

- Les Gigottos Automates

- Brasserie Thiriez

- The castle

- The church

- Jean-Michel Devynck cultural center

Les Fenêtres qui parlent is a unifying and original event. Created in 2001, they enable neighborhood associations to express their stories and memories. As you can imagine, the windows of participating residents are decorated with drawings, paintings and messages... More than a simple event, these windows are an open door on local life and the dreams of residents, highlighted by regional artists. A surprise window is revealed after a tour of the partner towns. Each year, you'll have the pleasure of strolling new streets and discovering new neighborhoods in this amazing metropolis, through a variety of themes ("Micro Machine" in Lille-Sud, "Couples Improbables" in Roubaix, "Flottements" in Bois-Blancs, for example). A great initiative to liven up and showcase the many neighborhoods that deserve to be better known!

Unusual moments in perspective thanks to the open doors of the artists'workshops! The program? Visit the premises of a thousand amateur and professional artists from the North, be they painters, graphic artists, sculptors or photographers. You will discover in which space they work, which inspires them, with which materials, with which tools they create… Exciting and often enriching meetings on the works and artists themselves at the sharing workshops with the general public. A great opportunity to discover all these talents!

Since its inception, the NAME Festival has never ceased to reinvent itself and surprise us. A major event for electro-music fans, the festival takes over unusual venues (remnants, industrial wastelands...) and thrills its thousands of spectators to the sounds of internationally renowned artists and young emerging musicians. The NAME Festival is a talent scout and incubator, and organizes meetings and master classes. On the strength of its reputation, the festival has become an itinerant one, organizing events all over France.

The Braderie de l'Art is an unusual event organized by the Condition Publique in Roubaix. The concept? Dedicate a weekend to art and design recycling, bringing together the most inspired international designers (graphic artists, sculptors, graffiti artists...). Before the eyes of over 20,000 visitors each year, they use their talents to give a second life to countless obsolete objects through hyper-creative refurbishments and/or customizations. If you're there in December, you might just be able to treat yourself to one of their artistic reclaimed objects!

Are you ready to dance? Enjoy the frenzied Afro-Latino rhythms! Rue de Metz and Place du Centenaire are in full swing. Classes, workshops and concerts keep the seaside resort lively late into the night. Dress codes are sometimes indicated. Enjoy the party!

The LudiNord festival is the leading gaming event in the region and the^3rd largest in France. The aim of LudiNord is to bring board games to a wide audience, and to promote games that are not yet on the market. Visitors can discover a wide range of games in different areas: atmosphere, strategy, family, children (aged 2 to 10), creation and tournaments. 200 volunteers run game tables and competitions.

The Clef de Soleil festival brings classical music to Lille all summer long, with a rich and varied program. Soloists, quartets and recitalists with original repertoires delight your ears by sharing their passion through dozens of performances featuring the most traditional and famous works of classical music, as well as a number of more personal and intimate creations. Each edition of this festival is a great opportunity to discover classical music from a new angle!

Created in 2016, the Journées Nationales de l'Architecture are part of a more global approach by the Ministry of Culture aimed at rethinking architecture in everyday life and encouraging a desire for architecture among the French to improve the living environment and habitat. As such, these days seek to showcase the most beautiful and unusual architectural achievements throughout France, and enable visitors to re-appropriate their city. In Lille in 2016, the curious were able to discover the metamorphoses of the Citadelle and the urban and architectural history of the town halls. They were able to attend exhibitions on themes as varied as "Japan, archipelago of the home" or "Building the accessible, architecture facing the walls of disability". Conferences, workshops and film screenings were also on offer. Enough to satisfy the most varied cultural appetites. Whether you prefer classical or contemporary architecture, you're bound to find an event to suit your taste. Following the success of the first edition, the Ministry is organizing the Journées Nationales de l'Architecture once again. In 2017 in Lille, the program should focus more on contemporary Lille. Eventually, the Ministry hopes to make these days as essential as the Journées du Patrimoine.

Shows, activities and workshops are at the heart of this delightful event. Puppeteers, actors, storytellers and magicians descend on the famous seaside resort for three weeks, to the delight of the very young! Dance, theater, music, sports and cultural initiations - there's plenty to discover. While some shows are ticketed on Wednesdays, Saturdays are reserved for free outdoor activities. Sunday is devoted to sport, with free workshops. Every year, the event is a great success!