Events calendar Poitou

The Thursday evenings of summer in Niort are spent in music, with friends or family, in the gardens of the Moulin du Roc, discovering the musicians in the making. Neither really a festival nor completely a concert, and a little bit all at the same time, this event is organized by the town hall, offers free to anyone who wants, to attend the musical performances of emerging groups. Every Thursday, thousands of people flock to the banks of the Sèvre niortaise to listen to two groups grouped by theme. Whatever your musical inclinations, keep an open mind and let yourself be carried away by the musical discovery. Taste one or more quality concerts in a green setting under the inevitably clement summer skies, an invitation that can't be refused!

After Paris Beach, Niort Beach starts at summer time. Since 2006, the municipal sports service, the tourist office, the agglomeration community and the Niortaises associations have been mobilizing all summer to animate the Pre Leroy. Sports, cultural and leisure activities are open to all, children, adolescents and adults. They are also proposed to children of leisure centres on reserved slots. To choose: archery, bicross, beach volleyball, sandball, trampoline, taekwondo, fencing and acrobatic parcours through the poplar and chestnut trees of the park… and as any good beach that respects: it's free!

The association Romances à Dienné was created in 2021 and organizes, in collaboration with the town hall, the literary fair dedicated to all types of romances. The fair lasts 2 days and welcomes about a hundred authors, local, national and international, as well as 9 publishing houses. During this event, you can meet your favorite authors and discover new ones. You will also attend round table conferences and readings by authors. Julie Dauge, author and president of the association, makes it a point of honor to collaborate with several local actors, in order to make this festival even more beautiful. The pupils of the school of the commune work all year long to make bookmarks, the association of floral art takes care of all the decoration of the commune for the event and the committee of associations is in charge of the restoration on the spot. A free shuttle is also available for authors and visitors to reach the fair from the Poitiers train station. A fair where the key words are meetings, discoveries and exchanges!

As December 25 approaches, while the magic of Christmas bewitches young and old and the old bearded man is busy finishing the beautiful toys, a red and white horde surges through the Sancto-Benedictine streets. The minimum age required for the runners is 15 years. One hour before the start of the adult loop (7.5 km), the Course des Lutins allows children from 6 to 13 years old to take part in the event for one kilometer.

Every odd-numbered year, clowns from around the world gather in Niort for just over a month. You can visit them at home in their village of Duguesclin, then keep an eye on the program between the Niort festival and the caravan that will be criss-crossing the département. A cascade of antics awaits you, as well as presentations of their offbeat, poetic, tender and funny vision of the problems that plague us all, poor humans. Next rendez-vous in 2025.

Every summer, for one week, the Festival in the village makes Brioux-sur-Boutonne and its surroundings vibrate. Listed as a theatrical event, it offers around sixty shows of all kinds, including a traditional circus headliner: dance, readings, concerts, street arts, etc. A programme as rich as qualitative to be found under the central tent, deployed on the Champ-de-Foire square, but also in various cultural places, church, Corderie... Food and drink of course, but also a lot of eco-responsible activities to discover with your family.

Every Pentecost weekend, the cavalcade gallops through the streets of Parthenay's old town. Each year, a theme is defined, from which floats are built and, of course, paraded on Whit Sunday. The floats are joined by musicians, dancers and a whole lot of onlookers, who parade twice: once at night on Sunday evening, and again on Monday lunchtime. A music festival, a funfair and an exhibition fair round off this festive and artistic weekend!

An institution in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, this ecofriendly festival is dedicated to primitive peoples, contemporary and traditional world music: didgeridoo, beatbox, diphonic singing and more. This family-friendly festival is appreciated for its wide range of activities, including workshops, a baby teepee, a relaxation center, a dream market, conferences and a doggy center (with advice on dog training!). A committed event, it stands out for its handicap and no-alcohol approach. Catering, free camping.

The history of the Deux-Sèvres region has been marked by motor sports, of which Bressuire was one of the great strongholds. Mayor Alain Métayer, president of the automobile club, founded a famous urban circuit there in 1951, which was abandoned in 1955 after the 24 hours of Le Mans accident. A few heirs of the great era took up the torch 16 years ago in the form of a vintage car-motorcycle rally and other customized machines. The grand prix takes place in the city, with trials, a night race, a parade and a prize-giving ceremony.

This is the not-to-be-missed event of September: a whole day in the gardens of the Royal Abbey devoted to vegetable plants, simple plants, forgotten species or rare flowers. At around forty stands and professionals, you can buy, barter, exchange seeds, plans and decorative shrubs. The meeting generally puts the bees in the spotlight, around interventions of beekeepers, animations discovery of their know-how and products of the hive. Shows usually punctuate this fun day in the open air.

It's the oldest race in the department! Since 1977, it has always been a very festive event with its 2 distances (4.5 and 10 km). The circuit is done on roads and paths on the outskirts of La Crèche. To stay in the Christmas spirit, it is welcome to run in disguise and the best disguises will be rewarded. Participants who wish to do so can also make a donation of 1 € to Secours Populaire to give a gift to the most needy at Christmas.

Distance:4.5 km, or 10 km, by road

Departure: at La Crèche, starting bridge varies according to the year

Difficulty:easy.

This contemporary art festival was created in 2001 by a group of artists to promote the plastic arts of today, without an elitist spirit. Creation, quality, conviviality around about fifty exhibitors: this is what you will discover during 15 days on the site of the Orangery. Various animations: musical openings, shows, creative workshops, conferences. The event closes with a concert and a prize-giving ceremony.