FESTIVALS AND EVENTS 2012

We have one week left for the Maritime Festival in July 2012 (17th-24th)

Starts January 14th - 'Puces de Brest'. Puce is French for flea so this is a flea market held on the 2nd Saturday of every month (8am - 6pm) in the streets around the covered market of Les Halles Saint-Louis. The residents of Brest turn out their attics and bargain hunters can unearth odds and ends and the odd gem by rummaging through everything from 1950s gramophones to old records, 18th-century plates, books, clothes and more. Cost: Free - except for what you buy!

March - December - Strawberry Museum! Any strawberry buffs out there? This slightly odd museum boasts 10 exhibition rooms containing everything you would ever want to know about this beautiful fruit (la fraise), from the discovery of the white strawberry to every method of cultivation and the hanging gardens. If you're lucky they might even be offering samples of the luscious fruit or strawberry liqueur. The museum is in Plougastel-Daoulas on Rue Louis Nicholle, entry fee is 4€ for adults, 2€ for 12-18 yrs, (free to under 12's).

Easter week-end - (Sunday April 9th) Le Printemps de Châteauneuf-du-Faou. Celtic Folklore Festival. An important gathering of musicians and traditional singers. Over 40 groups of musicians and singers perform non-stop in a friendly and informal atmosphere, with over 5,000 people of all generations who come together for 8 hours of musical pleasure and discovery in La Salle Ar Sterenn in Chateauneuf du Faou. Doors open at 2.30pm, close at 3am.....

June 18th - Strawberry festival at Plougastel-Doulas - Come and see and taste everything to do with strawberries.....

June 24th - Bagpipe festival in the woods! A great day out, take a picnic and sit in one of the woody glades.

July 8th - 'Petite Tromenie', Locronan. One of the oldest pardons (religious festivals) in the country. Thousands of pilgrims in sumptious costumes, carrying brocade and silk banners and singing Breton songs start a procession at 2.30pm and march through the sacred forest of Nemeton for 6km marching from one site to the other via corn fields, across makeshift bridges and streams, ending at Locronan mountain.
The natural temple in the centre of the forest has been a pagan site of worship for centuries, dedicated to nature and fertility. Once every 6 years (next one is in 2013) they march double the distance 12km - ............for their sins I expect............ the day starts with Mass at 10.30am. If you can't manage following them all for 12km, then it's definitely worth going to Locronan to see them all set off.

July 13th-19th MARITIME FESTIVAL - Brest. Spectacle of the year! This international festival, held every 4 years is a truly sensational gathering of the world's most beautiful ships and is an absolutely spectacular festival, setting 7km of quays ablaze. Over 3000 craft gather for the week and the focus is on living maritime heritage through sails, folk music, maritime art, interactive art and much, much more. In addition to a wealth of maritime heritage, music and other forms of entertainment from dozens of countries also feature heavily, as do many fine replicas of the world's historic vessels. Full-scale festivities will cover six days, and include firework displays and concerts every evening. Check out their website here.

July 20th-22nd - 'Les Vieilles Charrues' - Although this translates as The Old Ploughs, this is definitely not a celebration of all things plough-like. It'a a Rock Festival in Carhaix, the middle of Brittany! Attracting over 80 bands and 180,000 spectators over the 4 days, it has become one of the largest music events in Europe with at least 4 large stages set over 8 acres with 60 acres of parking. This year the likes of Muse, Mika, Indochine and Jamiroquai will grace the stage. See their website here.

July 24th-29th - 'Festival de Cornouaille' is Brittany's biggest celebration of Breton culture, the 89th this year. Concerts and street parades by proud Bretons in their distinctive costumes and street musicians bring Quimper to life every July. Cornouaille (literally Cornwall) was the name of a medieval duchy of which Quimper was the capital. The festival began in 1922 as a means to revel in all that is special about the Breton way of life. You'll see Frenchmen playing bagpipes.............!!?? Festival hours are 10am-7pm and although the street music is free, there are some ticketed events at various prices.
Outside the towering granite cathedral, music and dance are performed all day. Other celebrations take place along streets lined by half-timbered medieval buildings, on the quayside and in front of the 16th-century Bishop's Palace. Every evening there are Fest Noz concerts for the adults which continue late into the night.
Children are also well catered for, since, as the festival website says, they are responsible for the traditions of tomorrow - special shows take place and are often free - there will be over 3000 artists and more than 200 attractions and performances.

First week of August - 'Le festival de la Baie' is a celebration of World Music and Dance held in Concarneau. This 5-day festival attracts more than 500 performers from several countries, ranging from local Breton groups to dancers from as far away as China, Bolivia, Russia and even Rwanda. 2012 is the 32nd year of the festival and the organisers deliberately aim to present as diverse a programme as possible. There is also a huge crafts fair with jewellery, rugs, clothes, pottery and musical instruments from countries including Brazil, India, Peru and Bali.
You could spend years travelling the globe chasing entertainment and crafts of this quality. Take advantage of its concentration in a single Breton summer

July 19th-August 30th - Thursdays in the Port. Every Thursday during the summer months, the town of Brest invites locals and visitors to a colourful carnival in the port where music and good food are served up in equal measures. There's always a selection of live music, from reggae to Cuban, Indian and Romanian bands, as well as typical Breton music known as Fest Noze . There are activities for all the family and local delicacies can be sampled from one of the many stalls that are set up for the occasion. It's held in the 'Port de Commerce' and starts at 7.30pm until 12.30am (gates close at 9.30pm). Entry is Free.

July 27th-29th - Jazz weekend. This spectacular Jazz Festival at Châteauneuf du Faou is taking place again, and as ever it will be a festival more like Woodstock than Glyndebourne! Four venues, all within five minutes walk of each other, around the banks of the beautiful River Aulne will host 18 groups and more than 80 musicians. The international star of jazz guitar, Stochelo Rosenburg, heads the bill this year. He will be accompanied by a new generation of young Gypsy Jazz musicians from Paris, the six strong 'Selmer 607'. Also this weekend will be the 'Ben Toury Jazz Corporation' (boogie), 'Big Easy Rascals' (New Orleans jazz), and the extraordinary talent of trumpeter 'Malo Mazurié' who exploded on to the Brittany jazz scene at the age of 13. Ticket price reduced on presenting your Brittany Ferries ticket (2€ reduction). See their website here.

Good Time Jazz. Pontadig, Bar Tal Ar Pont, Chateaneuf du Faou. Lively, festive dixieland jazz in a great atmosphere. Monthly on Sundays, 4pm - 7pm]

August 3rd-5th - This African music festival 'Festival du Bout du Monde' attracts upwards of 20,000 people to rural Brittany, making the most of its idyllic location on the peninsula Presqu'Ile de Crozon, which translates as Crozon-nearly an island. Now in its 11th year, the festival attracts an impressive international line-up. A one day pass is €29 available all over the area but the easiest thing is to buy them from the Irish bar 'Le Donegal' in Le Faou. See their website for more info and this year's artistes.

August 5th - Festival of Gorse Flowers at Pont Aven, (40-minute drive). A great chance to see the magnificent National Dress of Brittany, bagpipers and Breton dancing. Have a look at this short video.

August 12th-15th -The 'Fête du Menez Hom' festival of folklore and painting takes place in the picturesque seaside town of Plomodiern in the heart of the Menez Hom region, rich with local traditions. 10.30am-11pm.
The event features an exhibition of painting, convivial meals of local specialities, folk dancing and concerts and attracts around 5000 people, who recognise it as one of the finest folk festivals that Brittany has to offer. (Actually they say that about all of them!)

August 15th - There's double trouble in the small town of Pleucadeuc in Brittany during its annual 'Jumeaux', or twins, festival. This is Europe's biggest gathering of twins. The deputy mayor, himself the father of twin daughters, was the driving force behind this unusual event, inspired by the fact that twins are particularly numerous in the region; he decided to make the town their meeting place. So, more than 1500 pairs of twins from France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium participated in the first event. In 2001 the invitation was extended to triplets, quads and quintuplets, so even more than double trouble is promised during the multiple-birth-based celebrations. It's a free event although there is an al fresco 5-course lunch available at €14 adults/€8 kids each. Then at 7pm there a hog-roast with chips, followed by cheese and fruit at €8. Their website here. It's a 2 hour drive but if you have twins or triplets you must go, a great day out.

August 15th-19th - 'Fête de Filets Bleus' (Festival of Blue Nets), Concarneau. This Fisherman's Festival celebrates everything that is strictly 'Breton' about Brittany, a region which regularly strives to prove its independence and difference with regard to the rest of France. Aside from speeches in the local dialect, visitors can expect plenty of women in traditional costume, bands playing Celtic music, fishing displays and the mandatory portions of fresh seafood and galettes , particularly during Sunday's procession (10am-12pm) through the centre of town. All washed down, of course, with delicious local cider.

- Locals in National Costume can be seen throughout Brittany at all festivals and celebrations -

August 18th-19th- Every summer the sea port of Roscoff, perched on the northern coast of Brittany's rugged coastline, celebrates the watery-eyed delights of the humble (yet striking) pink onion at the Fête de l'oignon rosé.
Roscoff has grown the pink onion since the 17th century when local sailors ate it to ward off scurvy. Today, the value placed on this bulbous vegetable has rocketed and it is now subject to the rigorous Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, putting it in the same class as France's finest wine!
The festival opens on Saturday with a market selling pink onions in strings or by the kilo and then the 2 days are full of onion-themed events such as an onion-art exhibition, onion tart competition and stalls selling every imaginable dish made from onions followed by an evening concert and a torchlight procession. Whatever your taste in onions, don't go away without trying the local dish - grilled sardines and mussels with pink onions - c'est délicieux! Latest news - these onions are now available in Sainsbury's!!!

November - The third Thursday in November is always a special day throughout France; it marks the official tasting of the new season's Beaujolais wines.................

December - Place de la Liberte, next to the Mairie's (Mayor's) office. Brest Christmas Market: Over 40 stall holders selling luxuries for the Christmas table, many types of Breton crafts and of course plenty of 'vin chaud' (hot spiced wine) will be flowing. The choral society are also on hand with renditions of popular carols at the weekends. The place to do your Christmas shopping! What could be more fitting than spending Christmas in the country that invented the Christmas tree! (1605 in Strasbourg)

Laser games: Click here to go straight to their website giving opening times and address.

Paintballing in Brest - Click here for their website.

Assault-course type activities in Brest - Click here for their website.

Quad-biking 15 mins away: Rando-quad.

Karting.

Bank Holidays in France. Note that they're not always on Mondays as in the UK.