The Vieilles Charrues Festival (
French: Festival des Vieilles Charrues, pronounced[fɛstivaldevjɛjʃaʁy];
Breton: Gouel an Erer Kozh, pronounced[ˈɡweːlãnerɛrkos]; literally: Old Ploughs Festival) is held every year in mid-July in the city of
Carhaix, located in western
Brittany, France.
This
festival is the largest music festival in France, attracting more than 280,000 festival-goers every year (346 000 in 2023).[1] This festival was created in 1992 in
Landeleau, a small village in central
Finistère. At that time, less than 500 revellers attended and the festival was more like a private party. The following year, the festival welcomed more than 2000 and that was the beginning of its success story. In 1995, due to lack of space on the original site, the festival moved to Carhaix city center and in 1998, for the same reason, the festival chose a site on the outskirts of Carhaix. In October 2016 the festival organizes an exceptional concert at
Central Park in
New York City in tribute to the many Bretons who were immigrants to the city in the nineteenth century.
Each year, more than 7,000 volunteers enable the festival to be a success, with their actions in the numerous bars, restaurants, and other stands of the festival. The festival thanks them by giving money to local associations. The organizers also helped to finance Hall
Glenmor, a concert hall, and to renovate the Château de Kerampuil, a castle located near the site of the festival.
Vieilles Charrues Festival 2006 - Panoramic ViewVieilles Charrues Festival 2016 - Panoramic view on stage
It was announced on 13 April 2020 that the 2020 edition would be cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, even if
Emmanuel Macron, the
President of France, announced on 13 April that only festivals before mid-July had to be cancelled.[2]Celine Dion was to sing on July 16 as part of her Courage World Tour for her only festival date in France (the 55,000 seats had been purchased in less than nine minutes).[3]
Saturday, July 20 :
Neil Young,
Asaf Avidan,
Benjamin Biolay,
Oxmo Puccino, Féfé,
The Roots, Gentleman, Hanni El Khatib, Willy Belle, Rone, Jonathan Wilson, Superpoze, Yan Wagner, Cashmere Cat, Interzone Extended, Startijenn & El Taqa, Cansione / Grenanico, Fest-noz
Saturday:
Sting,
Justice,
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine, Irma,
Selah Sue,
C2C, Busy P(cancelled and replaced by DVNO),
The Rapture,
Rodrigo y Gabriela & C.U.B.A., Kiril Djaikowski (+ guests), Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Kanka, Balthazar, Christine, Badume's Band, Selamnesh Zemene, Blue & Black Zebra, Bobby & Sue, le dernier championnat de Air Biniou, fest-noz (with Yann-Fañch Kemener/Menneteau, Vincendeau/Felder, Boulanger/Simon, Termajik)
Blues Brothers,
The Silencers,
Red Cardell, Ar Re Yaounak, Spook & the Guay, Soul Cactus, Taraf de Haïdouks Junior, Carré Manchot, A Bout de Souffle, Ongi Etorri, Mike Hutchison, Namas Pamos.
Les Pires, Oy Ventilo, La Folyre, Soft Touch Band, Students Brass Band and B12
1992
Creation of fête des Vieilles Charrues as a small village event in Landeleau. No concert poster nor list available.[5]
Stages of the festival
Glenmor
Glenmor stage is the biggest stage of the festival. It is named after Emile Le Scanff, also known as
Glenmor. With a total surface area of 1,000
m², Glenmor stage is one of the largest French stages.
As every other stage of the festival, Glenmor stage is set up before each occasion of the festival, and taken down after the end of the concerts.
Kerouac
Kerouac stage is the second stage of the festival. It is named after
Jack Kerouac, whose ancestors were from
Brittany.
Grall
Grall stage is the third stage of the festival and is named after
Xavier Grall. Hip-hop and electronic music artists often play on this stage.
Gwernig
The smallest stage of the festival, Gwernig, is located under a circus tent. It is named after the Breton-American poet
Youenn Gwernig. Concerts on Gwernig stage are traditionally held by Breton music and world music bands.
The Vieilles Charrues Festival (
French: Festival des Vieilles Charrues, pronounced[fɛstivaldevjɛjʃaʁy];
Breton: Gouel an Erer Kozh, pronounced[ˈɡweːlãnerɛrkos]; literally: Old Ploughs Festival) is held every year in mid-July in the city of
Carhaix, located in western
Brittany, France.
This
festival is the largest music festival in France, attracting more than 280,000 festival-goers every year (346 000 in 2023).[1] This festival was created in 1992 in
Landeleau, a small village in central
Finistère. At that time, less than 500 revellers attended and the festival was more like a private party. The following year, the festival welcomed more than 2000 and that was the beginning of its success story. In 1995, due to lack of space on the original site, the festival moved to Carhaix city center and in 1998, for the same reason, the festival chose a site on the outskirts of Carhaix. In October 2016 the festival organizes an exceptional concert at
Central Park in
New York City in tribute to the many Bretons who were immigrants to the city in the nineteenth century.
Each year, more than 7,000 volunteers enable the festival to be a success, with their actions in the numerous bars, restaurants, and other stands of the festival. The festival thanks them by giving money to local associations. The organizers also helped to finance Hall
Glenmor, a concert hall, and to renovate the Château de Kerampuil, a castle located near the site of the festival.
Vieilles Charrues Festival 2006 - Panoramic ViewVieilles Charrues Festival 2016 - Panoramic view on stage
It was announced on 13 April 2020 that the 2020 edition would be cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, even if
Emmanuel Macron, the
President of France, announced on 13 April that only festivals before mid-July had to be cancelled.[2]Celine Dion was to sing on July 16 as part of her Courage World Tour for her only festival date in France (the 55,000 seats had been purchased in less than nine minutes).[3]
Saturday, July 20 :
Neil Young,
Asaf Avidan,
Benjamin Biolay,
Oxmo Puccino, Féfé,
The Roots, Gentleman, Hanni El Khatib, Willy Belle, Rone, Jonathan Wilson, Superpoze, Yan Wagner, Cashmere Cat, Interzone Extended, Startijenn & El Taqa, Cansione / Grenanico, Fest-noz
Saturday:
Sting,
Justice,
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine, Irma,
Selah Sue,
C2C, Busy P(cancelled and replaced by DVNO),
The Rapture,
Rodrigo y Gabriela & C.U.B.A., Kiril Djaikowski (+ guests), Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Kanka, Balthazar, Christine, Badume's Band, Selamnesh Zemene, Blue & Black Zebra, Bobby & Sue, le dernier championnat de Air Biniou, fest-noz (with Yann-Fañch Kemener/Menneteau, Vincendeau/Felder, Boulanger/Simon, Termajik)
Blues Brothers,
The Silencers,
Red Cardell, Ar Re Yaounak, Spook & the Guay, Soul Cactus, Taraf de Haïdouks Junior, Carré Manchot, A Bout de Souffle, Ongi Etorri, Mike Hutchison, Namas Pamos.
Les Pires, Oy Ventilo, La Folyre, Soft Touch Band, Students Brass Band and B12
1992
Creation of fête des Vieilles Charrues as a small village event in Landeleau. No concert poster nor list available.[5]
Stages of the festival
Glenmor
Glenmor stage is the biggest stage of the festival. It is named after Emile Le Scanff, also known as
Glenmor. With a total surface area of 1,000
m², Glenmor stage is one of the largest French stages.
As every other stage of the festival, Glenmor stage is set up before each occasion of the festival, and taken down after the end of the concerts.
Kerouac
Kerouac stage is the second stage of the festival. It is named after
Jack Kerouac, whose ancestors were from
Brittany.
Grall
Grall stage is the third stage of the festival and is named after
Xavier Grall. Hip-hop and electronic music artists often play on this stage.
Gwernig
The smallest stage of the festival, Gwernig, is located under a circus tent. It is named after the Breton-American poet
Youenn Gwernig. Concerts on Gwernig stage are traditionally held by Breton music and world music bands.