Complètement Gaga - Street Arts Festival
Street arts festival in Saint-Étienne
About Complètement Gaga
Complètement Gaga: When Street Arts Take Over Saint-Étienne
Complètement Gaga is a street arts festival that sets up camp every year in Saint-Étienne, in the Loire region. The festival's name is a nod to the local dialect: in Saint-Étienne's patois, "Gagas" refers to the inhabitants of Saint-Étienne. To be "completely gaga" therefore means to be deeply Saint-Étienne, but also a little crazy – much like this festival that blows a wind of artistic madness through the city.
An Adventure Born from Volunteer Passion
The Complètement Gaga association was founded in September 2018 by a collective of volunteers driven by the desire to promote performing arts and street arts. The first edition of the festival took place in May 2019, with the ambition of reclaiming public space through art and revitalizing the city center of Saint-Étienne. Since then, the festival has continued to grow, evolving from a niche event to a major fixture on the Saint-Étienne and regional cultural scene.
An Eclectic and Demanding Program
For three days, the city center squares, Parc François Mitterrand, and the Cité du Design are transformed into open-air stages. The program blends street theater, contemporary circus, dance, concerts, participatory performances, and itinerant shows. The festival seeks a balance between different forms of street art, between local artists and companies from elsewhere, and between daring creations and shows accessible to all audiences.
Artistic gender parity is a strong commitment of the festival: the program ensures a balance between male and female artists, and the visibility of underrepresented minorities in performing arts.
A Solidarity-Based Economic Model
Complètement Gaga operates on a pay-what-you-want (or "hat") system: each spectator is free to contribute to the financing of the event according to their means and desire. This economic model, based on trust and solidarity, ensures the event's accessibility to the widest possible audience. All artists and technicians receive a fixed remuneration, independent of the "hat" revenue.
Festive Evenings at Parc François Mitterrand
The festival village, located in Parc François Mitterrand, is the beating heart of the festival. Spectators can dance, eat, and extend the celebration during evenings featuring concerts and DJ sets. The catering is 100% vegetarian and homemade, made with organic and local products. The drinks offered are also local, reflecting a strong commitment to eco-responsibility.
A Committed Festival
Complètement Gaga is committed on several fronts: eco-responsibility (reusable cups, dry toilets, waste sorting, shared equipment), prevention and risk reduction in festive environments with a dedicated stand, and combating sexist and sexual violence with a trained team and an intervention protocol. The festival is also a place for transmission, with participatory workshops and shows designed for young audiences.
Complètement Gaga — edition 2026
The 8th edition of the Complètement Gaga festival took place from Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17, 2026 in Saint-Étienne. For three days, street arts took over the Cité du Design, the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, the Parc François-Mitterrand, and the Esplanade de la Maison Rouge in Crêt-de-Roc, with about fifteen shows combining theatre, circus, dance, brass bands, and musical evenings.
8th Edition — May 15 to 17, 2026
For its 8th edition, Complètement Gaga spread its program across four locations in the city center of Saint-Étienne: the Cité du Design, the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, the Parc François-Mitterrand (the festival's beating heart with the festival village and evening events), and the Esplanade de la Maison Rouge in Crêt-de-Roc for the closing event.
Street theatre, acrobatic circus, contemporary and hip-hop dance, South American brass band, Kabyle choir, participatory bingo, DJ sets: the program kept its promise of balance between disciplines, between female and male artists, and between audacious forms and shows for all audiences. As every year, the festival village at Parc François-Mitterrand offered its homemade vegetarian food based on organic and local products, as well as a bar with local drinks.
All performances were offered at a free price ("pay what you can"), in accordance with the association's solidarity-based economic model.
Programme Complètement Gaga 2026
Friday, May 15, 2026
- 6:15 PM — Anti · Cie Lapin 34 (street theatre) · Cité du Design — opening show
- 7:45 PM — Dépose Minute Maghreb · Maghrebi pop / jazz · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 9:00 PM — Point de Vue · Cie Shafak (dance) · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 9:30 PM — Commandant Coustou · Caribbean music · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 11:00 PM — DJ La Pikotera · afro-latin · Parc François-Mitterrand
Saturday, May 16, 2026
- 2:00 PM — Vilain Chien · La Générale Posthume (circus) · Place de l'Hôtel de Ville
- 4:00 PM — Baignoire publique · Cie Cirque Compost (acrobatic trio) · Place de l'Hôtel de Ville
- 6:30 PM — CLAP! · Cie SopaLoca (brass band with South American rhythms) · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 7:45 PM — Tombola déjantée · musical raffle · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 9:00 PM — Pulse — In Situ · Cie B21 (contemporary and hip-hop dance, immersive live performance) · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 10:30 PM — Shahzen(xxx) · DJ set trad / bass / electro-oriental · Parc François-Mitterrand — evening closing
Sunday, May 17, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Déboires · Cie La Volubile (burlesque duo) · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 12:30 PM — Super Bingo! · participatory game and relaxation area · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 2:30 PM — Blau · Ralba Cie (theatre, dance and song) · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 3:30 PM — Chorale Urar L'Xalat · Assa Azekka (Kabyle female choir) · Parc François-Mitterrand
- 5:00 PM — 60 ans d'écoute · Cie L'Escarpée (radio theatre retracing the first steps of Planning Familial, ages 12+) · Esplanade de la Maison Rouge, rue Marcel-Thibaud (Crêt-de-Roc) — festival closing
Highlights Complètement Gaga 2026
- Dates: Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17, 2026 — 8th edition
- Four locations: Cité du Design, Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, Parc François-Mitterrand, Esplanade de la Maison Rouge (Crêt-de-Roc)
- Opening show: Anti by Cie Lapin 34 at the Cité du Design (Friday 6:15 PM)
- Musical headliners: SopaLoca brass band (CLAP!), Cie B21 (Pulse — In Situ), DJ Shahzen(xxx), DJ La Pikotera
- Circus: Cie Cirque Compost (Baignoire publique), La Générale Posthume (Vilain Chien)
- Committed closing: 60 ans d'écoute by Cie L'Escarpée, on the history of Planning Familial
- Free price ("pay what you can") for all shows · homemade vegetarian food
Prices Complètement Gaga 2026
Practical information — Complètement Gaga
Practical Information
Festival Locations
Parc François Mitterrand (main festival village): bar, food, stalls, main stage. Festive evenings on Friday and Saturday nights, all-day programming on Sunday.
Saint-Étienne City Center Squares: daytime shows in various emblematic locations (Place Jean Jaurès, Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, etc.).
Cité du Design: daytime and evening shows.
Access and Transport
By tram: Lines T1 and T2, "Cité du Design" stop.
By bus: Lines 8, 9, 10, and 14, "Cité du Design" stop.
By car: Parking available near Parc François Mitterrand and Cité du Design. The festival encourages soft mobility and public transport.
Prices
Complètement Gaga operates on a pay-what-you-want (hat) system: each spectator is free to contribute to the financing of the event according to their means and desire. Access to all shows and concerts is free.
Food and Drink
The festival village at Parc François Mitterrand offers vegetarian, homemade food, made with organic and local products. A bar with local drinks is also available.
Accessibility
The festival is committed to welcoming all audiences. For any specific needs, please contact the volunteers on-site who will do their best to find suitable solutions.
Eco-Responsibility
The festival implements numerous eco-responsible practices: reusable cups, shared event equipment, 100% vegetarian organic and local catering, dry toilets, waste sorting and reduction.
Prevention and Safety
A risk reduction stand is present on the festival site, offering free materials and advice. A trained team is dedicated to combating sexist and sexual violence. If needed, approach identifiable volunteers or contact the festival by email.
Volunteering
The festival relies entirely on the work of volunteers. Training is organized the weekend before the festival. To register as a volunteer: [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Complètement Gaga
Parc François Mitterrand, Centre-ville et Cité du Design
Parc François Mitterrand, Boulevard Jules Janin, 42000 Saint-Étienne