Didouda Arras Festival
The world music and chanson festival of Arras, driven by 30 years of associative commitment
2026
About Didouda Festival
Didouda Festival — edition 2026
The Didouda Arras Festival returns for its 21st edition from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Arras. Four days of French song, world music, jazz, and folk at the Hôtel de Guînes, the Théâtre d'Arras, the Cinéma Megarama, and on the Place des Héros, with a majority of free concerts.
Didouda Arras Festival 2026 — 21st edition
The Didouda Arras Festival returns from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 21, 2026 for its 21st edition, organized by the Di Dou Da association. Four days of song and world music are scheduled in several locations in Arras: the Hôtel de Guînes (heart of the festival), the Théâtre d'Arras (paid concerts), the Cinéma Megarama, and the Place des Héros at the foot of the Belfry.
A program balancing discoveries and great voices
The 2026 edition highlights contemporary French song (Leïla Huissoud, Tonycello, Igit, Hector ou rien, Marie Urbain), slam and poetry (M'sieur 13, Ariel Tintar), soul and poetic Creole music (Anaïs Rosso, Roza, Gadianm), music from the Indian Ocean (Lwanbe with her maloya fusion), and festive ska/reggae (The Liquidators closing the festival).
Many free events, some paid concerts
The Saturday and Sunday concerts at the Hôtel de Guînes are entirely free, as are many activities (participatory choir, singing market, "À vous le micro" open mic, film screening). The two main evenings on Thursday and Friday at the Théâtre d'Arras are paid (prices from 5 € to 20 €), featuring Leïla Huissoud on Thursday and Anaïs Rosso / Ariel Tintar on Friday.
Activities throughout the festival
In addition to concerts, the festival offers a participatory choir, the "Le Marché qui chante" event on the Place des Héros, "À vous le micro" sessions (accompanied open mic), a screening of the musical film "Dans la cuisine des Nguyen" at the Cinéma Megarama, and a vintage shop run by Artois Insertion Ressourcerie (AIR) in the stables of the Hôtel de Guînes.
Highlights Didouda Festival 2026
- 21st edition of the festival, organized by the Di Dou Da association (60+ volunteers)
- Four days, four locations in Arras: Hôtel de Guînes, Théâtre d'Arras, Cinéma Megarama, Place des Héros
- Majority of free concerts (Saturday and Sunday entirely free at the Hôtel de Guînes)
- Two paid evenings at the Théâtre d'Arras: Leïla Huissoud (Thursday) and Anaïs Rosso / Ariel Tintar (Friday)
- Participatory activities: choir, "Marché qui chante" at the foot of the Belfry, "À vous le micro" open mic
- Film screening on Sunday morning at Cinéma Megarama: "Dans la cuisine des Nguyen"
- Vintage shop by Artois Insertion Ressourcerie (AIR)
Programme Didouda Festival 2026
Thursday, June 18, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Tonycello (Antoine Payen) — cellist who revisits French song classics with humor and theatricality (Winner of the "P'tit Molière du Meilleur Spectacle Musical" award)
- 8:30 PM — Théâtre d'Arras (paid) · Leïla Huissoud with Antoine Graugnard — new show "Je suis venue te dire que je m'en fous," reinterpretation of song repertoire and original compositions
Friday, June 19, 2026
- All day — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · M'sieur 13 — slam poet, winner of the Poetry Slam International (Trieste 2021)
- 6:30 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Participatory Choir led by Nanou, accompanied by Marguerite — workshop open to all, four-part harmonies (in partnership with PALJ)
- 8:30 PM — Théâtre d'Arras (paid) · Anaïs Rosso / Ariel Tintar — soul, Creole poetry, and contemporary song (Revelations of the Francofolies de La Rochelle)
Saturday, June 20, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Place des Héros, at the foot of the Belfry (free) · Le Marché qui chante + Batucada — collective singing moment around "Recommence-moi," followed by a percussive parade by young people from Paul Bert school directed by Olivier (Octopus Percu)
- 2:00 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Polysong — pop choir from Dainville, French and English repertoire
- 3:00 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Igit — singer-songwriter, new album "AIR RER"
- 6:30 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Hector ou rien — quirky song, humor, and poetic observations of daily life
- 8:30 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Roza — Belgian singer blending alt-pop, neo-classical, and folk
- 10:30 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Lwanbe — Reunion Island artist, maloya fusion with electronic elements
Sunday, June 21, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Cinéma Megarama (free) · Screening of "Dans la cuisine des Nguyen" by Stéphane Ly-Cuong, a musical film about a Vietnamese family (partnership with Plan Séquence)
- 2:30 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Marie Urbain — intimate songs, female harmonies, and instrumental arrangements
- 5:00 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Crescendo — choir from Beaurin, varied polyphonic repertoire with choreography
- 7:30 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · Gadianm — Creole groove, Reunion/Guadeloupe fusion with soul and jazz
- 9:00 PM — Hôtel de Guînes (free) · The Liquidators — ska/reggae/soul nonet, closing concert of the festival
Throughout the festival — "À vous le micro" (open mic, free)
Come sing your song accompanied by a live musician:
- Thursday-Friday: 5:00 PM-6:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:30 PM-1:30 PM and 4:30 PM-6:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 PM-1:30 PM, 3:30 PM-4:30 PM and 5:30 PM-6:30 PM
Vintage shop — Stables of the Hôtel de Guînes
Run by the Artois Insertion Ressourcerie (AIR) association: clothing, vinyls, vintage objects, and second-hand flea market items. Open Friday-Saturday from 5:00 PM to 6:15 PM, and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Prices Didouda Festival 2026
Paid concerts at the Théâtre d'Arras (Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19 at 8:30 PM):
- Full price: 20 € on site / 18 € in advance
- Reduced price: 12 € on site / 10 € in advance
- Under 12s: 5 €
Online ticketing on HelloAsso (didouda-arras-festival) and on site on the evening of the concert.
Didouda Festival — 2027 edition
The 2026 edition was held from 18 June to 21 June 2026. The dates for the 2027 edition have not been announced yet. This page will be updated as soon as the official programme is published.
Practical information — Didouda Festival
Access to the Festival
By Car
Arras is accessible via the A26 and A1 motorways. Parking available in the city center near the Hôtel de Guînes and the Théâtre d'Arras.
By Train
The Arras train station is served by TGV (Paris in 50 min) and TER from Lille (30 min). The festival venues are within walking distance of the station.
Concert Venues
- Hôtel de Guînes - Arras
- Théâtre d'Arras
Ticketing
Online ticketing on the festival website and on-site. Affordable prices.
Contact
Official website: www.didouda.net
Facebook: Di Dou Da Arras Festival
Instagram: @didouda_arras_festival
Didouda Arras Festival: 20 Years of Chanson in Arras
The Didouda Arras Festival is a world music and chanson festival held every summer in Arras. Formerly known as "Faites de la Chanson", it was renamed in 2021. It is organized by the Di Dou Da association, founded in 1995, which promotes live chanson and world music throughout the year.
30 Years of Associative Commitment
The Di Dou Da association celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025, while the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary. This double anniversary testifies to the vitality and perseverance of a team of enthusiasts who have been working for three decades to promote chanson and world music in Arras and the Artois region.
Concerts at the Hôtel de Guînes and Théâtre d'Arras
The festival takes place in two emblematic venues in Arras: the Hôtel de Guînes, a magnificent 18th-century private mansion, and the Théâtre d'Arras. These venues offer an intimate and warm setting for concerts that emphasize the proximity between artists and the audience.
A Diverse and Committed Program
The Didouda Arras Festival features a wide variety of music: French chanson, world music, jazz, folk, and fusion music. The program highlights new discoveries and committed artists, while also welcoming renowned names from the music scene.
A Festival Driven by Volunteers
More than 60 volunteers are involved from the setup to the dismantling of the festival, embodying the associative and civic spirit that has animated Didouda since its origins.
Where does it take place — Didouda Festival
Didouda Festival in brief
History of Didouda Festival
Edition 2025 Jun 2025Other festivals near Arras
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