Festival au Village
Thirst for shows! A festival of fraternity in Deux-Sèvres
2026
About Festival au Village
Festival au Village — edition 2026
The Festival au Village returns for its 37th edition from July 3rd to July 11th, 2026, in Brioux-sur-Boutonne, in the southern Deux-Sèvres region. Over nine days, more than 100 artists and 31 companies will present 37 theater, circus, music, and street art performances across the village's courtyards, squares, and gardens. The central theme is led by the Cie La Petite Fabrique, invited to "inhabit the world poetically," while the big top on the Champ de Foire will host circus creations like Les Dodos, Fratello, and Tombouctou, un père et son fils. About fifteen events, including all late-night concerts at the Place du Champ de Foire, are free to attend.
Nine days of live performance in a Deux-Sèvres village
From Friday, July 3rd to Saturday, July 11th, 2026, Brioux-sur-Boutonne transforms once again into the open-air theater that the Scènes Nomades association has been crafting for thirty-seven editions. Streets, gardens, and squares come alive to host over 100 artists and 31 companies, with 37 shows on the program. The festival kicks off on Friday, July 3rd at 6:00 PM; the closing ceremony takes place on Saturday, July 11th at 7:30 PM at the Place du Champ de Foire, featuring an immersive, choreographic surprise performance where movement and sound merge with the audience. Monday, July 6th is a rest day, with no shows or ticket sales.
A "Cousinade" with Cie La Petite Fabrique
The common thread of this edition is woven by Cie La Petite Fabrique, led by Betty Heurtebise, who invites the public to inhabit the world poetically. Through shows, traveling formats, and sound installations—often outdoors—this "cousinade" offers a sensitive exploration of nature and youth, delicately blurring the line between reality and imagination. Highlights include Tobie Lolness and Le monde est rond as musical readings, the Mondes parallèles walking tour at the Logis de Vezançais, and the free-access installation Un monde à soi at the Corderie.
Circus under the big top, the festival's backbone
As every summer, the headlining acts take place under the big top set up on the Champ de Foire. Le P'tit Cirk will perform Les Dodos four times, Cie Bêstîa will present Fratello on July 4th and 5th, and Cie d'un Ours will stage their tightrope act Tombouctou, un père et son fils at the Pré des Écoles on July 10th and 11th. Cie La Meute concludes the circus segment with Newroz, performed twice on Saturday, July 11th at the Corderie.
A village transformed into multiple stages
Performances are spread across a dozen locations in the village: the Place du Champ de Foire and its big top, the Boutonnaise, the Corderie, the Cour Chanteclerc, the Cour Pellevoisin, the Pré des Écoles, the gymnasium, the Fuie, the Logis de Vezançais, the church, and the area around the sports complex. Seating is unreserved for all shows, and all sites are accessible to people with reduced mobility. Around 160 volunteers run the event, which draws over 24,000 visitors throughout the week.
Highlights Festival au Village 2026
- Opening on Friday, July 3rd at 6:00 PM, with the Afro-jazz brass band L'Elephant Brass Machine at 8:00 PM at the Place du Champ de Foire, free of charge.
- "Cousinade" with Cie La Petite Fabrique, the edition's central theme: Tobie Lolness, Le monde est rond, the Mondes parallèles walking tour at the Logis de Vezançais, and the free installation Un monde à soi.
- Les Dodos, by Le P'tit Cirk, under the Champ de Foire big top on July 7th, 8th, 9th, and 11th.
- Tombouctou, un père et son fils: tightrope act by Cie d'un Ours at the Pré des Écoles, July 10th and 11th at 9:00 PM.
- Free concerts every evening at the Place du Champ de Foire, from DJ Moule (July 4th) to Golden Parachute (July 11th).
- Closing ceremony on Saturday, July 11th at 7:30 PM at the Place du Champ de Foire, featuring an immersive, choreographic surprise performance.
Programme Festival au Village 2026
Friday, July 3rd, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Petit Piment · Le Grand Barbichon Prod · traditional music · Cour Pellevoisin
- 8:00 PM — L'Elephant Brass Machine · La Tribale Poursuite · Afro-jazz brass band · Place du Champ de Foire · free
- 9:30 PM — B-O-M ! · Le Piston Errant · garage show · La Corderie
- 10:30 PM — Nuit Furie · electro rock · Place du Champ de Foire · free
Saturday, July 4th, 2026
- 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM — Mon livre · Studio Monstre · theater · Cour Chanteclerc
- 2:00 PM — Eugène's Circus · Cirque en Scène Ados · gymnasium · free
- 4:00 PM — Transhumance · Le Piston Errant · garage show · Pré des Écoles
- 5:00 PM — Cabaret cirque · Cirque en Scène Adultes · gymnasium · free
- 6:45 PM — Open stage · Place du Champ de Foire · free
- 8:30 PM — En dessous de vos corps je trouverai ce qui est immense et qui ne s'arrête pas · Cie ADN · theater · La Boutonnaise
- 9:30 PM — Fratello · Cie Bêstîa · circus · Champ de Foire big top
- 10:45 PM — DJ Moule · bootleg and mash-up · Place du Champ de Foire · free
Sunday, July 5th, 2026
- 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM — Tobie Lolness · Cie La Petite Fabrique · musical reading · Cour Chanteclerc
- 3:00 PM and 5:45 PM — Seul ? · Compagnie de l'Hêtre · circus · La Corderie
- 3:45 PM — Antigone(s) · Le Rafiot la Chaloupe · street performance · gymnasium · free
- 6:30 PM — Amenzu · Tiwiza · rock · Cour Pellevoisin
- 8:00 PM — Wah Wah Cats · Place du Champ de Foire · free
- 9:30 PM — Le Ladies Football Club · Théâtre DOM · musical theater · La Boutonnaise
- 9:30 PM — Fratello · Cie Bêstîa · circus · Champ de Foire big top
Monday, July 6th, 2026
- Rest day: no shows, ticket office closed.
Tuesday, July 7th, 2026
- 10:30 AM — Mondes parallèles · Cie La Petite Fabrique · walking performance · Logis de Vezançais
- 6:30 PM — Hamlet Crazy Road · Compagnie les Barbu.e.s · street theater · La Corderie
- 6:30 PM — Soma · Le Berger des Sons · world music · Cour Pellevoisin
- 8:00 PM — Monya, l'histoire dont vous êtes l'héroïne · Mash-Up Production · theater · Cour Chanteclerc
- 8:00 PM — Méli & co · Place du Champ de Foire · free
- 9:45 PM — Le Grand Bancal · Le Petit Théâtre de Pain · musical theater · La Boutonnaise
- 9:45 PM — Les Dodos · Le P'tit Cirk · circus · Champ de Foire big top
Wednesday, July 8th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Un monde à soi · Cie La Petite Fabrique · installation · La Corderie · free
- 10:30 AM — Le monde est rond · Cie La Petite Fabrique · musical reading · La Fuie
- 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM — Circus arts discovery workshop · Cirque en Scène · gymnasium
- 11:30 AM and 8:00 PM — Terre ! · Cie Les Lubies · puppetry and kamishibai · Cour Chanteclerc
- 6:30 PM — Hamlet Crazy Road · Compagnie les Barbu.e.s · street theater · La Corderie
- 6:30 PM — Biper Swing · gypsy jazz · Cour Pellevoisin
- 8:00 PM — Tontons Flingués · Place du Champ de Foire · free
- 9:30 PM — Ondéla · Le Berger des Sons · world music and electro · La Boutonnaise
- 9:30 PM — Les Dodos · Le P'tit Cirk · circus · Champ de Foire big top
Thursday, July 9th, 2026
- 10:30 AM — Mondes parallèles · Cie La Petite Fabrique · walking performance · Logis de Vezançais
- 11:30 AM — Terre ! · Cie Les Lubies · puppetry and kamishibai · Cour Chanteclerc
- 6:30 PM — Winter Blues Band · rock · Cour Pellevoisin
- 6:30 PM — Objectif Miami · Les Dolphin Apocalypse · street epic · La Corderie
- 8:00 PM — Pop Corn · Big Ukulélé Syndicate · music and comedy · Place du Champ de Foire · free
- 10:00 PM — Les Dodos · Le P'tit Cirk · circus · Champ de Foire big top
Friday, July 10th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Un monde à soi · Cie La Petite Fabrique · installation · La Corderie · free
- 6:30 PM — Direction Los Angeles · Les Dolphin Apocalypse · street epic · La Corderie
- 6:30 PM — High Octane · Association Prodkast · celtic neofolk power · Cour Pellevoisin
- 8:00 PM — Kalistrio · world music · church
- 9:00 PM — Tombouctou, un père et son fils · Cie d'un Ours · tightrope act · Pré des Écoles
- 9:00 PM — Qui a cru Kenneth Arnold ? · Collectif OS'O · theater · La Boutonnaise
- 10:30 PM — PetitJean · festive traditional rock · Place du Champ de Foire · free
Saturday, July 11th, 2026
- 10:30 AM — Le monde est rond · Cie La Petite Fabrique · musical reading · La Fuie
- 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM — Portrait de famille · Volubilis · dance · outside the sports complex
- 2:45 PM and 6:30 PM — Newroz · Cie La Meute · circus and concert · La Corderie
- 4:00 PM — Les Séparables · Cie le Réfectoire · theater · La Boutonnaise
- 6:30 PM — Palais de Verre · Veilleur® · theater · Cour Chanteclerc
- 7:30 PM — Festival closing: immersive and choreographic surprise performance · Place du Champ de Foire
- 9:00 PM — Tombouctou, un père et son fils · Cie d'un Ours · tightrope act · Pré des Écoles
- 9:00 PM — Les Dodos · Le P'tit Cirk · circus · Champ de Foire big top
- 10:30 PM — Golden Parachute · turbo pirate party · Place du Champ de Foire · free
Prices Festival au Village 2026
Festival au Village — 2027 edition
The 2026 edition was held from 3 July to 11 July 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 — Festival au Village
Practical Information
Where the festival takes place
The festival takes over a dozen locations throughout the village of Brioux-sur-Boutonne: the Place du Champ de Foire and its marquee, the Boutonnaise, the Corderie, the Cour Chanteclerc, the Cour Pellevoisin, the school meadow, the gymnasium, the Fuie, the Logis de Vezançais, the church, and the area around the sports complex. Seating is unreserved for all shows, and all sites are accessible to people with reduced mobility—please let us know when booking if you require assistance. Photography, filming, recording, and the use of mobile phones are strictly prohibited inside the performance venues.
Getting there
Brioux-sur-Boutonne is a town of about 1,500 residents in the southern Deux-Sèvres region, located roughly 30 kilometers from Niort. The village lies on the route connecting Poitiers and Ruffec to Saintes, La Rochelle, and Royan. As part of our commitment to sustainability, we strongly encourage carpooling and provide a matching tool on our website.
Ticketing
Most shows are ticketed, with four price tiers: Tier A (standard rate), Tier B (for Scènes Nomades members, Réseau 535 structures, and Cezam cardholders), Tier C (for those under 18, students, job seekers, social welfare recipients, apprentices, and people with disabilities), and Tier C* for young audiences aged 3 and up. Two discounted subscription packages are available: ABT 6 for 6 different shows per person, and ABT 10 for 10 different shows. Around 15 events remain free of charge, including the late-night concerts on the Place du Champ de Foire.
Tickets can be purchased online, by mail, or on-site. During the festival, the Maison des Arts is the only point of sale; there is no box office at the performance venues. Every spectator must have a ticket, and we ask that you collect your tickets at least one hour before the show starts. Tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable, and cannot be returned, unless a show is cancelled by the organizers.
Contact
Organizer: Scènes Nomades association, festival office, 3 rue Saint-Martin, 79170 Brioux-sur-Boutonne.
Ticketing and reception: Maison des Arts, 18 place du Champ de Foire, 79170 Brioux-sur-Boutonne — 05 49 27 31 96 — [email protected].
Additional ticket outlet: Pays Mellois Tourist Office, 2 place Bujault, 79500 Melle — 05 49 29 15 10 (payment by credit card or cash only).
Official website: festivalauvillage.fr
More than thirty-five years of live performance in a rural setting
Since its creation, the Festival au Village in Brioux-sur-Boutonne has embodied a unique vision of live performance: that of a festival deliberately choosing the countryside, the village, as its artistic expression ground. In this small commune in the south of Deux-Sèvres, nestled on the banks of the Boutonne river, the association Scènes Nomades has built over the decades a major cultural event that attracts thousands of spectators each summer.
The festival is distinguished by the quality and diversity of its programming. Contemporary theater, circus, street arts, music, and shows for young audiences are presented over about ten days, featuring forty performances by thirty professional companies. From texts by Joël Pommerat to aerial circus acts, from concerts under the stars to street parades, the Festival au Village offers a complete panorama of contemporary live performance.
A village transformed into an open-air stage
During the festival, Brioux-sur-Boutonne is transformed. Streets, squares, gardens, farmyards, and municipal buildings all become stages for the performances. This appropriation of public space by artists creates a unique atmosphere where the line between stage and audience, between artists and spectators, blurs in favor of a collective and festive experience.
Robin Renucci, an actor and emblematic figure of French popular theater, has described the Festival au Village as a 'festival of fraternity', highlighting its ability to create social bonds and bring diverse audiences together around live performance. This human and convivial dimension is the event's deep identity.
A commitment to accessibility and creation
The Festival au Village is strongly committed to cultural accessibility. Many shows are offered for free, allowing all audiences—families, children, local residents, visitors—to discover quality artistic proposals. The festival receives support from the DRAC, the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Département des Deux-Sèvres, and local authorities, demonstrating its institutional recognition.
Where does it take place — Festival au Village
Festival au Village in brief
Other festivals near Brioux-sur-Boutonne
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