BAR Festival - Autumn Blues in Rabelaisie

Blues, the living source of all music

The BAR Festival - Autumn Blues in Rabelaisie was born from a conviction: blues is not a dusty music frozen in history, but a living source that has nourished all contemporary musical genres. Every autumn, the festival takes over the Rabelaisie, this Chinon region dear to François Rabelais, to celebrate blues in all its contemporary expressions.

A festival rooted in its territory

The BAR Festival is part of a desire to:

• Extend the tourist season in autumn, just before the grape harvest
• Celebrate the terroir and regional riches of Rabelaisie
• Unite local stakeholders around a shared cultural experience
• Transform spectators into active participants and future ambassadors of the festival

The village of artists and artisans

Beyond the concerts, the festival offers a village of artists and artisans integrated into the main site. This village hosts local creators, activities, artist meet-and-greets, and tours of the region, creating an immersive event that goes far beyond just the musical program.

Concerts in venues and outdoors

The festival unfolds over three days with two concert formats:

• Concerts in venues (paid): quality programming with renowned blues artists
• Concerts in the village (free): musical entertainment accessible to all in the village of artists and artisans, with games and entertainment

An itinerary between communes

The BAR Festival is distinguished by its itinerant nature, taking over several locations in Rabelaisie: Beaumont-en-Véron, Chinon, and the left bank of the Vienne. This itinerancy highlights the entire territory and offers festival-goers an experience of cultural and heritage discovery.

Les Cinquantièmes Rugissants

The festival is organized by the association Les Cinquantièmes Rugissants, which also manages the cultural venue Le Temps des Crises. This association promotes a vision of blues as a music of sharing and communion, faithful to its popular and community roots.