Festival Éternel — The Festival of Souls

Día de los Muertos at the heart of the Allier

Created in 2022 by the Franco-Mexican association Cielito Lindo, the Festival Éternel “La Fête des Âmes” is a unique cultural event in Auvergne that invites residents of Montluçon and the surrounding areas to discover one of the most important traditions in Mexican culture: Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, this ancestral celebration is an opportunity to remember those who have passed away and prevent them from sinking into permanent oblivion.

A multidisciplinary and participatory festival

The Festival Éternel unfolds over three days in various emblematic locations in Montluçon: the Ferme des Îlets, the Place Piquand in the heart of the medieval town center, and the Salsa restobar. The program skillfully blends Mexican tradition and contemporary creation: pre-Hispanic dances in the public square, folkloric and traditional Mexican music concerts, live performances, documentary screenings, and conferences on Mexican culture and its unique relationship with death.

Workshops, exhibitions, and night parade

Participatory workshops are at the heart of the festival: creation of alebrijes (Mexican fantasy creatures made of papier-mâché) with invited artists such as sculptor María Manuela López C., calavera makeup (decorated skulls), making of colored sand carpets on the Day of the Dead theme, and Mexican cooking workshops. Photographic and artistic exhibitions punctuate the festival route. The highlight of the festival is the grand costumed night parade through the streets of Montluçon, followed by a costume contest and a costumed ball in the vibrant colors of the celebration: orange, pink, red, purple, and neon.

A cultural bridge between France and Mexico

Driven by the passion of its founders and the support of the Mairie de Montluçon, the association J'aime Montluçon Centre-Ville, and the MJC Centre Social, the Festival Éternel has become an anticipated event in Montluçon's autumn calendar in just a few editions. Free at most venues, open to all ages and sensitivities, it offers a joyful and profound immersion into a tradition that invites us to transform mourning into a celebration of life. The dazzling colors, enchanting music, and magical atmosphere make each edition an unforgettable moment.