Fête de Cergy

The Fête de Cergy, summer celebration of an innovative city

The Fête de Cergy is the major popular summer event for the residents of this emblematic new town in the Val-d'Oise. Organized by the municipality, this annual celebration takes over public spaces, the banks of the Oise, and the islands to offer several days of free festivities in an exceptional natural setting.

Cergy is a young and dynamic city, born from the state's desire in the 1960s to create new towns around Paris to relieve congestion in the capital. Founded in 1969, it is now a city of over 65,000 inhabitants, with remarkable contemporary architecture: the Axe Majeur by Dani Karavan, the columns by Ricardo Bofill in the Saint-Christophe district, the marina of Cergy-le-Haut. This bold architectural identity is reflected in the spirit of its festivities.

Cergy Summer City: entertainment on the Oise islands

One of the highlights of Cergy's summer festival is the entertainment on the Oise islands and leisure bases. The Cergy-Neuville islands, with their beaches, water body, and green spaces, host open-air cafés, popular dances, acoustic concerts, and water activities. This unique natural setting, just a few minutes from the city center, offers an incomparable summer backdrop for the festivities.

Every summer, the city offers a program called "Cergy Ville d'Été" (Cergy Summer City), which brings together free entertainment for all generations: open-air exhibitions, creative workshops, open-air cinema screenings, jazz concerts, and contemporary music on the banks of the Oise. These events attract residents from all over the Cergy-Pontoise urban area.

Le Charivari au Village: the back-to-school party

At the end of the summer season, Cergy hosts the Charivari au Village, a street and circus festival that has become one of the city's flagship cultural events. More than 80 free shows take over the streets and squares of the old village of Cergy, offering residents unusual artistic encounters and performances by French and international companies.

This late-summer festival is distinguished by its participatory dimension: residents are invited to open their courtyards and gardens to artists, transforming the entire old village district into a giant stage. Jugglers, acrobats, musicians, and visual artists transform the cobbled streets into an open-air theater in a warm and festive atmosphere.

Concerts and world music

The musical programming of the Fête de Cergy reflects the diversity of its population. World music, jazz, French variety, and contemporary music concerts are organized in the city's parks and cultural spaces. The local music scene is highlighted through showcases and talent competitions that allow Cergy's talents to perform in front of the public.

The city has a rich musical life, supported notably by the CERGY PONTOISE MUSIC FESTIVAL and the numerous cultural associations that liven up local life throughout the year. The Fête de Cergy is an opportunity for these cultural players to come together and share their passion with the entire population.

Markets, gastronomy, and crafts

During the summer festival, a market of local producers and artisans is set up in the center of Cergy. Fruits and vegetables from the Val-d'Oise, cheeses from Île-de-France, honey, artisanal jams, flowers, and plants: the colorful stalls attract families and lovers of local products. Culinary demonstrations and tastings allow visitors to discover the richness of the Île-de-France region.

Street food also plays an important role in the Fête de Cergy, with food trucks and stands offering a selection of world cuisines, reflecting the culinary diversity of a cosmopolitan city open to the world.

Neighborhood parties and local entertainment

In parallel with the central events, each neighborhood of Cergy organizes its own local party. Cergy-Saint-Christophe, Cergy-le-Haut, Cergy-Pontoise, and other areas of the city host popular dances, sports tournaments, giant picnics, and activities for neighborhood residents. These local parties strengthen social bonds and conviviality among neighbors in a city sometimes perceived as anonymous.