Fêtes de la Tour Blanche
Street arts festival in the heart of Berry
About Fêtes de la Tour Blanche
A festival rooted in the history of Issoudun
The Fêtes de la Tour Blanche were born in 1995 from a desire to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the construction of the Tour Blanche, an imposing keep built by Richard the Lionheart in Issoudun. Originally dedicated to medieval festivals, they gradually shifted towards street arts from 1999 onwards, thus becoming one of the most important live performance festivals in the Indre department.
Four days of free shows
Scheduled over four days during the Ascension weekend, the Fêtes de la Tour Blanche offer a rich and varied program combining street theater, circus, music, dance, puppetry, storytelling, and participatory activities. All performances and activities are completely free, allowing everyone to fully enjoy this celebration of the performing arts.
An international artistic crossroads
Since its creation, the festival has hosted over 100 French and European companies. Each edition is built around a unifying theme that guides the artistic programming. In 2025, for its 30th edition, the festival invited the public on the path of tales: modern, musical, retro or futuristic, gestural, funny or poetic tales, exploring different ways of telling stories today.
Heritage as a setting
The festival takes over the historic center of Issoudun, transforming squares, streets, and gardens into ephemeral stages. The Tour Blanche, the city's emblematic monument, serves as a majestic backdrop for this popular festival. It is a unique way to bring heritage to life in the present day, by performing in and with the city, thus creating a dialogue between medieval architecture and contemporary creation.
A unifying event
Organized by the Communauté de Communes du Pays d'Issoudun and the Tourist Office, the Fêtes de la Tour Blanche benefit from the support of the Région Centre-Val de Loire and the Conseil Départemental de l'Indre. The event attracts thousands of spectators each year, making Issoudun a major cultural destination in Berry during the Ascension holiday.
Fêtes de la Tour Blanche — edition 2026
31st edition of the Fêtes de la Tour Blanche in Issoudun, from Thursday, May 14 to Sunday, May 17, 2026, Ascension weekend. On the theme « Roulent des mécaniques » (Rolling Mechanics), the festival took over the historic center with about fifteen French companies, offering street theater, circus, clown acts, music, and dance — entirely free. Highlights: the wet opera Wet Side Story by Cie Mechanic on Saturday evening, followed by the Bal de la Cour with DJ JeffJockey until 1 AM.
31st edition on the theme « Roulent des mécaniques »
For their 31st edition, the Fêtes de la Tour Blanche took place from Thursday, May 14 to Sunday, May 17, 2026 in Issoudun, faithful to their traditional Ascension weekend appointment. On the theme « Roulent des mécaniques » (Rolling Mechanics), the program explored movement, energy, and machines in all their forms, from trampolines to unicycles, roller skates, and stage machinery.
About fifteen companies, street theater in the spotlight
The festival hosted about fifteen French companies combining street theater, circus, clown acts, mime, music, and dance. Local amateur groups (Ligue d'improvisation de Touraine, École de danse de la Meli, Ensemble de cuivres du Conservatoire, Section Théâtre du Lycée Balzac-D'Alembert) performed alongside professional companies: Cie Benoît Charpe (Zélés d'Obus, unicycle and trampoline solo), Sitting Duck (La Dyane, street clown), Cie Aour (Une grosse envie d'un monde en blanc, clown duo), Cie tout en vrac (La Cuisinière), Tuga (Un Verano Naranja, mime), Cie du Deuxième (Quincaillerie Parpassanton), 15 Feet 6 (Les patineurs), Cie Underclouds (Inertie, circus) and Cie Toi d'abord (La peur au ventre).
Wet Side Story and Bal de la Cour, Saturday evening highlight
On Saturday, May 16, in the evening, Cie Mechanic presented Wet Side Story, an open-air "wet opera" at 9 PM, followed by the Bal de la Cour animated by DJ JeffJockey from 10 PM to 1 AM — a unifying moment eagerly awaited by all festival-goers. On Sunday lunchtime, the Ensemble Départemental de Musique Traditionnelle offered a set from 12:30 PM to 2 PM, mixing bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, and accordion with contemporary influences.
Heritage, artist residency, and picnic
The shows took over the city's emblematic locations: Place Saint-Cyr, Cour de la Mairie, Boulevard Champion, Parc François-Mitterrand, Place du 10-Juin and Musée de l'Hospice Saint-Roch. On Saturday and Sunday, visual artist Théa Guéniot opened her residency workshop from 10 AM to 6 PM. On Sunday lunchtime, a picnic on the terrace with food trucks accompanied spectators between two performances.
A 100% free popular festival
As every year, the entire program, entertainment, and closing ball were completely free. The festival is organized by the Communauté de Communes du Pays d'Issoudun and the Office de Tourisme, with the support of the Région Centre-Val de Loire and the Conseil départemental de l'Indre.
Programme Fêtes de la Tour Blanche 2026
Thursday, May 14, 2026 — Opening
- 11:00 AM · Impro tableau — Ligue d'improvisation de Touraine · Street show
- 4:00 PM · Concert by the Ensemble de cuivres du Conservatoire
- 4:15 PM · Démonstration — École de danse de la Meli
- 4:45 PM · Création autour de 1789 — Section Théâtre du Lycée Balzac-D'Alembert
Friday, May 15, 2026
- 4:00 PM · Création autour de 1789 (repeat) — Section Théâtre du Lycée Balzac-D'Alembert
- 4:30 PM · Zélés d'Obus — Cie Benoît Charpe · Unicycle and trampoline solo (ages 5+)
- 5:30 PM · La Dyane — Sitting Duck · Street clown
Saturday, May 16, 2026
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Open doors of the artist residency with Théa Guéniot (visual arts exhibition) — also Sunday
- 11:15 AM · Les Cornichons de Mirza · Musical tribute
- 2:00 PM · Section Théâtre du Lycée Balzac-D'Alembert (repeat)
- 3:00 PM · Une grosse envie d'un monde en blanc — Cie Aour · Clown duo
- 4:00 PM · La Cuisinière — Cie tout en vrac · Culinary street theater (ages 4+)
- 5:00 PM · Un Verano Naranja — Tuga · Mime and clown
- 6:00 PM · Quincaillerie Parpassanton — Cie du Deuxième · Street theater
- 9:00 PM · Wet Side Story — Cie Mechanic · Open-air "wet opera" (ages 7+)
- 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM · Bal de la Cour with DJ JeffJockey · Cour de la Mairie
Sunday, May 17, 2026 — Closing
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Artist residency Théa Guéniot (day 2)
- 11:00 AM · Quincaillerie Parpassanton — Cie du Deuxième · Boulevard Champion (50 min)
- 12:00 PM · Démonstration — École de danse de la Meli
- 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM · Traditional set — Ensemble Départemental de Musique Traditionnelle (bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, accordion)
- 3:00 PM · Les patineurs — 15 Feet 6 · Roller skating show
- 3:40 PM · Inertie — Cie Underclouds · Circus (ages 5+)
- 4:30 PM · La peur au ventre — Cie Toi d'abord · Stuntman wire solo (ages 6+)
The shows took place at Place Saint-Cyr, Cour de la Mairie, Boulevard Champion, Parc François-Mitterrand, Place du 10-Juin and at the Musée de l'Hospice Saint-Roch.
Highlights Fêtes de la Tour Blanche 2026
- 31st edition on the theme « Roulent des mécaniques » (Rolling Mechanics)
- About fifteen French companies of street theater, circus, clown, mime, music, and dance
- Wet Side Story (Cie Mechanic), open-air wet opera on Saturday, May 16 at 9 PM
- Bal de la Cour with DJ JeffJockey, Saturday, May 16 from 10 PM to 1 AM
- Artist residency by Théa Guéniot, open doors Saturday and Sunday
- Creative contest Roule des mécaniques (drawings and imaginary toolboxes)
- 100% free festival, in the historic center of Issoudun
Prices Fêtes de la Tour Blanche 2026
Practical information — Fêtes de la Tour Blanche
Practical Information
Access
The festival takes place in the city center of Issoudun, around the Tour Blanche and in the streets of the historic center.
- By car: Issoudun is accessible via the A20 (exit 11) from Paris or Limoges, and via the N151 from Bourges or Châteauroux.
- By train: Issoudun SNCF station, a few minutes' walk from the city center.
Opening Hours
- From Thursday to Sunday, from 2 PM to approximately 10:30 PM
- Continuous performances in various locations in the city center
Prices
- Free admission for all shows and activities
Food and Drink
Food stalls and refreshment stands on site. Numerous restaurants and shops in the center of Issoudun.
Contact
Office de Tourisme du Pays d'Issoudun: 02 54 21 74 02 - [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Fêtes de la Tour Blanche
Centre-ville d'Issoudun
Place Saint-Cyr, 36100 Issoudun