Fêtes de Sainte-Anne
The great traditional funfair of Rethel for over 250 years
2026
About Sainte-Anne Rethel
Sainte-Anne Rethel — edition 2026
Nine days of festivities on the Promenade des Isles
The 2026 Fêtes de Sainte-Anne will take place from Saturday, July 25, to Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the Promenade des Isles in Rethel. For nine days, the city will pulse to the rhythm of its fairground, concerts, dances, fireworks, and the Grand Parade. The 2026 edition features five new major rides on the fairgrounds, alongside traditional attractions and food stalls.
Official opening on Saturday, July 25
The festival kicks off on Saturday, July 25, with a doubles pétanque tournament at 1:00 PM at Agora Sport, organized by Fanny Rethéloise and open to all. At 4:30 PM, the Philharmonie Sud Ardennes will perform a serenade for the Mayor in the City Hall gardens, and Miss Sainte-Anne 2026, Sarah Delloup, will be presented to the public alongside her runners-up, Lola James and Sohane Deloche. The official opening will take place at 5:30 PM, followed by a dance party featuring singer Aleks Ander from 10:00 PM to 1:30 AM.
The Grand Parade and fireworks
Sunday, July 26, is the festival's highlight. The day begins at 10:30 AM with mass at Saint-Nicolas church, featuring the Philharmonie Sud Ardennes and attended by Miss Sainte-Anne and her runners-up, followed at 12:00 PM by an aperitif hosted by the Municipality in the City Hall gardens. At 3:00 PM, the Grand Parade sets off with 14 folk groups, 300 performers, community floats, and sports clubs, hosted by Ludo G Events, featuring Miss Sainte-Anne in a horse-drawn carriage. The evening continues from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM, leading up to the grand fireworks display at 11:00 PM at Les Charmilles, courtesy of the fairground operators. A second fireworks display, provided by the City of Rethel, will close the festival on Sunday, August 2, at 11:00 PM at the same location.
Entertainment, dances, and raffle all week long
Between the two weekends, each day has its own highlight. On Monday, July 27, Miss Sainte-Anne and her runners-up will visit the Résidence Pierre Siegel and the EHPAD Geneviève De Gaulle Anthonioz, while Pascal "Le Grand Frère" will meet the public at Place du Tivoli from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. On Tuesday, July 28, a motorcycle show featuring trial acrobatics and stunts will take place at the same location from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. On Wednesday, July 29, the Municipality will host a lunch for Rethel residents over 65, followed by a musette dance at Le Tivoli with Dany Daniel from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM, and a DJ set by W. Sono. Thursday, July 30, is the discount day for rides, featuring the fairground raffle draw at 9:00 PM—with four golden tickets for unlimited rides, three shopping carts worth 200 euros, and many other major prizes—followed by a dance with the Otri orchestra. The Entre Nous, Pacific, and Quarte Blanche orchestras will take over on July 31, August 1, and August 2.
Free admission
Access to the Fêtes de Sainte-Anne site is free; only fairground attractions and food stalls require payment. The festival closes between midnight and 2:00 AM depending on the night, and Thursday, July 30, offers discounted rates on rides.
Highlights Sainte-Anne Rethel 2026
- Grand Parade on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 3:00 PM: 14 folk groups, 300 performers, community floats, and Miss Sainte-Anne in a horse-drawn carriage
- Two major fireworks displays at Les Charmilles at 11:00 PM on Sunday, July 26, and Sunday, August 2, 2026
- Miss Sainte-Anne 2026, Sarah Delloup, accompanied by her runners-up Lola James and Sohane Deloche, present throughout the festival
- Five new major rides at the Promenade des Isles fairground
- Thursday, July 30, 2026: Discount day on rides and the fairground operators' raffle draw at 9:00 PM
- A dance or entertainment event every evening: Aleks Ander, Ludo G Events, Dany Daniel, W. Sono, Otri orchestra, Entre Nous, Pacific, and the Quarte Blanche musette orchestra
- Serenade for the Mayor and mass at Saint-Nicolas church by the Philharmonie Sud Ardennes
- Free admission to the entire site
Programme Sainte-Anne Rethel 2026
Saturday, July 25, 2026 — Official Opening
- 1:00 PM — Doubles pétanque tournament at Agora Sport, organized by Fanny Rethéloise (open to all)
- 4:30 PM — Serenade for the Mayor by the Philharmonie Sud Ardennes in the City Hall gardens, followed by the public presentation of Miss Sainte-Anne and her runners-up
- 5:30 PM — Official opening of the Fêtes de Sainte-Anne
- 10:00 PM to 1:30 AM — Dance party featuring singer Aleks Ander
- 2:00 AM — Festival closes
Sunday, July 26, 2026 — Grand Parade and Fireworks
- 10:30 AM — Mass at Saint-Nicolas church featuring the Philharmonie Sud Ardennes, attended by Miss Sainte-Anne and her runners-up
- 12:00 PM — Aperitif hosted by the Municipality in the City Hall gardens
- 1:00 PM — Pétanque tournament at Agora Sport, organized by Fanny Rethéloise (for licensed players only)
- 2:00 PM — Rides open
- 3:00 PM — Grand Parade: 14 folk groups, 300 performers, community floats, and sports clubs, hosted by Ludo G Events — featuring Miss Sainte-Anne in a horse-drawn carriage
- 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM — Evening entertainment by Ludo G Events
- 11:00 PM — Grand fireworks display at Les Charmilles, courtesy of the fairground operators
- 1:30 AM — Festival closes
Monday, July 27, 2026 — Recreational Afternoon
- 12:00 PM — Visit from Miss Sainte-Anne and her runners-up, followed by lunch at the Résidence Pierre Siegel
- 3:00 PM — Visit from Miss Sainte-Anne and her runners-up to the EHPAD Geneviève De Gaulle Anthonioz, with musical entertainment by accordionist Dany Daniel
- 4:00 PM — Rides open
- 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM — Appearance by Pascal "Le Grand Frère" at Place du Tivoli, featuring various activities and a chance to win a driving license (courtesy of auto-école Guilloux) — entertainment provided by the fairground operators
- Midnight — Festival closes
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
- 2:00 PM — Rides open
- 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM — Motorcycle show at Place du Tivoli: trial acrobatics and stunt show — entertainment provided by the fairground operators
- Midnight — Festival closes
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 — Seniors' Lunch and Dance Evening
- 12:00 PM — Lunch hosted by the Municipality for seniors over 65 at the Au feu de bois brasserie (registration required at the Rethel Town Hall)
- 2:00 PM — Rides open
- 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM — Musette dance at Le Tivoli with Dany Daniel
- 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM — DJ set by W. Sono
- 1:30 AM — Festival closes
Thursday, July 30, 2026 — Discount Day and Raffle
- 2:00 PM — Rides open, discount day
- 9:00 PM — Raffle draw organized by the fairground operators: 4 golden tickets for unlimited rides for 4 family members, 3 shopping carts worth 200 euros each, and many other major prizes
- 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM — Dance party with the Otri orchestra
- 1:30 AM — Festival closes
Friday, July 31, 2026
- 3:00 PM — Rides open
- 10:00 PM to 1:30 AM — Dance party with the Entre Nous orchestra
- 2:00 AM — Festival closes
Saturday, August 1, 2026
- 3:00 PM — Rides open
- 10:00 PM to 1:30 AM — Dance party with the Pacific orchestra
- 2:00 AM — Festival closes
Sunday, August 2, 2026 — Closing Fireworks
- 2:00 PM — Rides open
- 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM — Entertainment by the Quarte Blanche musette orchestra
- 11:00 PM — Grand fireworks display at Les Charmilles, courtesy of the City of Rethel
- 1:30 AM — Festival closes
Prices Sainte-Anne Rethel 2026
Fairground attractions are paid individually.
Thursday, July 30, 2026: Discount day on rides.
Seniors' lunch on Wednesday, July 29: Hosted by the Municipality for Rethel residents over 65; registration required at the Town Hall reception.
Practical information — Sainte-Anne Rethel
Practical Information
Access
The Fêtes de Sainte-Anne take place at the Promenade des Isles, in the heart of Rethel (08300), in the Ardennes, in the Grand Est region.
- By car — From Reims (40 km), take the A34 then the N51. From Charleville-Mézières (40 km), take the A34 / N51. From Paris (200 km), take the A4 then the A34 towards Charleville-Mézières, exit at Rethel.
- By train — Rethel SNCF station (Reims - Charleville-Mézières line). The Promenade des Isles is a 10-minute walk from the station.
- Parking — Free parking available near the Promenade des Isles.
Hours
- Funfair — Rides open in the early afternoon, usually at 2:00 PM or 3:00 PM depending on the day (4:00 PM on Mondays). The fair closes between midnight and 2:00 AM depending on the evening, with the longest nights occurring on dance evenings.
- Parade — Sunday at 3:00 PM.
- Fireworks — At 11:00 PM at Les Charmilles.
Prices
Free admission to the entire site. Fairground attractions and food stalls are paid for individually. A discount day for rides is offered by the fairground operators during the week.
On-site
Recycling bins are installed throughout the Isles for sorting recyclable packaging and food waste.
Contact
- Organizer — City of Rethel
- Address — Hôtel de Ville, Place de la République, 08300 Rethel
- Phone — 03 24 39 51 40
- Website — villederethel.fr
The big event of the Rethel summer
The Fêtes de Sainte-Anne are a true institution in Rethel. Every summer, the town comes alive to the rhythm of this grand popular festival celebrating its patron saint. For nine days, from late July to early August, the Promenade des Isles, a vast space along the Aisne river, turns into a place of celebration open to all, blending tradition with modern entertainment. The Fêtes de Sainte-Anne are the highlight of the Rethel summer and an unmissable event for the people of the South-Ardennes.
Rides, parades, and fireworks
An impressive funfair sets up on the Promenade des Isles, featuring thrill rides for all ages, attractions for the little ones, and gourmet food stalls. The grand parade is the festival's centerpiece: on Sunday at 3:00 PM, folk groups and community floats march through the streets of Rethel—14 groups and 300 performers in 2026—preceded in the morning by a mass at the Saint-Nicolas church accompanied by the Philharmonie Sud Ardennes. Two major fireworks displays are launched at Les Charmilles at 11:00 PM, on the Sunday of the parade and the final day of the festival, courtesy of the fairground operators and the City of Rethel.
Miss Sainte-Anne, dances, and orchestras
The election of Miss Sainte-Anne and her runners-up, held beforehand at the L'Atmosphère hall, provides the festival with its ambassadors: the queen is presented to the public during the serenade to the Mayor in the Town Hall gardens, rides in a carriage during the parade, and visits the town's senior residences. Every evening, a dance or performance keeps the Promenade des Isles buzzing late into the night, with ballroom and musette orchestras, singers, and DJs. Pétanque tournaments at the Agora Sport, a meal for Rethel seniors, a discount day for rides, and a fairground raffle round out the program.
An event rooted in the hearts of the Ardennais
The Fêtes de Sainte-Anne is more than just a funfair: it embodies the identity and conviviality of the Rethel region. The solemn mass celebrated at the Saint-Nicolas church recalls the festival's religious origins, while the aperitif hosted by the Municipality in the town hall gardens and the evening dances create a warm, family-friendly atmosphere. Every day, from early afternoon until the middle of the night, the Promenade des Isles vibrates with the energy of the attractions and festivities, making the Fêtes de Sainte-Anne a major date on the Ardennes calendar.
Where does it take place — Sainte-Anne Rethel
Sainte-Anne Rethel in brief
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