Guitare en Scène
International guitar festival at the gates of Geneva
About Guitare en Scène
Guitare en Scène: the passion for the six-string at the gates of Geneva
It was in 2007 that a handful of friends, united by a common passion for the guitar, took on the crazy challenge of organizing a festival dedicated to this instrument in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, a small town in Haute-Savoie located a few kilometers from the Swiss border. The concept immediately appealed: offering high-level guitar concerts in an intimate format, where the audience can see the artists up close, without barriers or giant screens.
In less than twenty years, Guitare en Scène has become one of Europe's most prestigious guitar festivals. Its program, which embraces rock, blues, jazz, metal, soul, and funk, annually attracts legendary artists and guitar heroes from around the world.
A unique format: the intimacy of a big festival
The capacity deliberately limited to 5,000 seats per evening is one of Guitare en Scène's major assets. No giant screens as far as the eye can see, no impenetrable crowds: here, every spectator can see the musicians' fingers running over the strings. This exceptional proximity fosters moments of grace and spontaneous improvisations that the festival actively encourages.
Legends on stage
Over the editions, the Stade des Burgondes has hosted a parade of legends: Santana, ZZ Top, Slash, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Deep Purple, Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, Simple Minds, Dream Theater, Scorpions and many others. Each evening has its musical color, and the festival also programs young local bands as opening acts via its Tremplin GES, offering a valuable springboard for emerging talents from the region.
A cross-border anchorage
Located at the gates of Geneva, Guitare en Scène benefits from an exceptional cross-border population base. The festival attracts spectators from all over France, Switzerland, and more broadly from Europe, contributing to the cultural and tourist influence of the Genevois haut-savoyard. The event is supported by the Communauté de communes des Monts du Genevois, the Département de la Haute-Savoie, and the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
More than a festival, a celebration
Guitare en Scène is not limited to evening concerts alone. The festival also offers masterclasses, lutherie exhibitions, meetings with artists, and a lively festival village. The Guitar Night Project, a nocturnal jam-session gathering, extends the party long after the last encore and offers unforgettable improvisation moments between professional and amateur musicians.
Guitare en Scène — edition 2026
The 19th edition of Guitare en Scène will take place from July 14 to 18, 2026, at the Stade des Burgondes in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, for five evenings bringing together international headliners and young talents from the Tremplin. Kool & The Gang, Pixies, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Gregory Porter, Airbourne, Steel Panther, John Butler, and Robben Ford are among the announced artists.
19th Edition — Guitare en Scène 2026
The Guitare en Scène festival returns from July 14 to 18, 2026 for its 19th edition, with a program extended to five evenings at the Stade des Burgondes. The capacity remains voluntarily limited to 5,000 seats per evening to preserve the close stage-audience proximity that is the festival's signature.
2026 Headliners
Funk and disco legends Kool & The Gang, alternative rock pioneers Pixies, Californian bluesman Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, master of vocal jazz Gregory Porter, the electrifying Australians Airbourne, Australian virtuoso John Butler, the glam-metal of Steel Panther, and legendary guitarist Robben Ford lead the 2026 lineup.
A Strengthened Tremplin
As every year, the festival highlights young talents through its Tremplin GES: twelve selected bands compete in regional elimination evenings between January and March 2026 (Chamonix, Château-Rouge, Brin de Zinc, etc.), and three finalists open the festival evenings from July 15 to 18.
Tickets are available on the official festival website and from usual retailers (See Tickets, Fnac Spectacles, Ticketmaster).
Programme Guitare en Scène 2026
The 2026 Lineup — July 14 to 18
Tuesday, July 14
- Gregory Porter — global reference in contemporary vocal jazz, warm baritone voice and repertoire spanning jazz, soul, and gospel
- Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals — multi-Grammy Award-winning Californian bluesman, in historical formation with his Innocent Criminals
- Sarah Brown — American blues singer
- Taj Farrant — young Australian blues guitar prodigy
- Florian Desbaillet — French guitarist
Wednesday, July 15
- Pixies — essential figures of American alternative rock (Boston), pioneers of the « loud-quiet-loud » sound that influenced an entire generation
- Fantastic Negrito — multi-Grammy Award-winning Californian bluesman
- Manu Lanvin & The Devil Blues — French bluesman with a raspy voice, accompanied by his trio
- Pacôme Rotondo — young French guitarist
Thursday, July 16
- Airbourne — Australian hard rock in the vein of AC/DC, raw stage energy
- Steel Panther — American glam-metal band, hilarious and virtuosic parody of 80's hair-metal excesses
- The Inspector Cluzo — Gascon rock-farmer duo, on the Village Stage
Friday, July 17
- Kool & The Gang — American funk and disco legends, global classics (« Celebration », « Get Down on It », « Ladies' Night »)
- John Butler — Australian acoustic guitar virtuoso, blending folk, blues, and roots
- Robben Ford — elite American blues-jazz guitarist, former sideman for Miles Davis and Joni Mitchell
- Jango Janice — French band
Saturday, July 18
- This Is Michael & Jennifer Batten — tribute to Michael Jackson performed by Lenny Jay, accompanied by Jennifer Batten, historic guitarist for the King of Pop (9:30 PM, Chapiteau Stage)
- Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad — French rock quintet with a flamboyant visual show, between prog-rock and glam
Tremplin GES 2026 — Selected Candidates
Twelve bands competing in the elimination evenings, with the three finalists opening the festival evenings:
- Alenko
- ARH
- Les Hommes Crabes
- The Carpets
- In Fallow
- Quintana Dead Blues Experience
Program subject to change — full lineup and detailed schedule on guitare-en-scene.com/programmations.
Highlights Guitare en Scène 2026
Key Points for 2026
- July 14 to 18, 2026 at Stade des Burgondes — five evenings (one-day extended edition)
- Kool & The Gang, Pixies, Ben Harper, Gregory Porter, Airbourne, Steel Panther, John Butler, Robben Ford as headliners
- 5,000 seats per evening, exceptional stage-audience proximity
- Saturday 18: tribute to Michael Jackson with Jennifer Batten, historic guitarist for the King of Pop
- 19th edition of the festival, Tremplin GES as opening acts from July 15 to 18
Prices Guitare en Scène 2026
Practical information — Guitare en Scène
Practical Information
Location
Stade des Burgondes
Avenue Napoléon III
74160 Saint-Julien-en-Genevois
Access
By car: Saint-Julien-en-Genevois is located 10 km from Geneva, accessible via the A40 motorway (Saint-Julien exit) or from Annecy via the RD 1201 (35 km).
By public transport: From Geneva, cross-border bus (line F, stop Saint-Julien centre). Saint-Julien-en-Genevois SNCF train station (TER from Annecy and Bellegarde).
Prices
Prices vary depending on the evenings and the artists programmed. Expect between 40 and 80 EUR per evening. Multi-evening passes are offered at advantageous rates.
Ticketing
Online booking at guitare-en-scene.com and on usual ticketing networks (Ticketmaster, Fnac Spectacles).
Contact
Association Guitare en Scène
Official website: guitare-en-scene.com
Email: [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Guitare en Scène
Stade des Burgondes
Avenue Napoléon III, 74160 Saint-Julien-en-Genevois