Karnasouk

Karnasouk: SOUKMACHINES' Grand Electronic Carnival

Karnasouk is one of the most spectacular creations of SOUKMACHINES, a Parisian collective specializing in "crazy events in atypical locations" since 2005. True to this philosophy of the excessive and unexpected, Karnasouk takes over the industrial areas along the Seine River—mainly Les Ardoines in Vitry-sur-Seine and the surroundings of Le Kilowatt—to set up a temporary carnival village that defies categorization.

20 Hours of Non-Stop Carnival Festivities

Karnasouk is unlike any other festival: it's primarily about its duration—twenty hours of continuous celebration, from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon—and a density of experiences that make each edition a unique event. The site is dotted with large tents with surreal decor, inflatable structures with dreamlike shapes reminiscent of the site's industrial history, immersive bubbles, wooded areas for rest, collective hot baths, light sculptures, cosmic capsules, and monumental video mapping. Together, they form a constantly evolving carnival territory throughout the hours.

A Hybrid and Adventurous Musical Program

Karnasouk's music is as eclectic as its aesthetic: unclassifiable and adventurous. Sets follow one another on several stages, with a preference for hybrid sounds, electrified world music, global groove, and Afro-Latin rhythms. Iconic groups like Jungle by Night (Dutch brass funk) and Haïdouti Orkestar (electrified Balkan brass) have featured in previous editions, demonstrating SOUKMACHINES' taste for sounds that make you dance all night without ever being confined to a single genre.

Performances, Shamanic Dances, and Body Art

Beyond music, Karnasouk is a playground for the arts of the body and movement. Performers inhabit the space at all hours, offering captivating dances, acrobatics, live visual creations, and interactions with festival-goers. Unusual body activities (collective massages, body painting, dawn yoga) complete the offerings of this total carnival that engages all the senses. The atmosphere transforms throughout the night, shifting from the festive euphoria of the early hours to the melancholic and poetic tranquility of dawn.

The SOUKMACHINES Spirit: The Art of Creating the Unexpected

In its twenty years of existence, SOUKMACHINES has forged a unique reputation in the Parisian creative event scene. From the Bouffes Mondaines festival to Karnasouk and other improbable creations, the collective has developed a unique expertise in transforming industrial or natural spaces into areas of total celebration. Karnasouk is the most accomplished form of this philosophy: an event that creates a temporary community, brings thousands of people together in a shared space, and produces indelible memories.