Les Nuits Celtiques de Nesle

Fifteen years of Celtic music in Picardy

Created in 2012 by the association chaired by Pascal Mistral, Les Nuits Celtiques de Nesle was born from the passion of a group of Celtic music lovers eager to bring the sounds of Ireland, Brittany, and Scotland to life in the heart of Haute Somme. In about fifteen editions, the festival has built a loyal following and established itself as a must-attend event on the Celtic scene in the Hauts-de-France region.

La Nouvelle Scène: a modern setting for Celtic music

The festival takes place at La Nouvelle Scène, Nesle's performance hall with a capacity of 500 seats, located on Boulevard de l'Avenir. This modern venue offers quality acoustics and a pleasant proximity between artists and the audience, ideal for Celtic music which draws its strength from the exchange and complicity between stage and hall.

Two evenings of tradition and modernity

Each edition features four concerts spread over two evenings. The programming skillfully alternates between traditional music for purists — Irish flutes, uilleann pipes, fiddles, bodhráns — and Celtic folk-rock for a wider audience. Irish dancing and tap dancing are an integral part of the show, adding a striking visual and rhythmic dimension to the concerts.

Saturday evening often concludes with a fest-noz, a Breton dance, where the public is invited to dance to the sound of bombards, binious, and guitars, in an atmosphere of collective and generous celebration.

A Celtic village at the heart of the festival

From the afternoon onwards, a Celtic village is set up around La Nouvelle Scène, with exhibitors, artisans of Celtic inspiration (jewelry, leather, textiles, musical instruments), outdoor musical entertainment, and on-site catering. This village creates a festive atmosphere from the moment the doors open and allows the public to extend the experience well beyond the concerts.

Key artists from the Celtic scene

Over the years, Les Nuits Celtiques has hosted renowned artists from the French and international Celtic scene. The 2025 edition notably featured Barzaz, an emblematic Breton music group reformed for the occasion, Grand Large (flutes, violins, guitars, and bagpipes in a pop-rock version), the Erwan Menguy Quartet (Breton flute and strings), and the Julien Loko Irish Band (traditional Irish music). Free introductions to Irish music with Irish Mor and Manaor completed the program.