Les Z'Allumés du Rire

Les Z'Allumés du Rire: Gorron's Humor Festival

Born in 2025, Les Z'Allumés du Rire is a festival entirely dedicated to humor, one-man shows, and stand-up. Located at the Espace Culturel Colmont in Gorron, in the Mayenne bocage, this new cultural event was conceived to offer the public in northern Mayenne direct access to top-tier comedian shows, without having to travel to Laval or Rennes.

A Noteworthy First Edition

The first edition took place from April 24 to 27, 2025, and immediately made an impression. Sponsored by comedian Jason Chicandier, the festival offered four evenings of shows with a high-quality lineup: Chicandier and his show La 9ème vie du chat on Thursday, Laurie Peret in À bientôt quelque part on Friday, Elie Semoun and his famous Monstres on Saturday, and Daniel Rabier in Au-dessous de la ceinture on Sunday afternoon. The 900-seat venue of the Espace Colmont provided an ideal setting for these performances.

Free Street Performances

Beyond the indoor shows, the festival also took over the streets of Gorron with free entertainment on Saturday, April 26. The public enjoyed the presence of Amazing Georges, an interactive clown and magician, as well as a surprising itinerant one-man-band. These street performances, open to all, helped create a festive atmosphere in the town center and broaden the festival's audience beyond the indoor show attendees.

A Festival Driven by Gorron's Cultural Dynamism

The Espace Culturel Colmont, inaugurated in 2011, has become a true cultural hub for northern Mayenne. With its main hall of 924 m² capable of hosting up to 900 seated spectators and its retractable seating for 312, it offers professional technical facilities. Les Z'Allumés du Rire is part of the ongoing cultural season offered by the Communauté de communes du Bocage Mayennais, which programs about ten professional shows annually at the Espace Colmont. The festival thus benefits from a venue experienced in hosting live performances and an already loyal audience.

An Event Poised for Growth

Building on the success of its first edition, Les Z'Allumés du Rire intends to establish itself permanently in the Mayenne cultural landscape. The festival aims to offer a program each year that combines national headliners and emerging talents from the French comedy scene, while retaining its unique element of free street performances. The choice of April, at the beginning of spring, allows the festival to occupy a niche that is still relatively unexplored in the regional cultural calendar and to kick off the festival season in Mayenne on a cheerful note.