Musik Fabrik - Xerpils Festival

Musik Fabrik: Xertigny's Brewing Heritage Enhanced by Music

In the mid-19th century, Victor Champion, a young brewer trained at the Weihenstephan school in Bavaria, founded the Brasserie de la Cense in Xertigny in 1864. In just twenty years, production increased from 4,000 to 110,000 hectoliters, making this Vosges village a true beer capital. Among the brewery's flagship products was the famous Xer-Pils, whose name still resonates today in local identity. When the brewery closed its doors in 1966, a century of brewing history ended, but the memory endures in the collective consciousness.

The Festive Renaissance of a Brewing City

It was in 2016 that the Musik Fabrik - Xerpils Festival was born, driven by the municipality of Xertigny and a team of passionate volunteers. The idea came to the mayor, quickly supported by Stéphanie Rauscent from Pays d'Épinal and Jean-Michel Flagothier, artistic director of the Théâtre du Peuple. The enthusiasm was immediate: committees were formed, volunteers flocked, and the project came to life on the Place de la Brasserie, a highly symbolic location. The festival chose the name "Xerpils" in direct homage to the historic Xer-Pils, thus placing the event in continuity with the local brewing heritage. In the same year, the cooperative microbrewery La Golaye created "La Xertinoise," a beer specially brewed for the event.

Three Days of Celebration Between Music and Local Produce

Every October, Musik Fabrik takes over two emblematic venues in Xertigny. On Friday evening, the Salle Polyvalente hosts a concert evening with established artists in an intimate atmosphere. On Saturday, the celebration moves under a large marquee set up on the Place de la Brasserie, where free concerts, a local produce market, and beer tastings take place from 2 PM to 2 AM. Sunday extends the conviviality with various activities: record fair, vinyl DJ sets, batucada demonstrations, and discovery of regional products. The resolutely eclectic musical programming embraces French chanson, Celtic folk, rock, jazz, and contemporary music.

A Brewers' Market at the Heart of the Festival

Musik Fabrik would not be complete without its thirty craft brewers and local producers from the Grand Est region. Festival-goers can discover and taste beers from the Vosges, Lorraine specialties, and local products in a warm atmosphere. Guided tours of the Château des Brasseurs are also offered, allowing visitors to delve into the fascinating history of Xertigny, its monumental cellars, and its industrial past. The festival attracts a family and curious audience each year, seduced by this unique alliance of heritage, gastronomy, and live music in the heart of the Vosges.