Woodrock Festival

A rock festival born from passion in a rural setting

The Woodrock Festival was born in 2011 in Urcel, a small village in the Aisne region located a few kilometers from Laon, driven by the association Les Rockiens des Bois and its president Philippe Richard. Stemming from the desire to bring culture and live music to rural areas, the festival was built with the spirit of a village festival, founded on three values: friendliness, simplicity, and humanity. From its very first edition, which brought together around 300 spectators, Woodrock has created an anticipated event for fans of rock and contemporary music in the Hauts-de-France region.

The Urcel school park, a green setting

The festival takes place in the green park of the Urcel school, at 14-16 rue de l'Église, a bucolic and intimate setting that reinforces the friendly character of the event. Outdoors, under the trees, the audience enjoys concerts in a relaxed atmosphere, far from large impersonal festivals. The site has free parking, a bar, and homemade food prepared by the association's volunteers.

An eclectic program sung in French

The hallmark of Woodrock is its program focused on artists singing in French, in a wide musical palette: French chanson, blues, rock, punk, ska, hip-hop, and indie. Each edition mixes regional bands and national artists, with the aim of discovering new talents while featuring recognized headliners. In 2024 (12th edition), the festival hosted Astonvilla, Dynamite Shakers, La Milca, Rue d'la Soif, Thursday Black Box, Ze Jambons, Matt Van T, and Motolo. The 2025 edition (13th) featured Johnny Montreuil, Shaggy Dogs, Pipi Tornado, Skamarades, Maggy Bolle, Monty Picon, Dolmen, and Nico M Sourire.

Two days of festival, very affordable prices

Long free, Woodrock introduced paid ticketing starting in 2024 to ensure the festival's sustainability, while maintaining very reasonable prices: 8 euros for a day in advance, 12 euros for two days in advance, 12 euros for a day on-site, and 15 euros for a two-day pass on-site. Admission remains free for minors. The festival spans two days, Friday and Saturday, with doors opening at 7 PM on Friday and 5 PM on Saturday.

Remarkable growth

Since its modest beginnings with 300 spectators, Woodrock Festival has seen steady growth to reach 2,500 spectators during the 2022 edition. The festival benefits from professional private security, first aid personnel, accessibility arrangements, as well as partnerships with the Aisne Youth Information Center (CIJ 02) and prevention structures. This rigorous organization, entirely driven by volunteers, allows Woodrock to remain true to its values while offering a safe and welcoming environment.