Highlights of the Year

The cultural scene is always buzzing! All year long, festivals, major events and themed activities keep life interesting in Strasbourg and the Eurometropolis.

  • Events
  • Going out
  • Highlights
Fête nationale - feux d'artifices
JF BADIAS

November

  • St’art: France’s largest contemporary art event outside of Paris, attracting nearly 25,000 visitors every year.
  • Schilik On Carnet: Schiltigheim hosts this festival of illustration and children’s books. The programme includes meetings with illustrators and authors.
  • Augenblick Festival: the German film festival in Alsace.
  • Documentary Film Month: media libraries, cinemas and other venues focus on documentary films.
  • Debates at the Library: for 10 days, enjoy activities and special events at the media libraries, which open the debate on a societal issue.
  • Jazzdor festival: the best of international jazz creation comes to Strasbourg!
  • Exhibitronic Festival: a Strasbourg festival of the digital arts, highlighting several musical trends in the world of technological innovation.
  • Quinzaine des librairies indépendantes (Independent Bookstore Festival)

December

  • Paye ton Noël:a series of concerts, shows, workshops and short films organised by the Pelpass Association, at the Molodoï and on Place de Zürich
  • The "OFF" Christmas Market: daily shows on Place Grimmeissen
  • Makerland Festival: production workshops, fun games, 3D printing, arts and crafts and innovative projects to try with your family...key players in the “make it yourself” movement await you at informative workshops.

January

  • Les nuits de la lecture (Reading Nights): the network of media libraries celebrates all forms of reading!
  • New Year’s Concert: celebrate the New Year with the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra.
  • ALLEZ HOP! Cross-border Youth Theatre Festival: promotes the performing arts while exploring the culture of the neighbouring country, Germany, and the riches of its language.
  • The Année commence avec Elles Festival: for 3 weeks, Pôle Sud hands the stage over to about ten female choreographers from different origins, countries and generations, whose work bears witness to sensitive personal experiences and subjects.

February

  • Enfantines: shows and workshops for children and young people from 0 to 10 years of age, organised by the Media Library network.
  • Strasbourg mon Amour: the festival that will warm your heart, light up your life and get the sparks flying in the middle of winter!

March

  • No Limit Festival: a major festival dedicated to video game music and film soundtracks.
  • Ind’Hip Hop Festival by the Pelpass Association: a festival that highlights the French and international hip hop scenes.
  • International Women’s Day: special cultural events.
  • Strass'Iran Festival: a multidisciplinary festival that pays tribute to Iranian culture, held on a biennial basis for a two-week period.
  • Expressions d’Elles: this 100% female festival, organised by Hanatsu Miroir, gives the floor to artists, composers, project leaders and local associations for two days of concerts, conferences, experience sharing, and more.
  • La fête du court: a celebration of short films, with special screenings in cinemas, and much more!
  • Vrai de vrai Festival: shining a spotlight on documentary filmmaking in Strasbourg, this festival shows films in the presence of their director. The selection is from Les Étoiles de la Scam: 30 documentaries chosen from the year’s best.
  • Printemps du cinéma: 3 days of film screenings at reduced rates to celebrate spring!
  • Printemps des Poètes: highlighting poetry throughout France and in Strasbourg.

April

  • European Artistic Crafts Days: meet with arts and crafts professionals during open houses, special events, demonstrations of know-how, discovery workshops, conferences, tours, and more.
  • Audiobook Festival
  • Lolifest: an annual improvisational theatre festival organised by the Lolita Association. 3 days, 3 venues, new concepts and exceptional guests.

May

  • Les Ateliers ouverts (Open Studios): for 2 weekends, the artists of Strasbourg and the Eurometropolis open their doors to let the general public in!
  • Tous à l’Opéra (Opera Festival)
  • Europe Day: Europe will be celebrated in Strasbourg and throughout the Eurometropolis, in all its rich diversity, through a varied programme for all ages.
  • NL Contest: the international urban culture festival of Strasbourg, at the Rotonde skatepark.
  • La Nuit des Musées (Night of Museums): the museums of Strasbourg can be explored at night!
  • Pelpass festival: 4 days of festivities and musical discovery at the Jardin des Deux Rives!
  • Arsmondo Festival: every year, the Opéra National du Rhin organises this intercultural, multidisciplinary festival, organised as an integral part of Strasbourg’s cultural and artistic scene.
  • Rencontres des claviers Organ Festival: the Amis de l’Orgue Sainte-Aurélie Association organises a series of musical offerings featuring organs and early keyboard instruments.
  • Block Party: a dance battle, a DJ set and a graffiti jam on the square in front of the Malraux Media Library.
  • Démostratif: a festival of emerging performing arts
  • Elsass Rock and Jive: a festival for people who love the 1950s, burlesque shows, concerts and retro dances, at the Illiade.

June

  • Encounters in the Gardens: parks and gardens open up and come to life!
  • Wolfi Jazz Festival: the key event in French and international jazz in all its forms, at Fort Kléber in Wolfisheim.
  • Symphonie des Arts: at the Deux Rives Park, enjoy great music with the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra (OPS)!
  • Festival des Possibles: a festive, participatory event in Strasbourg, dedicated to the development of citizen participation and the showcasing of initiatives led by local residents
  • Music Festival
  • Entendez voir Festival: a book and film festival open to all
  • Contre-temps Festival: highlighting new trends in music and emerging creative artists, pioneers and legends, closing at the Maillon (Final Beat)
  • Les pelouses sonores: a musical weekend of free concerts at the Jardin des Deux Rives.
  • Kiosque en Musique (Music in the Park): Music at Contades Park every Sunday in June.
  • Place ô Rythmes Festival: a percussion festival organised by the St Thomas Music School, in which student and professional percussionists perform for 3 days of concerts.
  • Cinema Festival: 4 days of cinema at reduced rates!
  • Festival Couleurs Conte Festival: a storytelling bonanza.
  • Japan Addict: for the past 20 years, this convention has been welcoming fans of “geek culture” and Asian pop culture.
  • National Archaeology Days

Pause culture !

In Summer

July and August

  • Kiosque en Musique (Music in the Park): at Contades Park, shows for young audiences on Wednesdays and music concerts on Sundays.
  • Outdoor cinema in Strasbourg and in the towns of the Eurometropolis.
  • Friday Nights at Saint-Pierre le Jeune Church: the cultural association of St-Pierre le Jeune Church organises a multidisciplinary, mostly musical programme, showcasing local artists.
  • Summer season at the TAPS: shows designed especially for kids and families.
  • Saturdays in the Neustadt: the Musique et Orgues de Saint-Paul Association puts on a summer series of organ concerts every Saturday from July to mid-August.
  • The tour of shows in the districts of Strasbourg

July

  • Summer chamber music concerts: travel through time with chamber music.
  • Jazz à la Petite France: the jazz festival that highlights women and emerging musicians from all over Europe, on Place St Thomas.
  • Les Habité·e·s Festival: this small-scale mobile festival showcases contemporary, amplified and experimental music, through programming based on equality, giving a prominent place to emerging artists from the local community.

En août

  • Festival of Street Art (FARSe): summer magic happens at over 70 free street shows, open to all.
  • Stras’Orgues Festival: the only one of its kind in France, this festival shines a spotlight on Alsatian organ heritage.

New cultural season

September

  • Strasculture: the cultural event of the post-summer season! Discover the new season, find an artistic activity or just have a good time, thanks to rich and colourful programming!
  • Strasbourg European Fantasy Film Festival: fantasy films take over the city during this world-class festival.
  • Les Bibliothèques Idéales (The Perfect Library): it's the literary event of the season! Renowned authors will be present, for amazing, high-quality encounters.
  • Musica Festival: an event not to be missed, with a focus on contemporary and experimental music, featuring musicians and composers from the local, national and European scene, with a focus on young talents.
  • L’Ososphère: an itinerant biennial festival devoted to artistic creation in the digital sphere and its hybrid forms, in the Gare-Laiterie district and other parts of the city.
  • European Heritage Days: a weekend dedicated to heritage.
  • Quai des Arts: this event brings together artists and art lovers in an exceptional setting, to discover inspiring artworks and meet their creators.
  • Equinoxe Festival: a micro-theatre festival.
  • Start to Play: the annual event for video games and digital culture, at the Point d'Eau in Ostwald.
  • VERT le futur Festival: raising public awareness about environmental issues, in Kolbsheim and Strasbourg.

October

  • Théâtralis Festival: Théâtralis opens up the stage to amateur theatre troupes from the local area and all over France.
  • Science Festival: a meeting of minds between scientists and the general public.
  • Architecture Days: every year, this festival brings architecture in all its forms to the forefront for Alsatian, Swiss and German audiences.
  • Les Sacrées Journées de Strasbourg Festival: every year, this interfaith and intercultural festival, at the crossroads between Strasbourg as a European capital and Strasbourg as a capital of human rights, features multidisciplinary programming fostering encounters between cultures and spiritualities.
  • Voix et Route Romane Festival: through programming that combines live performances with architectural heritage, this itinerant festival of medieval music showcases prestigious architecture on the Romanesque Route of Alsace.
  • Hopl’Awards: an annual awards ceremony paying tribute to local cultural and artistic trends.
  • Festival du film de l'Est at the Star and Cosmos cinemas. An event dedicated to cinema in the Grand Est region, to stimulate and highlight emerging local filmmaking, encourage innovative art forms in the local area and connect local audiences to the audiovisual and cinematographic creation of their region.