It’s almost paradoxical: one of the city’s oldest and most traditional folk festivals is the one that is most resolutely turned toward the world.
Every other year, Nice briefly becomes the navel of the folkloristic world, and it’s not for tourists descending on it, but for a much-beloved festival that showcases the traditions and cultures of the world. From 12 to 16 August, Lou Cat – the Collectif des Arts Traditionnels – brings La Farandole back to Théâtre de la Verdure and the wider region, and with it a flamboyant programme of music, dance, costumes and traditions from different cultures. For the 66th edition of Nice’s International Folklore Festival, six ensembles from four continents are invited to present their folk arts and traditions:
Mexico: El Mariachi groups ‘Mi Nombre Es México’ and ‘Termal’.
Mariachi is one of Mexico’s best-known and finest cultural markers, listed as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It brings with it an infectious energy, inherited from the indigenous, Spanish and mestizo influences that shape the country’s identity. Two ensembles, Mi Nombre es Mexico and Termal, present the unmistakeable sounds of mariachi, regional folk dances and traditional costumes in vibrant colours, passed down from generation to generation.
Benin: Oshala
When Africa enters the stage, you know you can expect an authentic, festive and immersive show, symbolising a vibrant continent proud of its roots and committed to sharing. Oshala celebrates the cultural richness of Benin, inherited from Voodoo, animist, Christian and Sahelian influences. With its spectacular costumes, stilt-walkers, percussion and acrobatics, the troupe evokes the history, rituals, and ways of life that have shaped the country’s identity for centuries.
North Macedonia: Albanian National Ballet
This show is a coming-together of peoples, a true reflection of the cultural diversity of the Balkans. Through scenes inspired by the major stages of life and popular festivals, the National Ballet’s folk dance troupe recalls a living heritage carried by enchanting music, remarkable polyphonic singing and traditional costumes.
East Timor: ‘Timor Furak’ National Folk Ensemble
Colourful and deeply steeped in human stories, Timor Furak’s show features its homeland in all its richness, diversity, and vitality. Traditional dances, rhythmic music, and authentic costumes represent the major milestones of Timorese life – harvests, community festivals, tales of courage and ancestral customs. This is a tableau of the remarkable history of this young Southeast Asian country, with its rich and unique cultural heritage shaped by Austronesian traditions and Portuguese influences.
Cuba: Camagua Folk Troupe
The vibrant show blends dance, music and traditions drawing on Spanish, African and Caribbean influences. The island’s history, from its countryside to colonial salons, is traced through a series of colourful scenettes carried by the rhythms of the Caribbean and Afro-Cuban heritage. Camagua’s vibrant energy takes the audience on a journey to the heart of the Cuban soul, blending passion, cultural fusion and joie de vivre.
Further Afield
Over the course of the five-day festival, the companies will also circulate all over Nice and in the neighbouring towns of Levens, Belvédère, Saint-Jeannet, La Trinité, Saint-André-de-la-Roche, Châteauneuf-Villevieille and Drap, reaching out to anyone from kindergarten age to seniors with over 20 musical events and shows free of charge. Even the flat rate of €6 for the shows at the Théâtre de Verdure is designed to make La Farandole accessible for everyone, notably families.
What seems so effortless on stage, is not always the full picture. But longtime organizer Stan Palomba and his team do not shy away from putting in hard work and immense effort to make things happen. In the case of the Cuban troupe, for example, several months of preparation were required to get them to Nice. The island’s difficult logistic situation, with power cuts, transport problems and fuel shortages, complicated administrative procedures and travel arrangements for the group of 27. Obtaining visas and organising the journey to Havana proved another real challenge. But immense human, logistical and financial efforts finally made the troupe’s visit a reality.
Video via Collectif des Arts Traditionnels Lou Cat on YouTube
And this is the true spirit of the festival – overcoming difficulties to bring people together from all four corners of the world as a commitment to the preservation of cultural exchanges and promoting folklore heritage.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Nice Festival International de Folklore | From 12 through 16 August 2026
Details of shows and events in Nice
Details of shows and events in neighbouring towns
Online tickets: Centre du Patrimoine | Famille
Buy in person: Centre du Patrimoine – Le Sénat : 14 rue Jules Gilly, 06000 Nice (until 14 August, opening hours Monday 1 pm to 5 pm, and Tuesday through Friday 2 pm to 5 pm)
Onsite ticket office: Théatre de Verdure, open one hour before showtime
Jardin Albert, 1 Prom. des Anglais 1er, 06000 Nice | Phone: +33 (0)4 92 07 97 60
PHOTO CREDITS
- All photos and images courtesy Collectif des Arts Traditionnels Lou Cat / Ville de Nice
- Video as credited
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