Nîmes is one of the most charming cities in the world. Nîmes is known for its famous historical sites, including the Maison Carrée, an ancient Roman temple remaining from the 1st century BCE, Jardins de la Fontaine, a beautiful multilevel garden that seems like a place straight out of a dream, the Pont du Gard, is the tallest aqueduct and the best-preserved bridge remaining from the Roman empire, several charming museums that are amongst the most charming ones in the world, and of course, Arènes de Nîmes, the ancient amphitheater remaining from the Roman empire, which is where some of the most interesting festivals and cultural events of Nîmes are held.
Nîmes attracts tourists from all over the world all year round, and part of the reason is definitely the cultural events and festivals. There are a lot of events being held at Nîmes throughout the year, and they all represent and celebrate the rich culture and history of Nîmes in some way.
Top 5 festivals and events in Nîmes
In this article, we try to introduce some of the most famous yearly events of Nîmes. If you are looking for even more reasons to fall in love with this gorgeous city and its culture, keep reading.
- Festival La Nuit des Jardins – The Garden Nights Festival
- Festival Flamenco de Nîmes – Flamenco Festival
- Festival de Nîmes – Nîmes Festival
- Feria de Pentecôte
- Les Grands Jeux Romains – The Roman Games
Festival La Nuit des Jardins – The Garden Nights Festival
Festival La Nuit des Jardins is a yearly festival held in the city of Nîmes in the month of June. The festival is dedicated to celebrating the regional culture and history of Nîmes. Festival La Nuit des Jardins is an open-air event usually held in the main city garden. Music is an important part of the celebration. During the festival, performances are held by local folk groups as well as modern musicians and artists; performances and various forms of activity are available for children, as well as carousels, rides, circuses and performances all around the city.
Festival Flamenco de Nîmes – Flamenco Festival
Flamenco dance is considered an important part of the history and culture of Nîmes city and is performed at almost all celebrations and events happening in the city of Nîmes, but that’s not enough. Every year, in the month of May, the historical Flamenco Festival is held in the city, attracting artists and tourists from all around the world.
The Flamenco festival is organized by the theater of Nîmes and welcomes some of the most talented Spanish musicians, performers, and dancers every year. The festival has been expanding and includes more artists and performances every year and keeps on evolving. The Flamenco festival includes Theater performances, gladiator fights, music performances, and of course, most important of all, dance performances.
Festival de Nîmes – Nîmes Festival
This big festival has been held at the Roman Arena of Nîmes every year since 1997 and is one of the biggest music events in the world. The Nîmes festival goes on for about one month and is dedicated to rock and contemporary music. During this time, every night a live concert is held by some of the most famous artists from all around the world at the Arènes de Nîmes.
The event is a collaboration between FM productions and the city of Nîmes. Each year the event features about twenty of the world’s best musicians and attracts thousands of passionate fans from around the globe. Some of the most famous artists in music history have performed at the Nîmes Festival, including David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, Muse, Ben Harper, and David Gilmour.
Feria de Pentecôte
Feria de Pentecôte is a week-long feria held on the Pentecost weekend. Pentecost comes from a Greek word meaning “the fiftieth day” and is a celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. The Pentecost Feria has been held in the city of Nîmes since 1952 every year and is one of the biggest cultural events happening in France, including the city of Nîmes.
Apart from the religious events and performances happening in the churches and main locations of the city during the Pentecost festival, you can spot different forms of entertainment on every corner of Nîmes, you can see live music, dance and art performances, parades, local traditions, bullfights, shows dedicated to horses and animals, and try tasty holiday treats. During the week, folk groups and brass bands wander the streets and try to entertain the crowd, and several exhibitions are held in museums around the city.
Les Grands Jeux Romains – The Roman Games
Every year, during a weekend in April, the city of Nîmes is filled with actors and tourists from all around the world who are visiting the city because of the Les Grands Jeux Romains or the Toman Games festival. The Les Grands Jeux Romains is a sports event inspired by Roman culture and history. During the weekend Roman games such as chariot racing and gladiatorial combats are played by hundreds of actors and fans who come to the city from all around Europe dressed in Roman costumes and outfits in the Ancient Roman Arena.
Each year the Les Grands Jeux Romains depicts a different theme and focuses on a certain era or point in history. During the weekend, you can also see a lot of different types of entertainment around the city, such as fancy dress parades, Roman weapon-handling workshops for children, tours of the museums and ancient Roman historical sites in Nîmes, and several performances by passionate artists and fans all over the city.
