{{Short description|Celtic arts festival in Brittany}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=November 2025}} {{Expand French|Festival interceltique de Lorient|date=April 2015|topic=}}}} __NOTOC__ {{infobox music festival | name = Festival Interceltique de Lorient | image = FIL2009-010 KevrennAlre.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = {{lang|br|Kevrenn Alre}}, a Breton musical group | location = [[Lorient]], [[France]] | years_active = 1970–present | dates = First week of August | genre = [[Celts|Celtic]] | website = {{Official URL}} }}
The '''{{lang|fr|Festival interceltique de Lorient}}''' (French), '''{{lang|br|Emvod Ar Gelted An Oriant}}''' (Breton) or '''Inter-Celtic Festival of Lorient''' in English, is an annual [[Celts (modern)|Celtic]] festival, located in the city of [[Lorient]], [[Brittany]], [[France]]. It was founded in 1971 by {{interlanguage link|Polig Monjarret|fr}}.
This annual festival takes place in the heart of the city every August and is dedicated to the cultural traditions of the [[Celtic nations]] ({{lang|fr|pays celtes}} in French), highlighting [[Celtic music]] and [[dance]] and also including other arts such as [[painting]], [[photography]], [[theatre]], [[sculpture]], traditional [[artisanry]] as well as [[sport]] and [[gastronomy]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Stephen |date=2025-07-10 |title=Festival Interceltique de Lorient readies for Year of the American Cousins |url=https://nation.cymru/culture/festival-interceltique-de-lorient-readies-for-year-of-the-american-cousins/ |access-date=2025-11-13 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Participants come from [[Brittany]], [[Ireland]], [[Wales]], [[Scotland]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Festival interceltique de Lorient 2025: the great parade of Celtic nations to be seen on France 3 |url=https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-see-in-paris/concerts-music-festival/articles/330812-festival-interceltique-lorient-grande-parade-nations-celtes-tv-broadcast-france-3 |access-date=2025-11-13 |website=www.sortiraparis.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Cornwall]], [[Cumbria]], the [[Isle of Man]], [[Cape Breton Island]], [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]], [[Asturias]], [[Acadia]], and the entire Celtic [[diaspora]].
==Programme of events== The main festival sites are located throughout the city, with more formal events taking place at the {{lang|fr|Palais des Congrès}}, {{lang|fr|Grand Théâtre}} or {{lang|fr|Église Saint Louis}}. The larger events take place at the {{lang|fr|Parc du Moustoir}} (the home of [[FC Lorient]] which can hold up to {{formatnum:10000}} spectators), the {{lang|fr|Port de Pêche}} or in grand marquees.
The festival begins with the {{lang|fr|[[Cotriade]]}} (fr) or {{lang|br|Kaoteriad}} (br), a traditional Breton seafood supper, which takes place in the {{lang|fr|Port de Pêche}} (fr) or {{lang|br|Porzh Pesketa}} (br) harbour district accompanied by sea shanties and traditional Breton marine music.
On Sunday morning the ''Grand Parade of Celtic Nations'' takes place with over {{formatnum:3500}} musicians, singers, pipebands and dancers from all over the Celtic world parading through the city streets in [[national costume]].
The finals of the ''National [[Bagad|Bagadoù]] Championship'' takes place at the {{lang|fr|Parc de Moustoir}} during the first weekend of the festival. In addition individual competitions take place for pipers.
[[File:Lorient Advert 1.png|thumb|224x224px|Celtic wrestling tournaments]] There are demonstrations and tournaments in celtic wrestling ([[Gouren]], [[Cornish wrestling]] and [[Scottish backhold]]) with representatives from the Celtic nations taking part.
[[Master class]]es take place each morning. Afternoon events include folk and traditional music concerts and dance displays. Evening events include orchestral concerts, rock concerts and {{lang|fr|nuits magiques}}, displays of pipe bands, dancers, choirs and fireworks.
Throughout the festival the {{lang|fr|Village Celtique}} (fr) or {{lang|br|Marc'had Etrekeltiek}} (br) is open in the centre of the city offering food, music and literature, clothing and crafts.
On the final Saturday of the festival folk and rock musicians perform at the fishing harbour for the {{lang|fr|Nuit de Port de Pêche}}.
There is also much activity on the festival fringe, with musicians giving free performances in many of the city’s bars and pubs every evening until late.
The festival also hosts Grande Parade des Nations Celtes, a parade that marches through the streets of the Lorient while the participants play instruments and wear their cultural attire.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Stephen |date=2024-11-30 |title=Festival Interceltique 2025 to focus on Celtic Diaspora |url=https://nation.cymru/culture/festival-interceltique-2025-to-focus-on-celtic-diaspora/ |access-date=2025-11-13 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Festival interceltique de Lorient 2025: the great parade of Celtic nations to be seen on France 3 |url=https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-see-in-paris/concerts-music-festival/articles/330812-festival-interceltique-lorient-grande-parade-nations-celtes-tv-broadcast-france-3 |access-date=2025-11-13 |website=www.sortiraparis.com |language=en}}</ref>
The festival organisers have more recently embarked on similar ventures such as the [[St Patrick's Day]] concert in [[Paris]], France, which attracts a crowd of {{formatnum:70000}} spectators and the Celtica concert in [[Nantes]], Brittany.
<gallery mode=packed heights="150px"> File:anoriant1.jpg|Lorient Interceltic Festival in Brittany File:anoriant2.jpg|Bagad of Lann-Bihoué at Lorient Interceltic Festival in Brittany File:FILGrandeParade2.jpg|Dances File:anoriant3.jpg|Lorient Interceltic Festival File:Bagad-lann-bihoue1.JPG|[[Alain Souchon]] and the [[Bagad|Lann-Bihoué's bagad]], in 2007 </gallery>
==See also== *[[List of Celtic festivals]] *[[Kernewek Lowender]] – the world's largest [[Cornwall|Cornish]] festival *[[History of Lorient]] *[[Gabriel Hotel]]
==External links== {{commons category|Festival Interceltique Lorient}} * {{official website|www.festival-interceltique.bzh/}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060209090116/http://nuitdelasaintpatrick.com/ St Patrick's Night in Paris] * [http://www.evene.fr/culture/agenda/celtica-4625.php/ Celtica at Nantes]
== References == {{Reflist}}{{Celts}}
[[Category:Breton festivals]] [[Category:Celtic music festivals]] [[Category:Inter-Celtic organisations]] [[Category:Lorient]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Brittany]] [[Category:Music festivals in France]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Morbihan]] [[Category:Piping events]] [[Category:Music festivals established in 1970]]