International folklore festival

The festival is first of all history... On the 15th of August, every year for about 15 years a great procession of flower decorated vehicles had taken place, livened up by local musical ensembles and youth groups. This event, organised by the City Events Commission, was extremely successful. The idea to organise a bigger event, one in which many volunteers in the Commission could take an interest in and which would meet their need to "do something", derived from this precession day.

Thus was born the first European Folklore Festival in 1973, taking place on a four-day period, from the 11th to the 15th of August. Four international groups participated to this edition: stilt walkers from Fossois (Belgium), the Rafael Aguillar Company (Spain), the Ploiesti Ensemble (Romania), and the University of Belgrade Ensemble (Yougoslavia). The City Events Commission was incited to carry on with the adventure by the wonderfully warm exchanges between the 45 dancers and musicians.