Circus Days and Nights Festival 2026 – Aix-en-Provence | Contemporary Circus Festival

From 19 at 00:00 to 27 september 2026 at 19:30

Festival Days [and Nights] of Circus(es) 2026 – The major contemporary circus event in Aix-en-Provence

From September 19 to 27, 2026, the International Center for Movement Arts (CIAM) opens its big tops for a new edition of the Days [and Nights] of Circus Festival. A true highlight of the cultural season in Provence, this festival celebrates all facets of contemporary circus through a program combining shows, cabarets, juggling, aerial performances, participatory workshops, and artistic encounters.

Under the theme of transmission, this 2026 edition explores the bonds that unite generations, families, and artists. The performances tell stories of legacies, memories, the roles we receive, and those we choose to create. For nine days, CIAM offers a moving and spectacular journey where poetry, physical feats, and emotions converge under the big tops and in the welcoming Magic Mirrors.

The festival welcomes several major contemporary circus companies. Compagnie Rasposo presents Hourvari, a grand poetic spectacle blending acrobatics, tightrope walking, puppetry, and young artists in a world inspired by Guignol and Pinocchio. Camille Judic unveils Peau d'âme (Skin of the Soul), an intimate aerial solo on straps, where the artist explores appearance, transmission, and self-construction. Compagnie Ea Eo offers Biographies, an original creation combining juggling and rap to evoke memory, parenthood, and life stories.

One of the festival's highlights is undoubtedly the CIAM Cabaret. Directed by Davis Bogino and Julie Yousef, this show brings together artists from diverse backgrounds for a unique, ephemeral creation, presented at each edition. For over two hours, circus disciplines unfold in a succession of acts that blend virtuosity, humor, poetry, and emotion. Families can also discover Le p'tit Cabaret, a shorter, more accessible version designed especially for children and those wanting their first experience of a circus cabaret.

Alongside the performances, Jours [et nuits] de cirque(s) invites the public to become an actor through numerous activities: workshops to discover the circus arts, introduction to the large flying trapeze for families, free open stages and Heritage in Motion events, offered as a prelude to the festival from September 19 to 22.

The performances take place primarily at the International Center for Movement Arts (CIAM), located at La Molière – 4181 route de Galice in Aix-en-Provence, in three complementary spaces: the Rasposo Big Top, the Main Big Top, and the Magic Mirrors. The festival also extends its reach to several partner municipalities: Jouques, La Roque-d'Anthéron, Venelles, and Vitrolles, demonstrating its commitment to promoting circus arts throughout the region.

Festival program

From September 19th to 22nd

Heritage in Motion: free activities and events (program to be announced later).

Thursday, September 24

7:00 PM: Hourvari – Compagnie Rasposo (Rasposo Big Top – 1 hour 20 minutes)
8:45 pm: CIAM Cabaret (Magic Mirrors – 2h30 – ages 8+)

Friday, September 25

7:15 pm: Hourvari – Compagnie Rasposo
9:00 PM: CIAM Cabaret

Saturday, September 26

2:30 pm: Skin of the Soul – Camille Judic (25 min)
4:30 pm: The Little Cabaret (1 hour)
6:00 p.m.: Biographies – Ea Eo Company (1 hour)
7:30 PM: Hourvari
9:30 pm: CIAM Cabaret

Sunday, September 27

2:30 PM: Skin of the Soul
4:30 PM: The Little Cabaret
6:00 PM: Biographies
7:30 pm: CIAM Cabaret (last performance)

The festival offers affordable pricing for everyone. Tickets start at €5 for Peau d'âme, €10 for children's shows and main productions, and go up to €32 for the CIAM Cabaret. A Cabaret & Apéro Duo package is also available for €95 for two people, including two seats, a sharing platter of appetizers, and two glasses of wine.

The Days [and Nights] of Circus Festival is organized by the International Center for Movement Arts (CIAM), a leading organization dedicated to the discovery, transmission, creation, and dissemination of circus arts. For several years, CIAM has been developing an ambitious artistic project in Aix-en-Provence, combining training, amateur practice, professional creation, and cultural outreach.

Between grand shows under the big top, contemporary creations, festive cabarets, participatory workshops, and family-friendly activities, the 2026 Circus Days and Nights promises nine days of emotion, encounters, and artistic feats in the heart of Provence. A must-see event for contemporary circus enthusiasts and those curious to discover the richness of the performing arts.

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Circus Days (and Nights) Festival