Each year, the whole world goes to Saint-Ghislain. Yes, the whole world! For more than 30 years, the town has been hosting the World Folklore Festival, an unmissable event recognised far beyond the Belgian borders.
 
At the end of May, Saint-Ghislain gets impatient. Which artists will come to perform? Which country can you discover?  Each year, the same questions come up. The World Folklore Festival has gradually become an unmissable event. It’s unmissable for the locals, who are proud of the event’s success and happy to be able to get to know other cultures. But it’s also unmissable for all fans of music, songs and traditional dances. Major artists and ensembles perform in Saint-Ghislain every year. In 2015, the festival welcomed the Beriozka Ballet of Moscow and its 65 artists. It was basically a first for a Belgian festival!

 
 
festival_mondial_de_folklore
festival_mondial_de_folklore
festival_mondial_de_folklore

Discovering world cultures

So for nine days, hundreds of artists perform in this big celebration of friendship. Dancing, singing and music bring people together and allow dialogue.  Behind these performances, the public discovers a country, a region, a tribe, traditions, customs and other ways of thinking. Each year dancers, singers and musicians from five continents share a spirit of friendliness and brotherhood with the public. The event always offers a sense of escapism and a good vibe. Fans of folk traditions or those simply looking for an original show can hardly resist the World Folklore Festival of Saint-Ghislain.

 
Sharing and brotherhood

These artists from Europe, Asia, Africa and America brighten things up with their talents, their movements, their smiles and their desire to share. Beyond the stage performances, crafts and culinary traditions are also often presented in the festival.
With the motto “the world is my tribe”, the festival has won over many followers. Each year dozens of families in the commune open up their homes to artists from across the world for one week or several. Encounters happen and friendships are born... This is the whole philosophy behind the festival.  There’s no need to know a foreign language, or to change your lifestyle to make new friendships - just open your heart and the magic will happen!