From 1923

Reine de Cornouaille 2014

The festival was founded in 1923 as a sort of beauty contest ; The idea was to choose the most beautiful girl in the region and crowned queen of the festival . hair To the so-called Festival des Reines continued to dress the Breton bards Taldir, Jaffrenou and Botrel were present, as were the folk dancers Plozévet. After the pageant, accompanied by piano and violin, was a dinner for 300 guests, and the festival ended with a grand ball, where the gavotte was mixed with the Charleston. The festival continued in this form until 1947.

From 1945

The festival was not held during the Second World War but was revived after 1945. In 1947 the "Queens Festival" was renamed Les grandes Fêtes de Cornouaille. The first Fêtes was a four-hour folk festival, focusing on the Breton tradition.

In 1948 a sixteen-year-old girl was elected festival queen, provoking criticism from the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, in 1949 the practice of electing a festival queen was abandoned, and the festival changed to emphasize local folklore. In the same year the festival was expanded from one day to one week. During the 1950s, the festival developed into one of the most prominent celebrations of Breton culture.

In 1992, the famous guitarist Dan Ar Braz, a native of Quimper, was asked to organize the festival's music. This resulted in the Héritage des Celtes project, which brought together seventy Celtic musicians. This collaboration resulted in a number of albums under the name "Heritage des Celtes".

Lineups

2014

Sinéad O'Connor in 2014

• Tuesday 22 : Susheela Raman, Annie Ebrel, Joa Trio Armel an Hejer, Roland Conq Quartet, Oktopus Kafe, Dastum evening
• Wednesday 23 : Olli and the Bollywood Orchestra, Merzhin, Brieg Guerveno, Maracu'Jah, Sharluber, Ludo Mesnil
• Thursday 24 : Denez Prigent, Clarisse Lavanant, Bagad Penhars/Kolektif Istanbul, David Krakauer, Pavan Takin, Roland Becker
• Friday 25 : Didier Squiban and The Brittany symphony orchestra, Gwennyn, Krismenn solo, H[E]J, Arneo
• Saturday 26 : Sinéad O'Connor, Vishtèn, Jamie Smith's Mabon, Blackwater, War'l leur Dance championship, national championship of Breton pipe bands (third category), Les Gabiers d’Artimon
• Sunday 27 : Red Cardell, Kemper en Fête, fest deiz/fest noz

2011

James Blunt in 2011

• Monday 18 : Ars’ys and Jef Le Penven
• Tuesday 19 : James Blunt, Erik Marchand Kreiz Breizh Akademi 3, Krissmenn, Gilles Le Bigot Group, Ar Vro Bagan "Divroa", Hiks
• Wednesday 20 : Gilles Servat, Avalon Celtic Dances, Brian Finnegan & Kan, Guidewires, Siam, Hamon Martin Quintet
• Thursday 21 : Celtas Cortos, Les Ramoneurs de menhirs, Cécile Corbel, Donal Lunny-Sylvain Barou-Padraig Rynne, « Heol, la Bretagne en héritage », Mandala, Kelien
• Friday 22 : Nolwenn Leroy, Bagad Penhars & Co., Dom Duff, Francis Jackson Project, Ampouailh,
• Saturday 23 : « N’Diale » with Foune Diarra Trio & Jacky Molard Acoustic Quartet, « Afro Breizh » of Dounia compagny, « Quimper en danses », Lleuwen, Pat O’May Group, Orion, Kement Tu championship, Bour-Bodros Quintet
• Sunday 24 : « Kemper en fête », Suzanne Vega