Festival La Citadelle en Bordées, Dunkerque

This free festival, held in Dunkirk, Northern France since 1991 and organised by “Les Amis de la Citadelle” regularly attracts audiences of over 10,000.  Some 20 French regional, national, but also Dutch, Belgian, English or Galois groups perform on 10 stages (including 5 platforms plus cafes, restaurants, clubs or sailors’ homes..), with maritime acts generally found at the Port Museum.

The Citadel is surrounded by basins and can only be accessed by bridges, so it is a kind of small “island” that has a soul and is still dedicated to the sea and to the economy of the port. This festival therefore resonates with sailors’ songs, but also includes folk, Celtic groups, blues and French chansons, sometimes offbeat and humorous.

Unfortunately there was talk for a while of cancelling the festival due to lack of funding, however the 32nd edition of Citadelle en Bordées eventually took place on June 28th 2024 and it is hoped that it will return again in 2025.