Harvest Festival of Provins - Event

Experience an interesting and enjoyable day for the whole family with this traditional festival, celebrating the end of the harvest as in the old days!

Organised by the association "La Commune Libre de la Ville Haute", this 51st edition proposes the theme "From the harvest to the plate"!

On the programme:
> Parade of floats decorated with wheat,
> Many volunteers and participants in traditional costume,
> Parade and exhibition of ancient tractors (with possibility of first time experience for children) and old cars,
> Traditional Threshing with workhorse, flourmill and bread cooking
> Educational farm,
> Numerous concerts of Celtic music, Band, french songs, barrel organ, jazz, etc.
> Ancient wooden games and children's activities, make-up, juggling, pony trekking,
> Discovery of craftsmen and regional products.

Complete programme and highlights in progress...

A little history...
In the summer, under the medieval city gates, the hooves of horses, often harnessed to carts loaded with bundles of wheat, could be heard. Their names were Bijou, Bayard...
The cart driver was cracking the air with his whip. These boots would be stored on the farm until threshing, which would take place in the winter.
The last cart crossed the village, decorated with the "Harvest Dog", a gutter decorated with wheat, oats and garden flowers, dahlias, gladioli. Then, this gutter presented to the farmers was fixed to the gate or nearby, in full view. It was a source of pride. The task was accomplished. The harvesters were happy.
A meal was shared at the masters' table: the main course was often a rooster from the farm, followed by a Brie cheese and a "boulie" pie.

The Harvest Festival of Provins is unique in France, because it's the only one which takes place in the streets of the town, rather than in its fields.

Complete programme and highlights in progress...