What's On in Antibes in 2017

When the sun is shining and the celebrities start to arrive on the French Riviera you'll certainly know about it. Part of the beauty, and attraction, of Antibes is that it lies very close to several other resorts on the Cotes d'Azur and a sneak peak at the glitzy world of the Cannes Film Festival in May is certainly worth doing.

January

The PACA region (Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur) celebrates the Circus Arts in January and into the month of February. Hosted every two years the Biennale Internationale des Arts du Cirque brings around 300 artists to the region from across France and the world. Some 100,000 spectators are expected to enjoy this month-long festival. Visit their website to find out what shows are on near you.

February

As with most towns during February you will find that love is in the air in Antibes. Not only is it the perfect romantic destination with plenty of boutique hotels, charming B&B's and delightful restaurants to enjoy...but Antibes also host their very own Pain, Amour & Chocolat Festival. Yep, that's bread, love and chocolate! This event brings together the very best Italian, French and foreign producers of breads, pastries, chocolates and sweets. Yum yum...

March

March sees a more traditional side of the Cote d'Azur, with the re-enactment of the landing of the Emperor Napoleon after his exile in Elba. On March 1, 1815, Napoleon arrived with his army, and the scene is played out again each year on the beach in Vallauris Golfe-Juan.

April / May

The perfect event to kick off the summer season, the Antibes Art Fair is definitely a hot ticket. As France's largest antiques fair, held in Pre aux Pechers, the event takes place in an area covering 6,000 metres squared. Antiques collectors, sellers, buyers and enthusiasts come from all over Europe for this annual fair. Each year, in the spring, nearly 25,000 visitors, enthusiasts and collectors of antiques, antique jewellery, furniture, objects of art of the twentieth century and paintings by the great masters of Modern Art, will meet up here on the port of Antibes.

May

The next big event to hit Cote d'Azur is the Cannes Film Festival. Hosted annually in May, this event will be talked about in the press for weeks before, and the red carpet dresses discussed for many weeks after. But the main feature to this event are of course the films and how they are received and judged by the industry panel. The 2016 panel, under jury president George Millar, brought fame and glamour in the form of Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Paradis and Kirsten Dunst. But there will plenty of other famous faces to look out for during the month of May.

June

As a port town, Antibes is of course well known for yachting and sailing, and Les Voiles d'Antibes in June is their first yachting event of the year. The main competition is the Trophee Panerai but there are a range of events for all sorts of yachts - vintage yachts, classic yachts, metric classes, and the twelves. And of course what yachting event would be complete without numerous cocktail parties and the obligatory mingling!

July

The summer months in Antibes are all about the wonderful beach clubs, sunning yourself on the deck of a private yacht and of course, music! From jazz to dance music and hip hop to funk there is something to suit every taste. Amongst the music festivals is Jazz a Juan. Hosted annually this festival offers a rich programme of traditional and modern jazz with names likes Ray Charles, Jamie Cullum, Stevie Wonder and Carlos Santana taking to the stage.

Les Nuits du Sud in Vence has been running for some 15 years, and has now become a major event on the Riviera. World music takes centre stage, but there is more to the festival than that; talent contests, workshops and children's entertainment all form part of the programme, along with exhibitions and film screenings.

September / October

These months in the Antibes calendar are reserved for the celebrations and end of season closing parties that will be taking place in the beach clubs, bars, hotels and nightclubs of the town. From local residents to a-list celebrities the town will be enjoying the last of the warm summer evenings and getting ready to hibernate for the winter.

November

For those of you who don't hibernate over the winter period then you might want to think about flexing those well toned post-summer muscles in the fantastic Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes. One of the largest races in France, second only to the Paris marathon, this run takes you from the start line in Nice, along the beautiful coastal road, through Antibes and onto the finish line in Cannes. Attracting about 14,000 participants annually, you certainly won't find yourself alone during the quieter winter months.

For a full list of events in Antibes throughout 2017 then check out our Events Calendar.