Anglet: all generations marvel at the Happy Days festival

With 1,500 admissions as of Saturday, June 7, and favorable weather, the Angloy festival attracted a large audience, captivated by the diversity of the shows. Happy Days concludes this Monday, June 9, at Cavaliers Beach.

Naïs Pereira, administrative and financial manager of the Théâtre Quintaou, and Cedric Roux, manager and programmer of the Thursday concerts at the Écuries de Baroja, in charge of hosting artist residencies and, for the Les Jours heureux festival, of the logistics and hosting of companies, were all smiles this Sunday morning, June 8. Both are the "field players" of the Angloye Culture department, newly led by Aurélie Pothon, who is managing this 2025 vintage of Les Jours heureux.

"For this 14th edition, from the first day, Saturday, we recorded 1,500 entries, a figure higher than last year, between Quintaou and Baroja," comments Anaïs Pereira. "Thanks to the mild weather, overcast and not too hot, I think we'll well exceed that figure this Sunday," adds Cédric Roux. "This Sunday family format is suitable for couples with very young children. It's an intergenerational outing with grandparents. Some come to picnic on the estate's lawns."

It's an intergenerational outing with grandparents. Some come to picnic on the estate's lawns.

Coming from all over France, including Spain and Belgium, the companies selected this year for three days of shows performed either outdoors or under small marquees. Featuring theater, circus, dance, puppets, and even music and cinema, Les Jours heureux offers an eclectic program for the general public.

On the outdoor side, the two Belgian acrobats from the Okidok company, mocking their appearance and attire, were widely applauded. Apparently, "The Bear," a film concert by the Breton group Oco, for toddlers aged 3 and up, was the biggest success. This show evokes, through music, the extraordinary encounter between a little girl and a polar bear on the big screen.

What these 78 shows have in common is undoubtedly the evolution of techniques while maintaining the link between children and parents.

The prize for originality went to "Monsieur Moulin" from the Médiane company, with a fairground stand under a small marquee, just like in the old days.

Finally, between each show, strolling between the Baroja estate and the venues, the audience could meet two guides: the giant on stilts, "Kevin Dylan Velours", as town crier - from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Bougrelas company - and more romantic, the stroll of the great white deer "Awen", emerging from the Land of Breton Mists, to the notes of harp and nyckelharpa, from the Tan Elleil company. All of them made people happy once again on this Whitsun weekend.

The festival will conclude this Monday, June 9, on the green spaces of Cavaliers Beach, which will host four shows, starting at 11 a.m. Admission is free.

"Barto," from the Gilli Gilli Theater, is a colorful show that blends comedy, contortion, and juggling. The clown duo Diego and Joanes, for "Ça va l'faire," will offer a sort of Laurel and Hardy version 2.0. There will also be laughter from street artist Réverbère, and "Ça va foirer," a burlesque solo. Finally, the Serendipity company will present its brand new creation, "Anomie du cheval." Yann and Lolita practice a sometimes dangerous discipline: hand-to-hand combat. Arrel games will also be present throughout the day.

Schedules and additional information at https://lesjoursheureux.anglet.fr/le-programme-detaille/