The streets of Rouen are preparing to welcome the second edition of the New Joan of Arc Festival, from May 18 to 20, 2023. This year again, more than 170 speakers and around sixty volunteers will come together to offer a program rich in events. Medieval markets, workshops, events, parades, shows, everything will be done to immerse visitors in the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. A big novelty of this edition is the honoring of Ukrainian women, godmothers of the event.
Joan of Arc is an emblematic figure of French history and feminism. The organizers decided to make this event a symbol of the fight for women's rights by highlighting Ukrainian women fighters and activists. A conference will be organized on Friday May 19, 2023 at the Historial Jeanne d'Arc, on the theme of “Women in arms in literature and the arts”. Participants will also be able to attend a screening of the film Butterfly Vision, by Ukrainian filmmaker Maksym Nakonechnyi, as well as conferences.
The accessibility of the event was also a priority for the organizers. Many shows and workshops are therefore accessible to people with disabilities. A play will be translated into sign language, while an archery workshop will be offered to the visually impaired. The Vitrines de Rouen association, organizer of the event, made sure that no one was left out.
Families and enthusiasts of the Middle Ages will also be delighted by the programming. Local artisans present during the first edition in 2022 will continue to showcase their know-how. Visitors will be able to discover leather working, coin minting, stained glass, felt and even glass blowing. A costume ball will be organized in the Museum of Fine Arts district on Thursday, May 18, where dancers will be able to learn traditional medieval dances. A camp of medieval knights will also be set up.
Visitors will also be able to attend two parades. The first, a parade of events, will take place on Friday May 19 from 14:15 p.m., rue Saint-Sever. The second, more important, will be held on Saturday May 20 at 20:45 p.m., at the intersection of Jeanne d'Arc and Jean-Lecanuet streets. More than twenty troops will parade in costume, on the theme of medieval fantasy. Visitors are invited to dress up and join them. All festivities are free. In the afternoons, rue Jeanne d'Arc will be pedestrianized, it is therefore advisable to park in relay car parks or at the Zénith de Rouen,
