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Fete du Costume

Festival celebrating ladies traditional dresses

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This celebration (on the first Sunday of July) started in 1903, inspired by the great Provençal specialist Frédéric Mistral, who created the "Festo Vierginenco", a celebration of the entrance into adulthood of young girls.

As a symbol of the change, they dressed with an elegant Arlésienne dress and ribbons. In 1903, 18 young women participated in the event, a year later they were already 350, and the celebration took place at the Théâtre Antique, where it still remains.

The theatre sees the presentation of the girls after a colourful parade, and the enthronement of the new Queen which only happens every 3 years (next time in 2017).

The spectacle in the Arena starts at 5.00pm

Venue

Théâtre Antique d'Arles and town centre.

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