Dijon’s event calendar pivots between food, wine, and music, with a strong Burgundian identity running through all of them. The two marquee events (the International and Gastronomic Fair in autumn and the Christmas market in winter) bookend a summer season of free outdoor concerts, open-air cinema, and neighbourhood street festivals. Here is the full annual calendar with dates, venues, and what to expect. See the best time to visit Dijon guide to match events with the best weather windows.
Dijon Events and Festivals: Spring (March to May)
Dijon Baroque Opera Festival
A specialised music festival running over two weekends in March at the Auditorium de Dijon (Place Jean Bouhey). The programme focuses on 17th and 18th-century opera performed on period instruments. Tickets range from 15 to 45 euros. The 2025 edition featured Handel’s Rinaldo and Rameau’s Les Indes Galantes. The auditorium seats 1,600 and has good acoustics throughout. Book at opera-dijon.fr.
Les Printemps de Dijon (Spring Festival)
A multi-venue arts festival running April through early May across Dijon Metropole. Programming includes contemporary dance at Le Dancing (a converted warehouse on Avenue de Langres), theatre at Theatre Dijon Bourgogne, and street art installations at various outdoor locations. Most events are in French. Ticket prices range from free (street performances) to 25 euros (theatre). The full programme appears at destinationdijon.com by mid-March.
Dijon Events and Festivals: Summer (June to August)
Fete de la Musique (June 21)
France’s nationwide music day, celebrated in Dijon with free concerts across 15 to 20 stages throughout the city centre. Place de la Liberation hosts the main stage with a mix of jazz, rock, and electronic acts from 6:00 PM to midnight. Smaller venues include Place Emile Zola (world music) and Cour de Bar (jazz). All free. Bars stay open until 2:00 AM. The Divia tram runs extended hours until 1:30 AM on this night. Crowds are dense in the pedestrian centre; arrive early for a good spot at the main stage.
Estivade de Dijon (July to August)
Dijon’s summer festival programme runs the full eight weeks of July and August, with curated daily events: open-air cinema at Place de la Liberation (Tuesday and Thursday evenings, free, French films with some English-subtitled screenings), dance workshops at Jardin Darcy, and food-truck gatherings at Port du Canal on Friday evenings. The full schedule publishes at destinationdijon.com in late June. The open-air cinema is popular; bring a cushion or folding chair as the stone seating gets uncomfortable after 30 minutes.
VYV Festival (Late June)
A 2-day outdoor music festival held at the Parc de la Combe a la Serpent, 5km north of the centre. The 2025 edition drew 12,000 attendees per day with a lineup of French and international indie, electronic, and hip-hop acts. Single-day tickets cost 49 euros, weekend passes 85 euros. The festival offers a shuttle bus from Place Darcy (5 euros return). Camping is not available on-site; most attendees stay in city hotels or take the last shuttle at 1:30 AM. Book tickets at vyv-festival.com from April onward.
Dijon Events and Festivals: Autumn (September to November)
Foire Internationale et Gastronomique de Dijon (Late October to Early November)
The city’s flagship event, running 11 days from late October through early November at the Parc des Expositions et Congres (3 Boulevard de Champagne, reachable by tram T1 to the Auditorium stop). This is part trade fair, part food festival: 500 exhibitors across multiple halls covering Burgundy wine, regional cheese and charcuterie, kitchen equipment, and tourism stands. The gastronomic section is the main draw, with producers offering free tastings and selling directly. Entry costs 7 euros (free for under-12s). Open daily 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with late nights until 10:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. The 2025 fair runs October 31 through November 10. Allow 3 to 4 hours to cover the food halls properly. Parking is 5 euros at the Parc des Expositions lot.
Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction (Third Sunday of November)
While technically in Beaune (45km south), the Hospices de Beaune wine auction is the most important date on the Burgundy wine calendar and fills Dijon hotels for the entire weekend. The auction has run since 1859 and raises funds for the Hospices de Beaune hospital. The weekend includes street performances, wine tastings in Beaune’s cellars, and a half-marathon through the vineyards (the Course des Vins de Bourgogne). Dijon hotel rates during this weekend run 50 to 80% above normal November prices. Book accommodation 3 to 4 months ahead if you plan to attend. The TER train from Dijon to Beaune takes 20 minutes (8 euros one-way).
Dijon Events and Festivals: Winter (December to February)
Dijon Christmas Market (Late November to December 24)
Sixty wooden chalets fill Place de la Liberation from roughly November 25 through December 24, plus an additional 20 stalls on Rue de la Liberte. Vendors sell vin chaud (mulled wine, 3 to 4 euros), pain d’epices (Burgundy gingerbread), handmade crafts, and regional food products. A 30-metre Ferris wheel operates on Place de la Liberation (6 euros per ride). The market is open Sunday to Thursday 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. An ice-skating rink sets up at Place du Theatre (5 euros including skate rental). The market is busiest on Saturday evenings; Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons are quietest.
Check the things to do in Dijon guide for year-round attractions including museums and the Owl’s Trail.
