From June 14 to 16, the Bekaa Valley will buzz with a vibrant artistic festival. Organized by the Institut français du Liban in the Bekaa, the happening will offer free performances spanning theater, music, dance, and storytelling to a broad audience.

The “Encounter in the Bekaa” festival will take place in Zahlé, Baalbeck, and Hermel. Featuring a rich array of programming from theater to music, and dance to puppetry, this event is set to enhance the local cultural landscape.

Friday, June 14, in Zahlé: The festivities will kick off at 5:15 p.m. with children’s performances at the College of the Antonine Sisters. This will be followed by Donna Khalife’s performance at 6:30 p.m. At 7:00 p.m., the French Institute of Zahlé will host Songe d’une forêt oubliée (Dream of a Forgotten Forest), a show that requires reservations due to limited seating. Activities will continue at 7:20 p.m. with silk dancing and Hakaweti tales on the Promenade, culminating with Les Veilleurs (The Watchers) at 8:10 p.m. in the College Oriental parking lot, and a blend of dance and music from the Oud Sans Frontières (Oud Without Borders) concert at 9:00 p.m. in the Swan Dance Garden.

Saturday, June 15, in Baalbeck: Activities resume at 4:30 p.m. with children’s performances at Al Mustafa Mosque. Donna Khalife will return to the stage at 6:00 p.m., followed by performances of Songe d’une forêt oubliée and Me, Myself and us, starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Palmyra Hotel. The evening will conclude with Les Veilleurs at 8:00 p.m. at the French Institute Baalbeck Archdiocesan Square, followed by a concert of Oud Sans Frontières at 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 16, in Hermel: The festival’s final day will commence at 5:00 p.m. with children’s performances at Imam Baker High School. The evening will feature a sequence of dance and storytelling performances starting at 7:00 p.m., with a concert by Firas Andari and his Friends at 9:00 p.m. at the Free Spirits School.

Key performances highlights:

  • Songe d’une forêt oubliée, crafted by Tamara Badreddine and Eric Deniaud, is a silent work where objects and puppets combine to tell a poetic story. 
  • Me, Myself and us, choreographed by Chantal Rabay, captures the nuances of friendship through evolving dance sequences.
  • Les Veilleurs, a collaboration between the Kahraba Collective and the French company La Salamandre, is a poetic nocturnal journey blending theater, fire, and music.

Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Embassy in Lebanon, this festival makes culture accessible and enriches the artistic heritage of the region.

For more information and to make reservations, please visit www.if-liban.com.