Every year since 1973, in the second fortnight of August, around 300 amateur artists from all over the world are invited to Montoire to introduce dances, songs, traditional world music to a loyal audience. Ten or so groups from the five continents are invited each year. There are shows on every night under a canvas palace, as well as exhibitions, conferences, courses and discovery sessions, traditional meals with music, crafts, street activities, and radio programmes open to the public. This way, the festival creates contacts that lead to exchanges between the public and the dancers, and between these dancers from the various parts of the world, in spite of their different costumes, religions, riches and skin colours.