Garden Festival 2026 at Choisy Park: climbing, workshops, biodiversity and a bustling village fair

The Fête des Jardins returns to Paris on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 2026 with hundreds of free activities in the city’s green spaces. Gardeners, arborists, biodiversity specialists and municipal staff will share their trades and know‑how through demonstrations, games, tours and hands‑on workshops.

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The aim is also to help the public grasp the role of greenery in urban life. Trees, soils, pollinators, composting, urban agriculture, or greening of buildings are explored in practical terms, often through hands-on experiments. For kids, the event becomes a vast field of exploration, blending hands-on activities, species identification, and encounters with professionals.

Each arrondissement is developing its own program, but the 2026 edition centers around a major rallying point: the grand village of the Garden Festival is set up at the Parc de Choisy, with a host of City services gathered in one place.

Created in 1937, the Choisy Park preserves several traces of the modernist architecture of the era. Structured around two axes that meet at a central basin, it also boasts a richly varied tree line, including ginkgoes, beeches, sophoras, lindens, and American cypresses.

Parc de Choisy: the green lung of Paris's 13th arrondissement and its assets
Located in the bustling 13th arrondissement of Paris, Parc de Choisy, also known as Square de Choisy, offers residents and visitors a haven of peace and greenery in the heart of Chinatown. Opened in 1937 on the site of a former gasworks, this classically inspired garden extends over 4.3 hectares and is a central feature of the neighborhood's community and cultural life. A lively sports spot, discover its assets. [Read more]

The Garden Festival program at Choisy Park

Welcome, quiz and tours

• Information desk at the park entrance on Choisy Avenue

 Paris Nature Quiz

• Quiz wheel on green spaces and the environment
• Posters up for grabs
• Guided tours around the park’s history, its design and ecological management

Careers and training

• Overview of recruitment opportunities at the City of Paris
• Exploring careers as a gardener and an arborist-pruner
• Information on training at the École du Breuil

Botanical Garden, Soils and Plants

Overview of the four sites of the Paris Botanical Garden

• Discovery of his seed store

Nearby activities:

• Plants and pollen
• Beneficials and pests
• In vitro culture
• Soil tests you can do at home
• An overview of experiments on soils and plants

Greening and the Climate

• Games exploring the greening of the built environment

• Exploring urban farming

• Games that let you win plants

• Activities by the Paris Climate Agency

• Quiz on the green transition and climate-change adaptation

Around the trees

• Surveying Parisian tree species

• Observing wood discs, twigs, and leaves

• Raising awareness about pruning, tree care, and health monitoring

Paris Jardine

• Workshop on making wicker planters

• At 2:00 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

• Stand booking

• Up to 15 people per session

• A sensory workshop exploring plant materials and natural elements

Repotting and Gardening

• Repotting seedlings of aromatic herbs and flowers with the Horticultural Production Center

• Tips for caring for plantings

Center for Gardening and Composting

• Game “Gardening in Paris” on Saturdays

• Game "The Seasonal Vegetable Garden" on Sundays

• Discovering community gardens

• Introduction to the greening permit

• Tips on composting

Municipal Florists

• Workshop on vertical greening of structures

• Floral Art Demonstration

• Exploring the role of the municipal florist

Biodiversity

• Overview of Paris's Biodiversity Plan

• Nature quiz: wildlife and flora

• Discovering green and blue corridors

• Game “Guess Who?” featuring Parisian animals

• Coloring activities for children

• Botanical walk — reservation required

• The French Office for Biodiversity will be present on Saturdays only

Craft workshops

In collaboration with the city’s artisans:

• Building blue tit nest boxes

• Creation of custom aluminum keychains

• Option to add your initials in Braille

• An activity tailored for young audiences

Vehicles and Machinery

Demonstration of:

• tractor

• excavator

• lawn mower

• mulcher

• Opportunity to test-drive a remote-controlled electric lawn mower

Games and Safety

• Hopscotch around the regulations for parks and gardens

• The Goose Game “Stop Incivilities”

• Overview of careers in visitor services, surveillance, and the municipal police

Tree Climbing

Introduction to climbing for children

• Guided by professional arborists who climb trees

• On-site booking

• Tree climbing demonstrations

• Overview of the equipment used

• A look at how trees are managed and monitored

• Climbing requires a basic level of independence, good motor coordination, and the ability to follow safety instructions.

Exhibitions

• “Two Professions, Two Photographers”, along the Choisy Avenue

• Around gardeners and tree-care specialists

• Towards a Garden City, along Charles Moureu Street

A Lovely Garden Festival at Choisy Park!

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