#hello_monaco weekend: what to do on May 20th and May 21st

This weekend on Côte d’Azur is packed with large scale events. And we made a list of them so that you don’t miss anything interesting.

The  spotlight event is without a doubt the 76th Cannes Film Festival which takes place from May 16 to 27 2023. Spring on the Côte d’Azur is the time when the French Riviera begins to wake up after the winter season. In May, the rich and famous flood Monaco and the Côte d’Azur for two reasons: the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix. Ruben Östlund, Swedish director, a two-time winner of the Palme d’Or, will be President of the jury of this edition. The Cannes Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around the world. Founded in 1946, the invitation-only festival is held annually (usually in May) at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.

For a long weekend, fathers and sons who appreciate the finer things in life get together to appreciate the chance that life offers us. The next edition of the Padre-Figlio™ will be organised from Monte-Carlo from 19 to 21 May 2023. The Rallye Père-Fils™ (Father-Son Rally), that had been going on for 9 years under the sign of Happy Few Racing™, is a family-based race for private cars, of any age and type. The challenge usually involves skilled drivers and amateurs coming from a large part of the world. The Monaco’s edition Rallye Père-fils™ hit the spot leaving with all participants a durable mark of glamour and natural beauty.

The 11th Monte-Carlo Fashion Week (on May 17-21, 2023) is one of the most glamorous spring events of the Principality. One of the main goals of the MCFW is to focus on sustainable and ethical fashion and help to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our planet and the life in it, following the guidelines of H.S.H. the Prince Albert II of Monaco.

The Monaco Swimming Federation is also a founding member of the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour and welcomes swimmers and fans alike on 20–21 May, for the final leg of the 2023 edition! This circuit is unique in the world of swimming, as confirmed today by the presence of a galaxy of international-level swimmers, and is an outstanding technical opportunity for coaches, with three very high-level meetings held over eight days. All the countries of the world come to take part in the Mare Nostrum swimming event.

If you love music then attend the Cinée-concert of the Monte-Carlo Philiharmonic Orchestra “2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick (1968)” with Pieter-Jelle de Boer (director), Vox Clamantis (choir), Jaan-Eik Tulve (choirmaster), held on Sunday 21 May 2023, at 6 pm, in the Grimaldi Forum Monaco. The concert is organized in collaboration with Warner Bros. Classics, the Southbank Centre London, and the British Film Institute.

And you can top it all with numerous interesting exhibitions that are currently open in Monaco. For instance, the Oceanographic Museum’s Polar Mission exhibition is currently open and taking visitors on an epic journey from the North pole to the South pole. The exhibition kicked off on 4 June and covers five exciting themes spread over two levels. From wildlife, to explorers, to artifacts, to immersive technology, the exhibition is chance to feel like you’re voyaging to the world’s chilliest landscapes at opposite ends of the globe.

The Polar Mission Exhibition at the Oceanographic Museum will be on display for the next two years. Entrance to the exhibition is included in a regular ticket to the Oceanographic Museum (€18.00 for adults and €18.00 for children aged 4-17 years). The Museum is open every day from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

In accordance with the wishes of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, the exhibition in tribute to André Laban is in place from Saturday 1 April to Wednesday 31 May 2023 in Galerie des Pêcheurs. The pioneer of the Cousteau team and inventor of underwater painting is internationally renowned.

Nouveau Musée National de Monaco invites you to see its new exhibition “George Condo – Humanoids” open from Friday 31 March to Sunday 1 October 2023, in Nouveau Musée National de Monaco – Villa Paloma.

For George Condo, “the Humanoid is not a science fiction monster, but a depiction that uses traditional methods to bring a person’s inner emotions to the surface”. Over the course of eight sections, the exhibition traces the continuity of a profuse body of work that ranges from “space beings” to Who’s Who, from Guido Reni to Bugs Bunny. Featuring specially produced paintings, the exhibition offers a glimpse of the artist’s process of invention – as crazy as it is erudite – of humanoids.

Of course there are other interesting events taking place in Monaco. If you want to learn more about them visit our Calendar.

So have fun and enjoy your weekend!