Dancing with Diggers 10 and 11 May

Go along to the Plages du Prado North at 3pm or 9:30pm on Friday or Saturday to see Traction, a ballet with people and JCBs. It's a production by British performance company Motionhouse, it's part of the Folle Histoire des Arts de la rue, a series of street performances taking place all over the area and it's free. What more could you ask.

Street art and music at the Friche 25 April to 9 June

Don't be fooled by the title "This is [not] music", there is in fact music involved in this 47 day extravaganza of art, urban sports (including extreme sport demonstrations), concerts and films focusing on street culture. You can catch up with the Undertones (27 April) or Pete Docherty (3 May) at the Cabaret Aléatoire, watch skateboarding exhibitions and competitions, films and live performances, all at the Friche de la Belle de Mai.

The Undertones 27 April Cabaret Aléatoire

You'll find details of the programme and ticket prices (in French) on the This is [not] music website.

World Water Forum Part 2 - Carnival 17 March

This year Marseille's traditional carnival will be all about water to mark the end of the World Water Forum.

The main event will be a procession from the Rond Pont du Prado to the Parc Borély on 17 March from 2:30 to 3:45, with a finale in the Park from 4pm. All the big names will be there including Posiedon, Venus, Noah, Archimedes and Ulysses. Not to be missed.

image from carnaval2012.info

There are also processions all over the city on different dates, for details (in French) see the City's website.

World Water Forum, Pictures in Water 13 and 14 March

The 6th World Water Forum is taking place in Marseille this week. To mark the event you can go along to Cours Estienne d'Orves (behind the Vieux Port) and see the work of German photographer, traveller and ecologist Hans Silvester projected onto a wall of water. There's a performance at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm 10pm and 11pm and they last about 20 minutes.

The People of the Omo Valley Hans Silvester/Rapho/Eyedea

Setting the Panier alight - December 16

On Friday 16 December, there's a festival of light, starting at 5:30 at the Accoules Bell tower (behind the Hôtel de Ville), with a torchlight procession, lighting up the bell towers, fire-eaters, jugglers, fireworks and a concert in the Eglise Saint Laurent with the Angelos Chroale. What more could you wish for on a dark winters eve?

Esplanade Saint Charles 11,12,13 October

As part of Small is Beautiful, a series of events will take place on the esplanade and steps of Saint Charles station, including an installation based on skateboarding (8pm, 9pm and 10:30pm) and a visual and sound performance using marionnettes (continuous from 6:30pm).