Annecy Associations Fair 2026: The Back-to-School Date

In Annecy, the new season fits into a single day. The associations and volunteering fair (Forum des associations) is where you sign up for the year — a sport, an instrument, a language, a cause — and where you meet people when you’ve just moved to town. Here’s what you need to make the most of it.

When, where, how much

• Date: Saturday 12 September 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Venue: the Forum de Bonlieu, 1 rue Jean Jaurès, in the centre of Annecy.
• Entry: free and open, no registration needed. Come whenever suits you during the day.
• Organiser: France Bénévolat Haute-Savoie, in partnership with the city.

What you’ll find

Over 100 associations run a stand, across every field: sport, culture, health, support, solidarity, environment. In one afternoon you cover what would take weeks to chase down one by one: the sailing or climbing club, the community music school, language classes, neighbourhood groups, volunteering.

How to make the most of it (not just collect flyers)

It’s a fair, not a brochure: the people at the stands do the activity, and they answer the questions that actually decide things.

• Come with a short list of two or three leads, rather than skimming everything.
• Ask the concrete questions: the real session times, the yearly fee, where training takes place, the age and level required. That’s what the leaflet never says.
• Many offer a trial session or an on-the-spot demonstration — take it.
• Bring what you need to enrol: some associations take sign-ups right at the stand.

Beyond sport: volunteering

“Volunteering” is in the name, and that’s no detail. The fair is also the simplest way in to give a little time — food runs, homework help, environment, events — and, incidentally, one of the best ways to build a network when you’re new to Annecy.

What we wouldn’t do

• Turn up at 5.45 p.m. The stands are packing up, and the volunteers have answered the same question a hundred times since morning.
• Leave with only the leaflet. Note down on the spot what it leaves out: times, fee, place.
• Assume you have to be sporty. Culture, languages, solidarity, environment: half the stands have nothing to do with sport.

The rest of the season’s calendar is on our what’s on page. And if you’re discovering the city, our trip planner sets you up with the essentials around the lake.