No one would even try to pretend that the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which hosts the Croisette every year, isn’t the city’s hottest ticket for all kinds of industries – from advertising, media and entertainment, as well as talent agencies, music and culture, to technology of all kinds.
But the opening day of the 2026 edition on Monday raised the temperature in more ways than one. Not only were excited fans sharing the news that they had seen stars like Alan Cumming on the Croisette shortly after Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services and 2026 Cannes Lions entertainment personality, and Hollywood powerhouse Jerry Bruckheimer took to the stage at the Lumière Theater in the Palais de Cannes for a well-attended keynote.
No, it was also actual heat in the middle of the heatwave currently hitting large parts of France. The temperature easily crossed the 30°C mark, reaching around 90°F. The result was that every indoor session I went to at Cannes Lions on Monday was filled with people expressing relief that they had found refuge — at least temporarily — in the palace’s air-conditioned event spaces. “I might stay here for a few more sessions,” one attendee joked after a midday discussion in a quiet room at the Palasi Hotel.
Meanwhile, people meeting outdoors can often be seen gathering around large fans that some businesses have placed outside their wings to cheer up passers-by — with many people sipping iced coffee or placing it on their foreheads to keep cool. Particularly popular products distributed by the various brands throughout the Croisette include sunscreen, as well as hand and electric fans.
UTA Beach, home to the talent and brand consulting powerhouse of its largest-ever presence at the Cannes Lions, has enticed people seeking cool off with this slogan above its entrance: “Come on in. It’s cool here.”
This was also the place where Paris Hilton proved that she still knows how to bring in admiration and fans. literally. Hilton attracted a large crowd of fans who attended her conversation Monday afternoon with UTA CEO David Cramer about her work as CEO of 11:11 Media. In fact, Kramer introduced her as a “cultural icon and multi-hyphenate,” with the screen behind the duo describing her as an entrepreneur and innovator. Kramer even described Hilton as, perhaps even thepioneers among creatives, those people who were previously known as influencers. He summed it up by saying: “Paris Hilton, the mother of creatives.”
But Hilton also provided fans and glamor in the literal sense of the word. After all, before she arrived on stage to a thunderous ovation, as people continued to stream into the venue, Hilton-branded bladeless portable fans were distributed to the delight of the crowd. Hollywood Reporter I noticed at least three people pulling more than one fan – and it wasn’t clear whether extra points would be scored with teammates in attendance or with loved ones back home.
Overall, there was no need for icebreakers as the Cannes Lions Festival got underway. Instead, the heat was a welcome conversation starter from the moment people entered the long line that formed early for the 8 a.m. opening of the Cannes Lions registration center, where people could pick up their badges. The line may have been long, but it moved quickly, with friendly staff, including staff, handing out water to people standing in line, eliciting positive reactions.
This was the morning line in which some attendees also discussed the news that a heatwave across France was starting to wreak havoc on events in some areas of the country. Amid red heat warnings, the highest in the country, some outdoor sporting events were canceled over the weekend. Furthermore, the heatwave led to restrictions on alcohol consumption at the nationwide Fête de la Musique event. This means that drinking alcohol is prohibited on the streets and public places in red alert areas, and alcoholic drinks are not sold at events organized by the municipality.
Some may have been worried, but there was no need to be, at least on Monday. It may have been hot in Cannes and the region it is part of, but not so hot that an orange weather alert would have warranted a change to a red warning. So, the rosé drinks, which people can be heard mentioning during the day, are proven by the pyrrole spray and other drinks flowing while walking through the city in the early evening.
“The city of Cannes is currently not subject to any restrictions related to the heat wave,” Cannes Lions said in a statement shared with the newspaper. THR on monday. “We advise everyone to stay hydrated and add sunscreen regularly. There are water coolers throughout the Palace and, unless otherwise specified, tap water in Cannes is safe to drink, so we recommend that everyone carries a bottle to fill up as they go. If there are any new restrictions affecting Cannes during the week of the festival, we will communicate them accordingly.”
During a mid-morning appearance Monday on the Toby and Cabana stage, well-known agency president Ross Martin had no concerns about any weather restrictions, sharing this prediction with the Cannes Lions debutants in the audience, on what he said was his 13th anniversary trip to the event: “There’s no way you’re not going to sleep at this time tomorrow. This is your last sober minute.”
