Events calendar Midi-Pyrénées

Oô, well known to cruciverbists, welcomes the best of Haute-Garonne's local produce in a convivial atmosphere. For the past 28 years, this unique event has been held every summer, to the delight of gourmets. Some forty producers come together to showcase their produce and local specialities. It's a meeting place for gourmands, gourmets and a variety of skills in the service of the local culinary heritage.

From 20 to 24 May 2009. Jazz in Comminges Parc des Expositions and downtown Saint-Gaudens. Four days of free concerts in the city centre, music courses, class courses, exhibitions, films, tour proposals and commercial animation…

Every year, a hamlet in the Condom area plays host to participants in this traditional game. The game is still played today in a few regions, so it was only natural that the Gascons invited other shuffleboard specialists to come and discover their way of playing. These world championships bring together over a hundred players of all ages to enjoy themselves. An event not to be missed for its guaranteed conviviality!

A guest writer offers a selection of films.

At the end of July, the "Fête des Charcutiers-Salaisonniers" brings Lacaune to life! Numerous events punctuate the day, starting in the morning with the cooking of the famous hams on the spit, before the traditional cutting of the pig (also called "Masèl") and the parade of brotherhoods from all over France. We celebrate Saint Anthony, patron saint of pork butchers, we visit the House of pork butchery and specialized local companies including Oberti, participate in the fair of local products and pork butchery ... A very greedy discovery.

Every Monday morning.

Every second Thursday of the month.

Espalion's local farmers' market is a not-to-be-missed summer event. Located right in the center of town, the market offers a convivial opportunity for visitors to talk to local producers and share a meal to live music. Tables are available for those who wish to sample the products on the spot. It's the ideal opportunity to discover the flavours of the region and support the local agricultural economy. The Mairie d'Espalion is the main partner of this event.

Sauveterre-de-Rouergue celebrates the products of the season: chestnuts and sweet cider. "La castagna", or chestnuts in Occitan, used to be part of the well-established ritual of family gatherings. So, for over 50 years, on the last Sunday in October, in the pretty setting of the Place des Arcades, you can enjoy roasted chestnuts at this annual gathering, while admiring the movements of a folk dance group. It's a great way to combine the pleasures of the eye and the taste buds! A tasty moment to share with the whole family!

For forty-five years, Sylvanès Abbey has been setting the stage each year with its International Festival of Sacred Music and World Music. This not-to-be-missed event features internationally-renowned artists working on a specific theme, and offers the chance to hear choirs, solo singers and organists perform sacred, liturgical, classical and traditional works. Performances take place in the former ^12th-century Cistercian abbey.

If you want to experience a traditional festival, come to Festiv'Marnhac in Labastide-Marnhac! The festivities kick off early with the "aubades", a tradition in which young villagers who have reached the age of 18 are accompanied by an accordionist as they go from door to door singing in their honor, in return for a drink and a donation to the Comité des fêtes. August finally sees the start of the entertainment: funfair, pétanque competition, aperitif-concerts... A time for tradition and sharing!

The Traces du Fromage de Laguiole is undoubtedly one of the most popular walks in Aveyron. Combining walking and gastronomy, it attracts over 2,000 participants every year, who cover between 12 and 21 kilometers on foot, snowshoes or skis. From buron to buron, the stages offer the chance to dine on delicious Aubrac produce: Laguiole PDO cheese, mulled wine, gentian, fouace, aligot... You've got to admit, it makes you want to keep going, doesn't it?

Each season, pilgrims are invited to meditate on a particular theme. The season will also be punctuated by the French National Pilgrimage around August 15, as well as those of the Order of Malta and the Rosary, and by national gatherings of the faithful from all over the world. To find out more, consult the calendar and program published each year, and don't forget the torchlight procession that takes place every evening throughout the period.

In the family "Toulousains aux idées folles" I ask for... the festival in a golf course! You know it, the pink city is placed under the sign of the conviviality (toqué ascendant). No reason not to find it on the greens of the region. It is thus the Ugolf de la Ramée which sticks to it. Renowned for its calm in normal times, it comes alive in September for a weekend not quiet at all: afterworks, concerts, food-truck ... Ah, and an introduction to golf, by the way! The setting is superb, by the lake, relaxation assured, in an atmosphere that reminds us why we are always in a hurry to be in summer. A good idea to bring together beginners and advanced players.

For all you gourmands out there, get ready to lick your lips! The Pyrenean Cheese and Honey Festival takes place in August, with a host of events organized around these local products to delight young and old alike. A festive evening with bandas and traditional groups, a market selling cheese, honey and local and artisanal Pyrenean products, a workshop for making farmhouse cheese and wooden objects, tastings... A delicious rendezvous!

COCU? The Organizing Committee of the Unified Carnival! It is this colourful association that organises the Toulouse Carnival. On the initiative of several student and cultural associations, the arrival of spring is celebrated as it should be. It all starts with a descent of the Avenue de la Colonne in a soapbox. Music, refreshments and workshops, the atmosphere is guaranteed. Then there is a treasure hunt followed by a neighbourhood party on Place de l'Extrapade, which lasts several days, with small gifts from the shopkeepers! Finally comes the parade, which starts with the handing over of the keys of the city by the Mayor and ends with music after, of course, the cremation of Mr. Carnaval.

Jousting on the Garonne! Fiesta Garona renews with tradition to offer, at the beginning of September, a festive, family and free weekend. Fiesta Garona is the result of a partnership between various yacht clubs in Toulouse (rowing, canoeing, jet skiing, water skiing...) and other structures such as Toulouse à Table or the Pêcheurs de Sable refreshment bar. Each edition brings together nearly 20,000 people! So you can watch jousting on characteristic traditional boats, but you can also try an introductory session to water sports, or even go for a swim across the Garonne! At dusk, it's time for torchlight night shows.

Building on its success with the Toulouse Game Show, the organizer TGS Événements has been offering a free event dedicated to Japanese culture since 2018. Make no mistake, this is not a "TGS light"! Pop culture certainly finds its place there, but the ambition of this show is to exchange around Japan and all its forms of cultural expression. You will attend martial arts demonstrations, you will be able to discover an amazing collection of bonsai, you will be amazed by an exhibition of kimonos, you will be able to take cooking classes, listen to lectures on tea, learn calligraphy, go game... A beautiful immersion in the land of the Rising Sun.

Africlap is an annual festival organized by the cultural association of the same name. Its ambition is to use cinema to forge social links and create interaction with others. In local neighborhoods, the association organizes workshops designed to popularize the practice of filmmaking. Throughout the year, Africlap also organizes meetings around film screenings. Its annual festival is an opportunity to discover different works produced across Africa, and to encounter their diversity. In Occitanie, it's the most important event for African cinema. Screenings are accompanied by a cultural village, a meeting place for artists and spectators.

If you like the family and joyful atmosphere of the fair, enjoy a traditional Toulouse meeting in May: the Capitouls festival. It is particularly well suited for outings with young children. Historically established as a Compans-Caffarelli district, it moved to its new quarters in 2018, near the Grand Rond. Despite its small size, all the attractions expected from such a celebration are there: colourful rides and angling for the youngest, bumper cars for the tumultuous teenagers, cotton candy, love apples and other sweets for the gourmands. A pretty little party that tastes nostalgic.

Purely Toulousian, the origins of the festival date back to Gallo-Roman times! Initially a festival dedicated to the dead, the fénétra, also spelled férétra, underwent several evolutions in both practice and symbolism, before becoming what it is today: a popular festival celebrating traditions. It begins with a parade, known as the passo carriero, to the Capitol, and continues for several days with song and dance performances. The costumes are superb and the atmosphere festive. A beautiful moment of jubilation and sharing.

Mister Freeze is an association that accompanies the creation and diffusion of urban arts. It organizes every year in Toulouse a gigantic exhibition. It is the largest event in France dedicated to this artistic segment. It is an opportunity to meet urban culture and its actors. The exhibition is accompanied by conferences, screenings, guided tours and is completed by a space dedicated to urban sports, such as BMX or hip-hop dance. You will also find a bookstore and an ephemeral shop. To plan your visit, stay connected with Mister Freeze's social networks because the exhibition venue changes regularly!

In October, the walnuts fall from their pericarp, and a few can be tasted along the way. When the harvest is finally over, the Noix du Périgord celebrate in Thégra! The village organizes events and tastings under the autumn sun. On the program: bandas in the streets, horse-drawn carriage rides and merry-go-rounds for the kids, and all day entertainment for young and old, including workshops on making oil at the walnut oil mill, making apple juice and baking bread in a wood-fired oven. Not to be missed!

If the town of Cordes-sur-Ciel is already by nature a must-see in the Tarn's heritage, here is a festival that could reinforce your desire to discover this singular city. This event has the particularity of being centred around chamber music. Each year, the chosen compositions cross all periods, from the Middle Ages to the present day, and, rarely, a composer is invited to compose live. In addition to the concerts, workshops and master classes are organised.

Futurapolis has been a programme of conferences on technology, science and innovation since 2014. They are prepared and animated by the editorial staff of the newspaper Le Point. Furururapolis is organized in partnership with the Quai des Savoirs, the Museum of Natural History and the Faculty of Medicine. For two days, debates question technological advances, their promises and limitations. What will be the house of tomorrow? Does artificial intelligence make us all stupid? How do astronauts, guinea pigs of the cosmos live? A Lab is set up throughout the event, allowing everyone to discover and test the latest innovations.

Toulouse, the French whiskey capital? That's the idea launched by the Hopscoth Pub & Brewerly, a pub that your fox would warmly recommend. In September 2020, it will therefore organize the third edition of the Toulouse Whisky Festival. A few figures to give you an idea of the scale of the event: 900 ^{m2 of} exhibition space, 70 producers and nearly 300 references on offer for tasting! Shop, masterclasses, catering, entertainment and, of course, a bar serving homemade Hopscoth beer await you to share the best of Scottish tradition. Please note that booking is essential and it is wise to make your reservation as soon as possible.

Commonly known as the "feu de la St Jean", this festival takes place at the end of June, and the 25 or so villages of the Barousse region are faithful to it. Brandons are tree trunks that have been prepared using the same technique for decades. An inter-generational event, it brings together men who prepare for the event weeks in advance according to a precise ritual. Sometimes decorated with flowers, these trees are blessed before being burned, and the flames last until they fall. It's an opportunity for the public to share in the dancing and singing during this magnificent festive moment!

The Rose Béton festival is an opportunity to discover artists from urban cultures. It is supported by the city of Toulouse, which is involved in the promotion of contemporary artistic creation. It is a protean event. First, in April, an urban art trail is set up throughout the city, created by creators from all over the world, to transform Toulouse into an open-air gallery. Then, in September, an exhibition will take place at the Abattoirs, focusing on three artists. Workshops for schoolchildren, meetings, guided tours, bus tours, conferences... many activities allow to meet all publics.

This fair is organized by the tourist office of the Pays de Mirepoix. On this festive day of the Ascension, throughout the day about thirty " producers-craftsmen-brewers-winemakers ", will welcome you to present and taste their products. It is mainly about beers and wines, organic and from Occitania. Do not miss this opportunity to discover and why not buy directly from producers.

On the first Sunday in August, and even from Saturday onwards, the city of Eauze lives to the rhythm of comics through a festival that welcomes many renowned French and foreign authors every year. A key meeting place for lovers of quality bubbles, it attracts around 5,000 people and has become an essential event. In 2019, for the 28th anniversary of the festival, many confirmed artists and emerging talents will once again be present. The Festival will pay tribute to Tintin, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.