The best parties Midi-Pyrénées

Originally a religious festival in praise of Carmaux's patron saint, La Saint Privat has been a key summer event in Carmaux for over 100 years. Popular and open to all, numerous events are organized for the enjoyment of Carmausines, Carmausins and visitors alike: Bodéga, cavalcade and nocturne, pétanque competition, fireworks display, concerts and rides, garage sales, cycle race... Join us for 4 days in August to celebrate in the Tarn style, with family and friends!

This traditional festival, organized by the association of Quercy saffron producers, combines flowers and gastronomy. Les Safraniers du Quercy welcome you to learn all about the cultivation of this small violet flower, from planting to harvesting, from pruning to gastronomy. You'll be able to taste saffron in its many uses: aperitifs, savoury and sweet products. It's also an opportunity to visit the saffron farms and fill your basket with local saffron products! A gourmet outing for the whole family!

In the Tarn region of France, the village of Serviès is celebrating in June. For two days, residents and visitors from neighboring towns are invited to join in the festivities: a basketball tournament open to all, traditional meals, children's games, an aperitif concert, a gathering of vintage cars and motorcycles for enthusiasts, a pétanque competition and open-air concerts. An event that the Comité des Fêtes organizes to bring generations together in a warm, shared atmosphere.

A festive and convivial program awaits you at the Lisle-sur-Tarn festivities at the end of July! The town's streets will be alive with entertainment for young and old alike: funfair, country meals, traditional dances and concerts, fishing and pétanque competitions, children's games... A summer rendezvous not to be missed, culminating in a grand pyrotechnic show fired from the banks over Lac Bellevue. Remarkable!

From 16 to 22 July 2009: The department's artistic and culinary riches are honoured by this event.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

It's in mid-August, when it's perfectly gorged with sunshine, that the Lectoure melon is celebrated! A local product par excellence, this gourmet jewel deserves a tribute from the town. On the program: melon tasting during the market and election of the best producer. In the evening, the confrérie opens the festivities, and the bandas liven up the aperitif. On the menu: melon, of course, but also delicious Gascon specialities. A DJ enlivens the evening, which attracts a large number of summer visitors and Gersois faithful to this summer rendezvous.

Near Toulouse, come and join us in September for the Campestral, a great country and Occitan festival open to all! Every year, the event mobilizes and unites the people of Aureville, of all generations and origins, around an original cultural project that has become a veritable institution, attracting thousands of visitors. Whether you're with friends or family, take advantage of the many events on offer: market, vintage car exhibition, multi-sport raid, touring theater in Occitan, children's ball, concerts...

The Feria d'Eauze maintains the tradition of bullfighting and Landes racing in an atmosphere enlivened by bandas and bodegas. Held every year on the first weekend in July, it's a not-to-be-missed event for festival-goers. Oyster sales, street food and concerts, a funfair, concerts, competitions and balls, and novilladas raise the festive tension, culminating on Sunday with the bullfight in the Nimeno II arena.

It's the pig's party! One Sunday in mid-August, Trie-sur-Baïse becomes 100% pig. To laugh and keep the memories of the centuries during which the village housed the largest market in French piglets. A highlight of the day, the French championship of imitation of the cry of the pig. There's also the race of piglets and the sweater contest. All gourmets can compete. All day early in the morning with the BBQ breakfast, follow animations, games and gourmet meals. Certainly one of the most beautiful festivals of the Hautes-Pyrénées.

In Albi, we don't skimp on the national holiday! The celebrations start around 6pm with the review of the troops by the Prefect, the rise of the colours and the military parade. Then follow a musical show, a torchlight retreat and a brass band. The highlight of these festivities was the fireworks display, renowned throughout the region. It is unveiled above the Berbie Palace, thirty minutes of wonder, sparkling rockets, multicoloured explosions, a show not to be missed!

Smart advice: to attend the show in good conditions, we advise you to settle down on the square near the Madeleine church, on the Old Bridge, the New Bridge or even near the Chemin de Gardès. Be careful, it is better to arrive before the kick-off, because the tickets are expensive!

This festival celebrated its 60th edition in 2019. It is one of the biggest regional folklore events. Every year it brings together around 400 artists from the five continents! All come to share their love of folk arts and traditions, in a spirit of brotherhood and equality. The main venue for the festivities is the leisure centre. A village set up for the occasion welcomes you throughout the day, where it is possible to refresh and eat. Every year, the programme mixes music and dance from places as diverse as Armenia and Brazil! A superb party.

In the mountains of the Hautes-Pyrénées, not far from Saint-Lary-Soulan, Saint-Michel's Day is celebrated in Guchan, with a day of festive and convivial events at the Espace Pastoral: bodéga, market of local craftsmen and producers, apple juice and spit-roasted cake, garage sale, free events for children, sheep competition, vintage car rally, meals, dances... The day traditionally ends with a beautiful concert under the big top, as in 2023 with the presence of Collectif Métissé!

Top athletes, accomplished artists, novillada and fireworks: We had a city to catch such as Maubourguet to gather the sketches of the sketch and the crows! It is one of the nicest festivals in the summer, organized on the theme of art encounter with sport. For three days, the representatives of these two worlds share and combine their passions. Exhibitions, workshops, sports meetings: from the ground to the trekking, shirts and brushes blend into a color festival. Street shows animate the city and in the arenas Dutch races delight aficionados. The ball invites all generations on the track. The highlight of these festivals is undoubtedly the «Night of Gazes» during which artists settle on the Larbanès alleys, to perform a work in public. The atmosphere alone justifies the detour: Orchestra, meals, animations, bandas… The works will be auctioned on the last day of the festivities. On Saturday, at midnight, young people dress up for an anthology parade that shows that here the party is an art… living!

Each summer, in the heart of the night, the city has its coat of light. 5,000 candles cover Arcades Square, like a fire carpet, while the streets are lit up to the torch. A fairy tale that attracts more than 2,000 people to each edition and serves as a writer for other events. Concerts, shows…

Saint-Jean-d'Alcapiès is a small town in the Aveyron department. Their website features a variety of delicious dishes such as craquant au chocolat, a slate of regional cheeses, magret de canard aux miel d'acacias et romarin, souris d'agneau au miel et romarin, assiette de foie gras mi-cuit and assiette de saumon norvégien. To get to Alcapies-Events, we recommend not entering the village of Saint-Jean-d'Alcapiès, but staying on the D293. You'll find them just past the Alcapia renewable energies building. You can also reach us by car via the A75 freeway, by plane via Montpellier or Rodez airports, or by train via Millau, Tournemire Roquefort sur Souzon or Saint-Affrique bus stations.