Events calendar Canal du Midi

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.

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!

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.

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.

From one end of the book chain to the other, there is the author and the bookseller. The first one invents stories, while the second, in his shop, sells what has already been read. This is why organizing the Salon du Livre des Auteurs Indépendants in the heart of the village of Montolieu, where about fifteen second-hand booksellers are installed, is to establish a link, a bridge that connects the same passion: the book.

The Zoo Mania show is entirely dedicated to animals. If you like cats, dogs, rats, parrots or chinchillas, you've come to the right place. As you can imagine, Zoo Mania is open to all pets... not forgetting their owners! Over the past few years, the show has been increasingly dedicated to reptiles. You'll be able to meet exhibitors and take part in competitions, demonstrations and events. Please note: for hygiene reasons, you can't bring your favorite pet with you.

Every summer, a dozen competitions are organized by the Société Nautique des Jouteurs Agathois and the Pavois Agathois. Whether at the foot of St. Etienne's Cathedral or close to the coast, these competitions are a great way to discover the regional tradition in a jovial and festive way. Some of the tournaments, in various categories, are linked to major events such as the Fête des Pêcheurs tournament or the regional Tournament des Écoles de Joute.

The new children's festival circulates throughout the department with its panoply of shows in the Spring. In 15 communes are proposed about thirty performances: theatre, storytelling, music or sports activities. The tour starts at the Domaine départemental de Bayssan in Béziers, which hosts the festival for a weekend in a convivial setting with its gardens, its big top or the Saint-Félix church.

The Fête des pêcheurs et de la mer is one of Agde's major traditional festivities. In honor of Saint Pierre, patron saint of fishermen, it takes place in Agde and Grau d'Adge over two days. Mass on Saturday, followed by a parade through the streets, a ceremony in tribute to the men of the sea, blessing of the boats and a concert in the evening. On Sunday, mass at Agde's Saint-Sever church, followed by an outing to pay tribute to fallen sailors. Great moments of conviviality!

The famous promenade des Barques, along the Canal de la Robine, has its festival! "Barques en scène" is the great festive event of the end of summer in the heart of the historical center of Narbonne. Organized over three days, it allows you to discover the city to the rhythm of bodegas and street arts. Every evening, a free concert is programmed on the big stage of the Cours Mirabeau, with known or to be discovered artists, wanderings and colored performances for all public.

The city of Toulouse has been a leader in the art of animation for many years now. The region's studios are proof of this, with series and feature-length films that have been successful both in France and abroad! Established in Toulouse since 2012, Cartoon Forum is the co-production and pitching event that brings together European animation TV series professionals in the Pink City. It's an opportunity for project developers to present their projects to a wide range of potential partners from all over the world. Around 80 series in development are presented each year, and over 1,000 professionals from some 40 countries attend the event.

In November, Narbonne hosts the Rencontres d'Archéologie de la Narbonnaise, a festival devoted to archaeology in all its forms. The event is articulated around a physical and digital program composed of conferences, round tables, film screenings, exhibitions ... These days are also the occasion for the awarding of the Documentary Film Prize, the Archaeology Book Prize and the Archaeology Comic Strip Prize. On line, the curious will find books and comics on the same themes.

This travelling festival of Grand Narbonne was born in 2011 thanks to a partnership between the agglomeration and the communes interested in the project. Its objective is to encourage the exploration of the villages of the territory and to promote the cultural diversity of the destination. Free of charge, it is divided into two programmes: "summer", from June to September, and "autumn", from October to December. These multidisciplinary events highlight local artists from a variety of backgrounds: music, theatre, comedy, etc.

On the occasion of the Book Fair, the general public will have access to literary and artistic meetings with a hundred French and foreign authors. The clearly stated objective of this event in Narbonne is to promote and encourage access to all forms of culture for a wide audience. Signings, readings, workshops, round tables, shows, exhibitions and other events are planned during this spring weekend.

Created in 1990 by Alberte Raynaud's contemporary dance company, Garrigue Danse Rivage, the Théâtre en garrigue is a magical place that is part of the cultural heritage of Port-la-Nouvelle. Situated - as its name suggests - in the middle of nature, its dry-stone den comes alive every year during a festival. Held from mid-July to mid-August, it presents a wide range of artistic creations: dance, music, storytelling, theatre...

During the first weekend of the All Saints school holidays, the City walls echo battles of men in armour, valiant knights, traditional dances and songs, theatre. The Occitan culture is honoured around many activities with tales for children, treasure hunts, fables and craftsmen present in camps that are installed in Lices de la Cité, between ramparts. The festivities are beautifully completed with a huge medieval banquet in the Jean-Deschamps theatre.

The Festival Electro Alternativ, founded in 2005, is held in Toulouse in September. It hosts nearly people every year. It is taking place in many of Toulouse's fashionable places: Bikini, Dynamo, Dune, Cultural Bellegarde Center, Multiprise… In the programme: contemporary music. International artists, hip hop, electro-jazz or techno techno come for the occasion in Toulouse. Go online to know the programming and to buy your tickets online!

This exciting museum bears the ancient name of the city of Bram, which was, in Roman times, the largest city on the Via Aquitania between Toulouse and Narbonne. With more than 800 archaeological items on display - a quarter of which have been restored - the permanent exhibition retraces the history of Bram and the West Aude from prehistoric times to the end of the Middle Ages. Divided into six themes, the exhibition takes you through a shimmering decor where tools, jewellery, coins and ceramics blend together. But the highlight of the show is undoubtedly the lapidary inscription of the Bram theatre. You will also discover the funeral practices used at the time, the organization of the rural area with its Gallo-Roman farms and villas, some of which are still in use today, as well as the medieval habitat of this region, which is distinguished by its circular villages. Note the organisation of temporary exhibitions and conferences, and the possibility to visit the research laboratory during the Heritage Days. For the record, the construction site of this archaeological house unveiled a segment of the Aquitaine way, a capital route of the Gallo-Roman era, around which the city of Bram was built.

Castelnaudary can't go a year without celebrating its cassoulet! The festival kicks off with the "ronde du cassoulet", a night-time walk and run, and continues on the following days with musical bandas, shows and concerts, a craft market, a cycle tour and the "Grande Confrérie du Cassoulet". Dance to the rhythm of the brass bands during the day, or dance the night away at the open-air discotheque, not forgetting to join in the corso fleuri, a grand procession of floats in honor of cassoulet!

Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse - Cinémas d'Amérique Latine is a film festival held in Toulouse. It features a varied program of Latin American films, including feature-length fiction, documentaries and shorts. The festival showcases the diversity and richness of Latin American cinema, presenting recent films and previews. The films tackle political, social and cultural themes specific to Latin America. The festival also features meetings with directors, literary events, concerts and exhibitions. Screenings take place in partner cinemas in Toulouse, as well as in other cities in the Occitanie and Nouvelle Aquitaine regions.

The association was founded in 1981 by musician and artistic director Claude Sicre. The aim was to encourage the emergence of new cultural activities in the neighborhood. The association's activities are numerous: musical activities for young and old, accompaniment and direction of artists, organization of events, participation in colloquia, meetings, conferences, interventions in schools and universities... Escambiar also produces Les Nouveaux Cantadors, an Occitan group with Brazilian influences.