Festivals on 8-10 May 2026 in Calvados

Three very different events line up along the Côte Fleurie and in the Pays d'Auge: a gourmet fair in Pont-l'Évêque, a charity theatre festival in Cabourg and three days of words and music in Deauville.

The 8 May 2026 long weekend lands at the right time in Calvados. The département offers three complementary events spread across the gourmet Pays d'Auge, the chic Côte Fleurie and the elegant seaside villas: the 42nd Pont-l'Évêque Cheese Fair, the charity-driven Théâtrales de Cabourg, and the Livres & Musiques festival in Deauville. Three different moods, three different audiences, but a single weekend to mix and match.

Pont-l'Évêque Cheese Fair — four days of Norman gastronomy

If you have to pick just one gourmet stop, this is probably it. The Pont-l'Évêque Cheese Fair celebrates its 42nd edition from Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 May 2026 at the Parc du Drap-d'Or. More than 80 exhibitors gather around the great Norman quartet: Pont-l'Évêque, Camembert, Livarot and Neufchâtel cheeses.

Stalls also feature ciders, pommeaux, calvados and other regional products. The Pont-l'Évêque d'Or contest awards the best cheese of the year, judged by a professional panel. Processions of brotherhoods in full regalia, slice-by-slice tastings and children's activities punctuate the days. Tickets: 7 € adult, 4 € concessions, 3 € for ages 6-12, free under 6. See the festival page.

Who is it for?

The event speaks just as much to seasoned food lovers (with the contest, MOF chefs, cheese makers) as to families coming to taste and stroll. Try to arrive early on Saturday morning — that is the calmest slot for tastings.

Les Théâtrales de Cabourg — four shows for Cambodia

Further west, on the Cabourg seafront, the 5th edition of Les Théâtrales de Cabourg runs from Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 May. The festival is run entirely by volunteers: professional artists perform free of charge and ticket sales go to Pour un Sourire d'Enfant, a charity that schools more than 6,000 children in Cambodia.

Four productions on the bill, mixing Parisian hits and Avignon Off selections: Les Fourberies de Scapin, Et si c'était elle?, La Danse du caméléon and Pagnol's Marius. The festival pass lets you string all four together over three days. Classical repertoire, activist project. See the festival page.

Deauville Livres & Musiques Festival — literature in concert

Fifteen minutes from Cabourg, Deauville hosts the 23rd edition of the Livres & Musiques festival from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 May. The event, founded in 2004, takes place at Les Franciscaines, a former monastery turned cultural hub that opened in 2021 and quickly became the chic showcase of the Pays d'Auge.

The concept: pairing writing with music. Novelists, biographers, comic-book authors, illustrators and singer-songwriters share stages for musical readings, literary concerts and small-format encounters. Most events are free; some concerts require booking. The perfect chance to combine a walk on the boardwalk, lunch on a terrace and a literary afternoon at Les Franciscaines. See the festival page.

How to combine the three over the weekend

The Pont-l'Évêque - Cabourg - Deauville triangle is small: less than 30 km in total, easy to do in a day. Classic combo: gourmet morning in Pont-l'Évêque (9 am-1 pm), lunch on the coast, literary afternoon in Deauville. For theatre fans, slot the Théâtrales in for the evening in Cabourg.

Going further

Three events, three angles: Norman terroir, committed theatre, words and music. Plenty to build a tailor-made programme depending on the group. To explore more dates in the area, take a look at all the festivals in Calvados.