Boogie-woogie in Laroquebrou, a medieval fair in Souvigny: twelve events and festivals to discover in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes this weekend, August 8-9, 2026.
This weekend of August 8-9, 2026, events and festivals fill the calendar across Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, from the Allier hills to the shores of Lake Geneva. Several major events close out their run exactly this weekend, while one-day village celebrations join the calendar too. Our pick of the weekend is the Laroquebrou International Boogie-Woogie Festival, wrapping up five days of swing in a medieval village in Cantal. Between big fairs and hamlet festivities, our selection below spans nine departments for this weekend, August 8-9, 2026. Where to start on Saturday night?
Laroquebrou International Boogie-Woogie Festival: five days of swing come to a close
From August 5 through 9, the largest boogie-woogie festival in the world takes over this medieval village in Cantal. More than 10,000 festivalgoers gather in Laroquebrou for boogie-woogie, swing, jazz, blues and gospel concerts with artists from around the world. The village lanes become the stage for this final stretch before Sunday's closing, mixing indoor concerts, open-air stages and impromptu dances.
Souvigny Medieval Fair: France's longest medieval festival takes its final bow
Since August 1, Souvigny has turned back into a 13th-century town for the European Festival of Troubadours and Jesters, held every year without interruption since 1994.
The August 8-9 weekend marks the close of these nine days, which draw around 40,000 visitors for street performances, jugglers, fire-eaters, tightrope walkers and medieval taverns. Craftspeople in period costume and historical encampments fill the town centre in the Allier until Sunday evening, in what remains France's longest medieval festival.
Crest Jazz Vocal: voice takes centre stage under France's tallest keep
Founded in 1976, Crest Jazz closes its final evening on Saturday, August 8, at the foot of the medieval keep towering over the Drôme. One of France's most respected and longest-running jazz festivals, it puts vocals front and centre with an international jazz vocal competition that has launched several generations of artists. The lineup mixes established headliners with young talent spotted during this year's selections.
Champ Libre !: ÉCLAT's touring street-arts programme wraps up in Cantal
A departmental touring programme from Aurillac's National Centre for Street Arts, Champ Libre ! wraps up its tour on Sunday, August 9, launched in late July. Six street-theatre companies have crossed Cantal to give around twenty free performances in as many towns. Born in 2020 to replace Les Préalables, this touring format brings street art all the way into the department's smallest villages.
Fête d'Arêches: floats and traditional dress for a Savoyard centenary
On Sunday, August 9, the village of Arêches-Beaufort gathers between 5,000 and 7,000 people for a parade of more than ten floats at Fête d'Arêches. Created in 1960 to mark the centenary of Savoy joining France, this folk festival brings traditional Savoyard costumes, dances and local specialities through the village streets for a single day.
Medieval Festival of Désaignes: a craft market and knights' combat
The August 8-9 weekend transports visitors a thousand years back in this Village de Caractère in Ardèche. The Medieval Festival of Désaignes, held since 2007, offers a medieval craft market, historical encampments, knights' combat in historical European martial arts and equestrian displays over two days.
Reblochon and Crafts Festival: cheese made in a copper cauldron
On Sunday, August 9, in La Clusaz, at the foot of the Bossonnet slopes, the Reblochon Festival draws more than 6,000 spectators to watch farmhouse reblochon made in a giant copper cauldron. The day celebrates cheesemaking heritage and mountain traditions in the Aravis massif, with demonstrations and tastings on site.
Fair of Garlic, Wine and Flea Market: Billom's pink garlic turns 40
For more than forty years, Billom has celebrated its pink garlic, a signature product of this medieval Puy-de-Dôme town, every second weekend of August.
The Fair of Garlic, Wine and Flea Market, organised by the Billom pink garlic federation of thirty-five producers, draws around 25,000 visitors on August 8 and 9. Local produce stalls, a flea market and tastings fill Place de la Fontaine all weekend.
Tout l'monde dehors: 200+ free events across Lyon
Running through August 30, Tout l'monde dehors turns Lyon's parks, squares and gardens across every district into an open-air stage. Run by the city, this free summer programme offers concerts, street performances, screenings and workshops every summer weekend, with no booking and no need to travel far from home.
Three lesser-known picks
La Ronde des Vielles, in Jenzat
On Sunday, August 9, La Ronde des Vielles celebrates the hurdy-gurdy heritage of Jenzat with a day of luthier workshop visits, musical processions through the streets and traditional music concerts. This Bourbonnais village has kept a unique lutherie tradition alive since 1795 and claims the title of world capital of hurdy-gurdy making.
Course de Côte du Mont-Dore, in the Sancy massif
From August 7 to 9, one of France's oldest hill-climb car races takes over the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert. Created in 1961, the Mont-Dore hill climb draws thousands of enthusiasts to watch timed climbs across the Sancy massif. The only sporting event in this selection, it closes three days of mountain motor racing on Sunday evening.
Mens Alors !, in the Trièves
From August 3 to 8, Mens Alors ! invites more than 5,000 spectators to fill the village of Mens with music, in this corner of the Isère's Trièves area. Jazz, improvised music, dance, theatre, storytelling and circus take over squares, gardens and heritage sites through Saturday evening, mixing disciplines rather than sticking to a single genre.
Also worth a look
- Comboros, in Saint-Gervais-d'Auvergne (Puy-de-Dôme): traditional dance balls and workshops through August 9, run by the Les Brayauds-CDMDT63 association.
- Les Gens d'Ici, in Jussac (Cantal): the large sound-and-light show performed by 250 volunteer actors runs through August 11.
- Festi'Fournols, in Puy-de-Dôme: an evening of live music at the village boules court, Saturday, August 8.
From Cantal to Lake Geneva, this weekend of August 8, 2026, mixes major closing events with one-day village celebrations. To browse beyond Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, head to the full weekend agenda.
