Africajarc
Festival of African Cultures in Quercy
2026
About Africajarc
Africajarc — edition 2026
27th edition — July 23rd to 26th, 2026
Africajarc returns for its 27th edition from July 23rd to 26th, 2026, in Cajarc. For four days, this village in the Lot celebrates African cultures through music, cinema, literature, visual arts, storytelling, and crafts. The entire festival is free, with only a few specific workshops and classes requiring a fee.
Nine concerts at the Théâtre de verdure
The Théâtre de verdure stage will host three nights of free concerts from Friday, July 24th, to Sunday, July 26th, followed by a DJ set each night. The lineup includes: Djusu, Afro Dream, Bassi Bakambi, Kady Diarra, Kanazoé Orkestra, Sofaz, Mariaa Siga, Zar Electrik, and Valérie Ékoumè, with DJ Sound-System and DJ Steckky on the decks.
A first-ever Film Week
In 2026, the festival introduces the Africajarc Film Week: an opening night on July 20th featuring the film "Black Mic Mac", followed by screenings of competition films from July 21st to 23rd (10:00 AM to 10:00 PM) and July 24th to 26th (10:00 AM to 7:30 PM) at the Espace Françoise-Sagan. Award ceremonies will take place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on the main stage.
The Grin littéraire, exhibitions, and workshops
The Grin littéraire brings together eleven authors, researchers, and journalists, including Christian Éboulé, Huguette Tiegna, Samuel Diawara Kwa, Calvin Mbainodjiel Nelde, Armelle Faure, Chloé Cohen, Christine Puel, Simon Worou, Ousseni Nikiema, Sarah Dauphiné, and Hervline Riou. Meanwhile, the gymnasium will host visual art exhibitions by Sophie Noel, Béatrice Chikn, Robert Tété, and Armelle Faure, while the music school presents work from the Tarn Terang'Art association. Percussion and dance workshops, Africarécup' workshops, colored sand workshops, and children's storytelling round out the daily program.
The Grand Craft Market
From July 23rd to 26th, the Grand African Market will be set up on Avenue de la Gare, offering artisanal creations, clothing, jewelry, fabrics, books, and African cuisine. The festival welcome desk and information point are located at 4 Avenue de la Gare.
Highlights Africajarc 2026
Highlights for 2026
- Dates: Thursday, July 23rd to Sunday, July 26th, 2026, 27th edition
- Nine free concerts at the Théâtre de verdure from Friday, July 24th to Sunday, July 26th, followed by a nightly DJ set
- Kanazoé Orkestra on Saturday, July 25th at 9:45 PM, Mariaa Siga and Valérie Ékoumè on Sunday, July 26th
- First Africajarc Film Week from July 20th to 23rd, opening with the film "Black Mic Mac"
- The Grin littéraire features eleven authors and speakers, including Christian Éboulé and Huguette Tiegna
- Grand African Craft Market from July 23rd to 26th, Avenue de la Gare
- Admission and concerts are free; only certain workshops and classes require a fee (€3 to €20)
Programme Africajarc 2026
Before the festival — Africajarc Film Week
- July 20th — Opening night of the 1st Africajarc Film Week: welcome at 7:30 PM, official opening at 8:00 PM, friendly brunch at 8:30 PM, presentation of the film "Black Mic Mac" at 9:00 PM
- July 21st to 23rd — Screenings of competition films, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Espace Françoise-Sagan
Thursday, July 23rd, 2026 — Opening
- All day — Opening of the Grand African Craft Market, Avenue de la Gare (until Sunday, July 26th)
- 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM — Film Week screenings, Espace Françoise-Sagan
Friday, July 24th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM — Percussion and dance workshop with Younoussa Camara · Théâtre de verdure picnic area (registration required)
- 11:15 AM — Show "Dans le village de Sadio" (children €3, adults €6, free for under 2s)
- 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM — Africarécup' workshop "Barbie fétiche" with Sophie Noel · gymnasium (€20)
- 4:15 PM to 5:15 PM — Storytelling and dance introduction for children with Alba Lefebvre · gymnasium (€8)
- 8:00 PM — Djusu · Théâtre de verdure
- 9:45 PM — Afro Dream · Théâtre de verdure
- 11:15 PM — Bassi Bakambi · Théâtre de verdure
- 12:45 AM — DJ Sound-System · Théâtre de verdure
Saturday, July 25th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM — Africarécup' workshop "Masque hybride" with Sophie Noel · gymnasium (€20)
- 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM — Percussion and dance workshop with Younoussa Camara · Théâtre de verdure picnic area
- 11:15 AM — Show "Dans le village de Sadio"
- 4:15 PM to 5:15 PM — Storytelling and dance introduction for children with Alba Lefebvre · gymnasium (€8)
- 8:00 PM — Kady Diarra · Théâtre de verdure
- 9:45 PM — Kanazoé Orkestra · Théâtre de verdure
- 11:15 PM — Sofaz · Théâtre de verdure
- 12:45 AM — DJ Steckky · Théâtre de verdure
Sunday, July 26th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM — Africarécup' workshop "Barbie fétiche" with Sophie Noel · gymnasium (€20)
- 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM — Percussion and dance workshop with Younoussa Camara · Théâtre de verdure picnic area
- 11:15 AM — Show "Dans le village de Sadio"
- 8:00 PM — Mariaa Siga · Théâtre de verdure
- 9:45 PM — Zar Electrik · Théâtre de verdure
- 11:15 PM — Valérie Ékoumè · Théâtre de verdure
- 12:45 AM — DJ Sound-System · Théâtre de verdure
Daily, July 23rd to 26th
- Grand African Craft Market — Avenue de la Gare: crafts, clothing, jewelry, fabrics, books, and African food
- Cinema — screenings from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM (July 24th to 26th) at Espace Françoise-Sagan, award ceremonies on the main stage
- Visual art exhibitions — at the gymnasium: Sophie Noel (craft artist), Béatrice Chikn (photographer and painter), Robert Tété (wax and colored sand painting), Armelle Faure (photographer and anthropologist); at the music school: Tarn Terang'Art
- The Grin littéraire — meetings with Christian Éboulé, Huguette Tiegna, Samuel Diawara Kwa, Calvin Mbainodjiel Nelde, Armelle Faure, Chloé Cohen, Christine Puel, Simon Worou, Ousseni Nikiema, Sarah Dauphiné, and Hervline Riou
- Colored sand workshop with Robert Tété · gymnasium — free, open all day, no registration required
- Storytelling with Bintou Sombié and Ousseni Nikiema ("Les contes de Dunia") · discovery stage
- Musical awakening with giant instruments created by Étienne Favre, for all ages · greenway
- Processions at 12:30 PM and 7:30 PM — songs and percussion with Baobab Music, starting at Place du Foirail
- One-man band — wandering performances by Mister Kha around the market
Prices Africajarc 2026
Only a few activities require a fee:
- Africarécup' workshops with Sophie Noel (gymnasium): €20
- Storytelling and dance introduction for children with Alba Lefebvre: €8
- Show "Dans le village de Sadio": €6 adult, €3 child, free for under 2s (pre-sale: €5 adult, €2 child)
Percussion and dance workshops with Younoussa Camara and Africarécup' workshops require registration via africajarc.com.
Practical information — Africajarc
Practical Information
Getting there
By car: Cajarc is located on the D662 between Cahors (50 km) and Figeac (35 km), in the Lot valley. From Toulouse, allow about 2 hours (170 km via the A20). From Paris, allow about 6 hours (580 km via the A20).
By public transport: Regional liO bus lines connect Cajarc to Cahors and Figeac (Figeac-Cahors and Cahors-Saint-Cirq-Lapopie-Cajarc lines). The Cajarc – Stade stop is less than a 20-minute walk from the festival site.
Festival location
The festival takes place outdoors in the center of Cajarc, around the Place du Foirail and the Avenue de la Gare. The official map divides the spaces as follows:
- Théâtre de verdure — the main concert stage, on the banks of the Lot
- African Market — Avenue de la Gare, featuring the “Le Petit Musée de M. Bakary” performance arena and the Asteria Karavan
- Espace Françoise-Sagan — the festival cinema
- Gymnasium — art exhibitions and workshops
- Food and drink — between the market and the Théâtre de verdure
The festival reception and information point are located at 4 Avenue de la Gare. The address of the organizing association is 24 Place du Foirail, 46160 Cajarc. Accessible parking and restrooms are available throughout the site, and a first aid station (Croix blanche) is set up near the Théâtre de verdure.
Prices
As of 2024, festival admission and all concerts are free. Film screenings, exhibitions, storytelling, street performances, and the Grand Market are also free to access.
Only a few supervised activities require a fee: Africarécup' workshops (€20), storytelling and dance initiation for children (€8), and the show “Dans le village de Sadio” (€6 for adults, €3 for children, free for under 2s; pre-sale €5 and €2). Registration for workshops and courses is available at africajarc.com.
Dining
The Grand Market offers numerous food stalls with African culinary specialties and food trucks. The village restaurants are also open during the festival.
Accommodation
Cajarc and its surroundings offer a variety of accommodation: hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, and campsites. It is recommended to book in advance as the village's accommodation capacity is limited.
Practical tips
- The festival is held outdoors: bring a hat, sunscreen, and a water bottle.
- Bring warm clothing for the concert evenings.
- The full program is available on the official website africajarc.com.
- Volunteers are welcome: register via [email protected].
Africajarc: The Unmissable Rendezvous for African Cultures in the Lot
Since 1999, the small village of Cajarc, nestled in the Lot valley in Quercy, has hosted one of the most unique festivals in the Occitanie region every summer. Africajarc, a contraction of the words "Africa" and "Cajarc," was born from the initiative of a group of friends passionate about the cultures of the African continent. The idea germinated during an evening in June 1998, driven notably by the association Miadé, which became the Africajarc association in October 2002. Two Togolese choreographers, Anani and his sister Akouvi, were at the origin of the festival's creative impulse.
A Multidisciplinary and Generous Festival
Africajarc is much more than just a music festival. It is a true immersion into the diversity of African cultures, presented over four days through multiple artistic disciplines:
- Music: Concerts of contemporary and traditional African music, from afrobeat to desert blues, including Manding rhythms, African soul, and electronic sounds from the continent.
- Cinema: A program of short and feature films, documentaries, and fiction, with awards presented in several categories.
- Literature: The "Grin Littéraire," a space for meetings with African and diaspora authors, readings, and translation workshops.
- Visual Arts: Exhibitions of painting, photography, and visual arts celebrating contemporary African creation.
- Storytelling and Live Performances: Storytellers, artistic parades, and performances take over the village streets.
- Workshops: Percussion, dance, mask making, sand drawing, open to all ages.
The Grand Market and African conviviality
At the heart of the festival, Le Grand Marché brings together artisans, creators, and restaurateurs offering African crafts, clothing, jewelry, textiles, books, and culinary specialties from the continent. It is a place for meeting and sharing, true to the spirit of conviviality that has animated Africajarc since its beginnings.
A Country in the Spotlight Each Year
One of the festival's unique features is dedicating each edition to a country or region of Africa, allowing the public to discover the cultural richness of a territory in depth. Chad was in the spotlight in 2023, Togo in 2024, and the Nile countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, South Sudan) in 2025.
A Free and Popular Festival
Since 2024, Africajarc has become an entirely free festival, a strong choice to make culture accessible to all. Previously, daytime programming was already free, with only evening concerts being ticketed. This complete freeness reinforces the popular and family-friendly dimension of the event, which attracts between 20,000 and 25,000 festival-goers to the streets of Cajarc each year.
An Associative and Civic Commitment
Supported by the Africajarc association, recognized as being of general interest, the festival relies on the commitment of numerous volunteers and the support of local authorities. It contributes to the cultural influence of the Lot territory and to intercultural dialogue, by introducing contemporary African creations to a rural audience and by forging lasting links between France and the African continent.
Where does it take place — Africajarc
Africajarc in brief
History of Africajarc
Edition 2025 Jul 2025Other festivals near Cajarc
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)