American Saloon - Tarbes American Festival
Country, Western, and North American Culture Festival in Tarbes — discontinued since 2021
2026
There is no edition scheduled in 2026 for this event. This page remains accessible to archive the history of the manifestation and will be updated if a new edition is announced.
About American Saloon
ℹ️ Festival discontinued. The American Saloon, which became the Tarbes American Festival, has not been held since 2021. Its last edition, organized from September 17 to 19, 2021, at the Parc des Expositions de Tarbes, was interrupted and closed by municipal order after a serious incident occurred on the sidelines of the event. No new edition has been publicly documented since.
Created in 2015, this festive event dedicated to North American culture annually brought together, for a weekend, three complementary events at the Parc des Expositions de Tarbes: the Tarbes American Festival (country and rock concerts, country dance workshops, western village), the Tarbes Poker Game (poker tournament), and an international tattoo exhibition (Battle in Bigorre). It gathered enthusiasts of country music, western culture, poker, and tattooing in the heart of Bigorre.
American Saloon — edition 2026
ℹ️ No 2026 edition — festival discontinued. The Tarbes American Festival (American Saloon) will not be held in September 2026. Its last documented edition, which took place from September 17 to 19, 2021, at the Parc des Expositions in Tarbes, was cut short and the site closed by the municipality following a fatal brawl between bikers on the sidelines of the event. As of mid-August 2026, the Parc des Expositions schedule lists events through the end of November with no mention of the festival, and the hall is booked from September 16 to 20, 2026, for the Cirque Mondial.
No 2026 edition
The Tarbes American Festival has not been held since the weekend of September 17-19, 2021, when it was shut down by the city following a fatal brawl between bikers during the event. The Parc des Expositions de Tarbes has marked that edition as "2021 EDITION CLOSED" on its official calendar.
Five years later, there is no sign of a revival. The official website displays a "Next event coming soon!" message with no actual dates, and its only event pages date back to September 2021. The Parc des Expositions, which manages the site, has released its 2026 schedule through the end of November: the Cirque Mondial occupies the hall from September 16 to 20, 2026, and the Rencontres du Bien-Être Pyrénées takes place from September 25 to 27, with no trace of the festival. The City of Tarbes' calendar for September 2026 does not mention it either.
The dates of September 18 to 20, 2026, shown on this page are based on the festival's traditional schedule; they do not stem from any official announcement by the organizers. This page serves as a historical record of this country, western, and North American culture event.
Prices American Saloon 2026
Practical information — American Saloon
Practical Information
Location
Parc des Expositions de Tarbes (Tarbes Expo Pyrénées Congrès), Boulevard du Président Kennedy, 65000 Tarbes.
Getting There
- By car: From the A64 motorway, take the Tarbes-Ouest exit, follow signs for the city centre, then the Parc des Expositions. Free parking is available on-site.
- By train: Tarbes train station, then a 10-minute bus or taxi ride.
Contact
- Phone: 09 72 11 00 30
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.tarbesamericanfestival.fr
The official festival website remains online but no longer lists any dates; it simply displays "Next event coming soon!" and its most recent event pages date back to September 2021. The Parc des Expositions, which manages the site, publishes its own schedule at tarbes-expos.com.
ℹ️ Festival discontinued. The Tarbes American Festival (formerly American Saloon) is no longer held. Its last documented edition took place from September 17 to 19, 2021, at the Parc des Expositions de Tarbes — it was cut short and the site closed by municipal decision following a tragedy that occurred on the sidelines of the festival. No edition has been organized since, and the official website no longer announces new dates.
A 100% American Culture Weekend in Tarbes
From its creation in 2015 until 2021, the American Saloon — renamed Tarbes American Festival — was the annual gathering for North American culture enthusiasts in the Hautes-Pyrénées. The festival had successfully built a loyal audience of all ages around country music, dance, poker, and tattooing.
Three Events in One
The Tarbes American Festival stood out for its original format, bringing together three complementary events in a single weekend:
The Country Festival
- Concerts: French and international country and rock artists performed on the stage of the Parc des Expositions.
- Dance Workshops: Line dance and country dance classes were offered throughout the weekend, led by renowned choreographers.
- Western Village: A thematic area with stands for western accessories, clothing, jewelry, and objects.
The Tarbes Poker Game
A free-roll poker tournament that gathered several hundred players, with prestigious prizes at stake.
The International Tattoo Exhibition
The Battle in Bigorre welcomed French and international tattoo artists for demonstrations and live tattooing sessions.
A Saloon Atmosphere
The Parc des Expositions de Tarbes was transformed for the occasion into a true giant saloon, with careful decoration, American food stands, and a festive atmosphere reminiscent of the Far West.
The End of an Adventure
The 2021 edition was marked by a tragedy that occurred on the sidelines of the event, which led to the closure of the Parc des Expositions by the municipality and the discontinuation of the festival. Since then, the Tarbes American Festival has not been held, and no resumption has been publicly announced. If a new edition were to be organized in the future, this page would be updated.
Where does it take place — American Saloon
American Saloon in brief
History of American Saloon
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Tarbes
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