Fête de la Noisette

Twenty-five years of celebrating the hazelnut of Ariège

Created in 2000, the Fête de la Noisette de Lavelanet was born from the desire to promote an emblematic product of the Pays d'Olmes terroir: the hazelnut. Fruit of hazel trees that grow abundantly on the foothills of the Ariège Pyrenees, the hazelnut is much more than a simple nut here: it is a symbol of local identity, a link between generations, and a vector of conviviality. For a quarter of a century, this festival has brought together thousands of visitors every last weekend of September around this small fruit with a thousand flavors.

A market of producers and artisans

The heart of the Fête de la Noisette beats around its market of producers and artisan creators, which takes over the town hall park and the Roaldès house park. Local producers offer hazelnuts in all their forms - fresh, roasted, as oil, as paste, in cakes, in confectionery - as well as other local products from Ariège: honeys, cheeses, cured meats, wines, and jams. Artisan creators showcase their skills: pottery, basketry, jewelry, wood and leather work. This market is an opportunity to meet the men and women who bring the region to life.

The world hazelnut spitting contest

The most emblematic and media-covered event of the festival remains the famous world hazelnut spitting contest. Open to all, this burlesque and good-natured competition invites participants to propel a hazelnut as far as possible with a simple spit. This hilarious event attracts fierce competitors and many spectators each year, creating a moment of laughter and conviviality that makes the event renowned far beyond the borders of Ariège.

Entertainment, concerts, and pastry competition

The Fête de la Noisette offers a rich and varied entertainment program throughout the weekend: concerts on the main stage, raffle, brass bands, street entertainment, pony rides for children, sculpture demonstrations, and street shows. The hazelnut pastry competition, open to amateur pastry chefs from Lavelanet and the surrounding area, crowns the best hazelnut-based sweet creations, highlighting the gourmet know-how of the local inhabitants.