Jazz à Foix

The biggest of the small jazz festivals

Since 2001, the Jazz à Foix festival has been making the Ariège region vibrate to the rhythm of jazz every end of July. Created by the association Art'Riège, it has established itself over twenty-five years as a must-attend event on the jazz scene in the south of France, earning its nickname of "the biggest of the small festivals". In the exceptional setting of the Lucien Goron school courtyard, at the foot of the majestic Foix Castle, music lovers enjoy remarkable acoustics and a warm atmosphere.

A generous IN and OFF program

The festival is structured around an IN program of paid concerts, with a nationally or internationally renowned artist headlining each evening. Artists such as China Moses, Ana Carla Maza, Dhafer Youssef, Paul Lay, and Marion Rampal have performed on the main stage. In parallel, the OFF program offers over 15 free concerts in various locations around the city: jazz aperitifs at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., evening concerts at 8 p.m., and after-parties at 11 p.m.

Five stages for a human-sized festival

Jazz à Foix features five stages throughout the city of Foix, creating a true musical immersion for a week. The main stage at the Lucien Goron school hosts the headliners, while the OFF program stages take over the squares, bars, and terraces of the medieval city. This proximity between artists and the public is the magic of the festival and creates a unique friendly atmosphere.

Strong local roots and national reach

Supported by a team of passionate volunteers and by the City of Foix since 2005, the Departmental Council of Ariège since 2006, and the Occitanie Region, Jazz à Foix has successfully combined artistic excellence with accessibility. The festival welcomes several thousand spectators each year and contributes to the cultural and tourist dynamism of Ariège during the summer.