Sam'Africa Festival
Free and solidarity African cultural festival in Samatan
2026
About Sam'Africa
Sam'Africa — edition 2026
Sam'Africa takes place from Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6, 2026, in Samatan, under the theme "Tous Africains" (All African). Seven free concerts on the main stage — Afrogroove, Bakh Yaye, Yeko, Manu Sissoko, Vesko, Percusound, and Femina Vox — a second stage featuring Dja Bal Afro, L'Âme Mandingue, and Max Galina and Soluma, plus dance, singing, percussion, bass, and capoeira workshops, two cinema screenings, and an African market with over 50 exhibitors.
Sam'Africa 2026: "Tous Africains"
The Samatan African festival is held from Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6, 2026, in the town center, under the theme "Tous Africains" as announced on the official poster. Admission, concerts, and entertainment are free; the ADAMA32 association requests a voluntary contribution at the entrance and for certain activities. The festival has been running since 1999.
Two stages
Stage 1 hosts seven concerts over the three days. Stage 2, located in the heart of the artisan and association village, features local artists in the afternoon and DJs in the evening, between main stage sets.
Workshops and bookings
Dance, percussion, slam, and singing workshops cost 20 €, while musical discovery for toddlers is pay-what-you-want. Registration is handled via the festival app or directly with the instructors at the number provided for each workshop. Places are limited.
Highlights Sam'Africa 2026
- Manu Sissoko, Saturday, September 5 at 10:00 PM on Stage 1
- Vesko, Saturday, September 5 at midnight on Stage 1
- Afrogroove opening, Friday, September 4 at 8:30 PM
- Yeko, Friday, September 4 at midnight on Stage 1
- Two street performances by the Alchimie company, including one illuminated show, Saturday, September 5 at 9:30 PM and 11:30 PM
- Free concerts and entertainment throughout the three days
Programme Sam'Africa 2026
Friday, September 4, 2026
- 5:00 PM — Festival opening: artisan square, association village, creative village (painting, drawing, games, reading area at the village hall), discovery area, African market, bar and food stalls
- 6:30 PM — Inauguration and official speeches · Stage 1
- 8:30 PM — Afrogroove · Stage 1 — Kora and n'goni blended with bass, guitar, and drums, crossing afro-beat, afro-trap, and blues
- 9:00 PM — Dja Bal Afro · Stage 2
- 9:30 PM and 11:30 PM — Two street performances by the Drum Arrangé batucada
- 10:00 PM — Bakh Yaye · Stage 1 — Toulouse-based African music group, presenting their creation "L'engouement": sabar, Baye Fall percussion, balafon, and West African dance and songs
- 10:30 PM — Max Galina and Soluma · Stage 2
- 12:00 AM — Yeko · Stage 1 — Yohann Le Ferrand, bridging Rennes and Bamako: rap, reggae, and afro-rock featuring kamelengoni, Fula flute, and Tuareg violins, with Malian singer Socha
Saturday, September 5, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Festival opening: artisan square, association village, creative village, discovery area, African market, bar and food stalls
- 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM — African music discovery for children with Léna Vassiliu · Brialy Hall (cinema) — 10:00 AM for ages 0-3, 11:00 AM for ages 4-6, pay-what-you-want, booking at 06 23 08 23 54
- 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM — Singing workshop with the KiLifë association · Poultry Hall — 20 €, booking at 06 63 85 43 99
- 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM — Bass workshop with Quentin Chaigneau · Fat Hall — booking at 06 89 02 82 13
- 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Capoeira initiation with Yann Lafuste · in front of Stage 1 — booking at 06 64 11 52 49
- 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM — "Le spectacle", a film by Lise Bellynck and Frédéric Aspisi, filmed around a traveling show performed in Mauritanian villages · cinema
- 4:30 PM — Storytelling by the Paroles et Calebasses company · Stage 2
- 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM — "Elles inspirent", a documentary by Lila Carlier filmed in Cameroon, winner of the jury's favorite award at the 2025 Africajarc festival, followed by a Q&A with the director · cinema
- 6:00 PM — DJ set · Stage 2
- 8:00 PM — L'Âme Mandingue · Stage 2
- 9:30 PM and 11:30 PM — Two street performances by the Alchimie company, including one illuminated show
- 10:00 PM — Manu Sissoko · Stage 1 — Malian singing and dance, featuring the album "MéTisse"
- 10:30 PM — Max Galina and Soluma · Stage 2
- 12:00 AM — Vesko · Stage 1 — Samplers, drum machines, and live Malian instruments (balafon, kora, tamani, kamale n'goni)
Sunday, September 6, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Festival opening: artisan square, association village, creative village, discovery area, African market, bar and food stalls
- 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM — African music discovery for children with Léna Vassiliu · Brialy Hall (cinema) — 10:00 AM for ages 0-3, 11:00 AM for ages 4-6, pay-what-you-want, booking at 06 23 08 23 54
- 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM — Singing workshop with the KiLifë association · Poultry Hall — 20 €, booking at 06 63 85 43 99
- 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM — Bass workshop with Quentin Chaigneau · Fat Hall — booking at 06 89 02 82 13
- 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM — Capoeira workshop with Yann Lafuste · in front of Stage 1 — booking at 06 64 11 52 49
- 2:30 PM — Percusound · in front of Stage 1 — Nicolas Joquéviel's percussion school opens its session to the public; bring your own percussion instruments
- 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM — Capoeira demonstration with Yann Lafuste · in front of Stage 1
- 3:30 PM — Femina Vox · in front of Stage 1 — Acoustic all-female samba roda, featuring samba, rhythms from the Northeast, and original compositions
Culture Soleil Workshops
Three disciplines for 20 €: Afro-Mandingue dance and percussion at the Poultry Hall, slam poetry at the Fat Hall. Scheduled slots: Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, plus Saturday 5th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Bookings at 06 26 37 44 84 for dance and percussion, and 06 33 87 64 05 for slam. The website does not specify which discipline takes place in which slot.
Ongoing throughout the three days
- African market with over 50 exhibitors: jewelry, sculptures, fabrics
- Artisan square: demonstrations and introductions to African craft techniques
- International solidarity association village, at the village hall
- Creative village: painting workshop, drawing workshop, games, reading area
- Discovery area
- Exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, and photos
- Bar and African food stalls
The official website provides conflicting times for some events across different pages. The "2026 Program" grid lists 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM for the two Saturday cinema screenings, 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM for Percusound and Femina Vox on Sunday, and 11:00 AM for the Saturday bass and singing workshops, whereas the "Stage 1 Concerts," "Workshops," and "Animations" pages provide the times listed above.
Prices Sam'Africa 2026
Voluntary and conscious contribution requested at the entrance and for certain activities.
Dance, percussion, slam, and singing workshops: 20 €.
Musical discovery for ages 0-6: pay-what-you-want.
Workshop bookings via the official festival app or directly with the instructors.
Practical information — Sam'Africa
Getting there
Samatan is a 40-minute drive from Toulouse via the RN 124 dual carriageway. The nearest train station is L'Isle-Jourdain, and Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is 45 minutes away. Two bus lines serve Samatan, stopping at the market square, with connections from the Toulouse bus station and L'Isle-Jourdain train station.
Opening hours
The festival opens on Friday at 5:00 PM, and at 10:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday.
Admission
The festival is free. Dance, percussion, slam, and singing workshops are €20, while musical discovery sessions are pay-what-you-wish. Voluntary contributions are welcome at the entrance and for certain activities.
On-site
African food and drinks are available, and there is a dedicated area for children.
Sam'Africa: Africa at the heart of Gascony
Sam'Africa is a unique festival that celebrates African cultures in Samatan, in the heart of the Gers. Organized by the ADAMA32 association, it offers a weekend of discovery, sharing, and celebration around African music, art, and traditions every year.
Free concerts on two stages
The festival offers three days of free concerts on two stages, featuring African and Afro-European artists of all styles: afrobeat, highlife, mbalax, soukous, reggae, African hip-hop. The musical diversity of the continent is celebrated in all its richness.
Cultural Village and Workshops
A cultural village offers workshops in African dance, percussion, dyeing, hairstyling, and African cuisine. Exhibitions of African painting, sculpture, and crafts showcase the continent's creativity. Conferences and documentary film screenings complete the program.
A festival of solidarity
Sam'Africa is a committed and solidarity festival. The ADAMA32 association carries out cooperation actions with African partners, and the festival is an opportunity to raise public awareness about international solidarity issues.
Where does it take place — Sam'Africa
Sam'Africa in brief
History of Sam'Africa
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Samatan
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