Pyrenees-Oriental Events and Festivals

January 5-6 2006

Spain.  This is the Spanish equivalent of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There are parades throughout Spain on the 5th and just about everything is closed on the 6th. Same dates each year.

January 21-22 2006

Maury. Foire du Couchon. A traditional festival involving the slaughtering of a pig in the main square of the village. Not for the squeemish.

January 30 - February 13

Barcelona. Carnival. The parade through the streets of Barcelona on the Sunday (the 5th) is definitely worth seeing.

February 5-6 2005

Arles-sur-Tech. Fête de l'Ours. Hunting festival. Usually the first weekend in February.

February 20 2005

Prats-de-Molló. Fête de l'Ours. Hunting festival. End of February

April 14-21 2005

Perpignan. Confrontation. Retrospective film festival.

April 23 2006

Perpignan. San Jordi. Catalonia's patron saint. Same date each year.

May 2006

Perpignan. Medieval market. Late May.

June 7-8 2005

Céret. Grand Fête de la Cerise. Festival of the Cherry with music, dancing and bullfights.

June 23 2006

Catalonia. St John's Day. Traditional celebration throughout Catalonia. Same date each year.

Bundles of firewood are carried to the summit of Mount Canigou. At nightfall, an enormous bonfire is lit which can be seen all over the Conflent. This is called "la trobada". The next day, relay runners carry a flame from that same fire down to all the villages they pass through on the way to Perpignan. In the evening, the flame lights the "Focs de la Sant Joan" in the towns and villages and the merrymaking begins !

July 9-10 2005

Céret. Feria de Céret. Month long festival from the second weekend in July based around bullfights and bull runs.

July 24 2005

Céret. Céret de Toros. Three day bullfighting and bull running festival around the middle of July.

July 14-21 2005

Perpignan. Dia de Sant-Jaume. A week of medieval pageantry and markets based around one of the largest Catalan holidays.

July 2-31 2005

Perpignan. Estivales. Throughout July.

A wide range of musical and dance events throughout the month of July at various venues around the city of Perpignan.

July 8-15 2005

Prades. The Romanesque Days. A week of events on a Roman theme. Annual, mid-July.

July 2005

Perpignan. Les Jeudis de Perpignan. Running festival on Thursdays from mid-July to late August.

July 16-23 2005

Prades. Film Festival (Ciné-rencontres de Prades). Annual, mid-July.

July 17 2005

Maury. Amorioles. A mini-festival of the regional wines along with a parade of the wine lodges ("confréries"). Maury really wakens up for this annual event; don't miss the parade of the lodges late in the afternoon: it's short but very colourful and followed by speeches and quite an elaborate dinner (you need to book a few weeks ahead if you want to go). Mid-July.

July - August 2005

Oloron Sainte Marie. Pyrénées Folk Festival. Festival of traditional Pyrénées culture. End of July.

July 24 - 30 2005

Latour de France. Classical music festival. End of July.

July 26 - August 13 2005

Prades. Pablo Casals estival. International chambre music festival.

July 28-29 2005

Peyrepertuse Medieval Festival. 10am on Wednesday to 7pm on Thursday.

A wide range of events on a medieval theme including music, juggling, joustingsxa, craft demonstrations, fireworks, and a banquet and medieval ball on Wednesday evening. Peyrepertuse is a Cathar castle which forms an authentic background to the events. Mas Camps offers a three day package deal for this event for 60€ per person per night based on two sharing an ensuite room including transfers and meals.

July 2005

Thuir. Thïr la Catalana. Festival celebrating Catalan culture and cuisine. Late July.

July 2005

Saint-Génies-des-Fontaines. Festival Lyrique. Catalan song and verse. Late July.

Thuir. Thïr la Catalana. Festival celebrating Catalan culture and cuisine. Late July.

July 2005

Céret. International Sardana Festival. Three days of traditional song and dance. Late July.

August 2005

Maury. Pottery Market. This market circulates round a considerable number of villages in the area from the beginning of April to December, although most markets are between April and September.

August 2005

Tautavel. Medieval Market. Finishes at 6pm on the 13th. Mid-July.

August 11 2005

Perseid meteor shower. From nightfall; best viewing time is very early in the morning of the 12th.

This annual meteor shower is one of nature's own firework displays. Rural locations are the best place for viewing this as the street lighting in urban areas will obscure something like 90% of the meteors (around 100 per hour at the peak).

August 2005

Peyrepertuse Medieval Festival. 10am on Saturday to 7pm on Sunday.

A wide range of events on a medieval theme including music, juggling, jousting, craft demonstrations, fireworks, and a banquet and medieval ball on Saturday evening. Peyrepertuse is a Cathar castle which forms an authentic background to the events.

August 2005

Argeles-sur-Mer. Festival Lyrique. More Catalan song and verse. Mid-August.

August 16 2005

Collioure. Festa Major. Festival celebrating the town's saint with a mix of Catalan and Spanish. You need to book to see the corrida.

August 20 2005

Céret. Sardana Festival. Festival of traditional dance. Usually the third Sunday in August.

August 27th-September 11th 2005

Perpignan. International Photojournalism Festival

Exhibitions, talks and presentations on photojournalism around the world. Mas Camps offers a three day package deal for this event for 60€ per person per night based on two sharing an ensuite room including transfers and meals. Runs for two weeks, generally starting the last week of August (dates are confirmed by the Visa pour L'image office in January) of which the first week is mainly aimed at the professionals (although amateurs can attend most events without a press pass). If you want to meet journalists off-duty, this is the place to be.

September 2005

Elene. Festival de Musique en Catalogne Romane. Classical music festival. First week of September.

September 2005

Arles-sur-Tech. Fête Médiéval. Lively medieval festival. First week of September.

September 2005

Céret. Les Méditerranéennes. Mediterrannean music festival. Late September.

October 3-31 2005

Perpignan. Festival Jazzèbre. Jazz music festival. Throughout October.

October 2005

Banyuls-sur-Mer. Vendîme. Celebrating the grape harvest.

October 30-31 2005

Tresserre. Fête des Sorcières.

November 2005

Perpignan. Foire de la Saint-Martin. The circus comes to town in a big way.

December 2005

Perpignan. Catalan Christmas. Over the last two weeks of December Perpignan buzzes with markets, nativity scenes and concerts.