Toulouse Festivals and Events Guide
Toulouse’s calendar centers on 4 recurring events, plus a rugby season that fills the city on match nights from September through June. Here’s what’s actually worth timing a trip around.
Fete de la Violette (February)
An annual celebration of the city’s symbol flower, the violette de Toulouse, run by the association Terre de Violettes since the early 2000s. Expect markets selling violet-based sweets, perfume, and syrup, plus guided visits to the violet conservatory that maintains around 80 varieties. Check the association’s site for exact 2027 dates before booking.
Rio Loco (June)
A world-music festival staged along the Garonne’s banks each June, with outdoor stages and a strong international lineup. It’s one of the busiest weekends of the summer for riverside crowds; book accommodation early if your dates overlap.
Fete de la Musique (June 21)
Not unique to Toulouse, this nationwide French holiday puts free live music on street corners across the country every June 21, and Toulouse’s student population makes its version particularly loud.
Piano aux Jacobins (September)
A prestigious piano recital series held inside the Jacobins’ Gothic cloister and church, drawing major international pianists to one of the city’s most atmospheric acoustic spaces. Tickets for the bigger names sell out well ahead of the festival.
Marche de Noel (December)
Toulouse’s Christmas market sets up on Place du Capitole and the surrounding squares through December, with wooden stalls, mulled wine, and local crafts. It’s a mild-winter market rather than a snowy one, so pack for rain more than cold.
Rugby season (September to June)
Stade Toulousain, the most decorated club in European rugby with 25 French titles and 6 European Cup or Champions Cup titles, plays home matches at Stade Ernest-Wallon, with the biggest fixtures moving to the larger Stadium de Toulouse. A match night brings a genuine, city-wide atmosphere well beyond the stadium itself, worth building an evening around if your visit lines up with the season.
Check match tickets and festival dates against your trip on GetYourGuide before you book flights, since the festival calendar shifts year to year.
Read more: our main Toulouse guide has a month-by-month when-to-go section, and the 2-day itinerary shows how to work a festival weekend into a short trip.