Feria de Béziers 2024: our five unmissable events to make the most of the festival

The paquito, a moment always very popular with young and old. Midi Libre – ALEXANDRE DIMOU

The Feria de Béziers 2024 will begin this Wednesday, August 14 and will run its festive and traditional program until Sunday, August 18. How to find your way through this abundant offer ? With family, friends… How to participate, not miss anything and savor the best moments of this new edition ? Follow the guide.

1 Bullfight on August 15: a prestigious poster for the opening

Sébastien Castella, here at the Feria de Béziers 2023, is on the bill for the bullfight on August 15. Midi Libre – GIACOMO ITALIANO

Without bullfighting, no Feria! And the one on Thursday, August 15, the first of this 2024 edition, promises to be very well attended! Betarra, manager of the arenas, has in fact decided to renew the opening poster of the Feria 2023 for which the “no hay billetes” was intended. A dream that had vanished with the withdrawal of Roca Rey… The bullfighters are therefore reunited with the presence of the Peruvian phenomenon; Sébastien Castella (photo); and Christian Parejo. And already 8,000 tickets have been sold. If the prices normally start at 22 €, count instead on 49 € for this event (subject to availability) and up to €102. The second cartel, Friday, August 17, should attract aficionados (Talavante, Daniel Luque, Borja Jimenez). While the general public will enjoy the equestrian bullfight on Saturday, led by Léa Vicens and Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza. To close, on Sunday, the bulls of the local ganaderia Margé will be in the arena facing Juan Leal, Clemente and Carlos Olsina. See you at 6 p.m. at the bullring. “We have the best bullfighters of the escalafon at the moment, that's why the ticket office is doing well. We also had two indultos last year“, recalls the director of the arenas Olivier Margé. “All the ingredients are there for a good Feria.”

2 Bodegas, fiesta hotspots, like the one in the Spanish Colony

The bodega of the Spanish Colony offers moments of celebration, in the Iberian tradition. DR

Bodega des Arènes, Le Circus, des Franciscains, Les Poètes, Urgencias… The festejaïres will have a wide choice of bodegas (ten official ones) and casitas to drink, eat and dance from the Allées to the bullring. And also dance! One has a very special flavor: that of the Spanish Colony, rue de la Vieille-Citadelle, not far from the town hall. There, in the large red and yellow room, with its beautiful stage, its counter and its most authentic waiters (the volunteers of the association that works to promote Spanish culture), you will be at the heart of Iberian culture. The succulent paella, served from 9 p.m., is prepared by the “mamas” in the kitchen of the Colony. Just like the sangria. And a show every evening by Ballet Iberia from 10 p.m. Open from 7 p.m., from August 15 to 17.

3 A shower of concerts: Patrick Sébastien, Keen V, Sophie les bas bleus, les Goulamas K

Patrick Sébastien will perform on the forecourt of the municipal theater, Wednesday, August 14. Midi Libre – STEPHANE BARBIER

In addition to the bandas that will liven up the Feria for four days (with their big closing concert on Sunday at 9:45 p.m. at the arenas), many more free concerts are planned this year in various locations: we will mention Patrick Sébastien expected on the forecourt of the municipal theater on Wednesday, August 14, at 10 p.m., for the opening night. Of course, the village of the 3rd half-time, on the Allées, has concocted a whole program with the unbeatable Ricoune (Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m.), the Métissé collective (Thursday, 11 p.m.), etc. Friday, August 16, from 9 p.m., on the forecourt of the theater, RTS radio brings together eight artists, including Keen V, Carla (Bim Bam Toi) … The Occitan village (Casimir-Péret school) also offers a series of nice concerts with Sophie les bas bleus (Friday at 9:45 p.m.) or the Goulamas K (Sunday at 9:45 p.m.) to name but a few.

4 A giant paquito for children but not only…

For several years, the Feria de Béziers has been designed to be accessible to a wide family audience. This is why there are activities during the day on the Allées (roussataïo, abrivado on Thursday 15 August, from 3 p.m. for example, waiter race on Saturday 17 from 3:30 p.m.) but also in the evening in the arenas, after the bullfight, at 9:45 p.m. with the shows “The horse in the arena” on Thursday 15 August (entrance 12 €), “The Camargue in freedom” on Friday 16 August (12 €) or the Recorte (the art of dodging) on ​​Saturday 17 August (same price). Let us also mention the bull-pool organized on Place Émile-Zola, every evening at 6 p.m. And a special mention for the children's giant paquito on Thursday, August 15 at 3 p.m. on the Plateau des Poètes. The older ones can rest assured, they will have their paquito that same day at 9:30 p.m. on the forecourt of the theater. 

5 Rituals to capture the soul of the Feria: flamenco, masses, tertulias 

The parade of the Virgin, opening the Feria, now brings together a very large audience. Free Midi – ERIC CATARINA

There are unchanging events that punctuate the Feria and give it its relief and its soul. Some are well known, like the flamenco festival organized at the Plateau des Poètes (from Wednesday August 14 to Saturday August 17, from 10:30 p.m.). Others are more discreet, like the misas flamencas on Sunday, August 18, at 12:15 p.m., at Saint-Nazaire Cathedral and at the church. of the Madeleine. For those who love this solemnity, there is also, of course, the opening mass in the arenas (Wednesday 14 at 7:30 p.m.) at the end of the procession of the virgin, an appointment set in place by Robert Ménard. Finally, some advice for those who would like  go further to understand bullfighting: attend a “tertulia”, that is to say the debriefing of the bullfight in the courtyard of the Church of the Immaculate Conception at 9:30 p.m., every evening   from August 15 to 18.

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