The Carthage Festival, or Carthage International Festival, is Tunisia's big summer music event. Every evening from mid-July to mid-August, Tunisian, Arab and international singers perform in the Roman theater of Carthage, in the northern suburbs of Tunis. The 60th edition was held from July 16 to August 19, 2026.
Origins and meaning of the festival
The festival has been running for six decades. It is held in a place steeped in history: the ancient theater is part of the archaeological site of Carthage, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979.
It is first and foremost a festival of Arabic song. The great voices of the Maghreb and the Middle East are the headliners. Each edition also invites a few artists from Africa, Europe or the Americas.
The festival is run under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. In 2026, according to La Presse, it had no director for the second year in a row and was managed by a public body of the ministry.
The Carthage International Festival: what you will see
The 2026 program, announced in early July according to the TAP news agency, as carried by AllAfrica, included about twenty shows. Tunisian singer Saber Rebaï opened the festival on July 16, and Lebanese singer Majda El Roumi closed it on August 19.
In between, audiences saw Cheb Khaled, Elissa, Amina Fakhet and Sami Yusuf. Five shows came from elsewhere: The Jacksons, Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo, Italy's Rondò Veneziano, the Andalusian Flamenco Ballet and an evening of world folk traditions.
Shows usually start around 10 p.m. and end around midnight. The exact time is printed on each ticket.
Our advice
In 2026, the program came out in early July, less than two weeks before the opening. If you are aiming for a specific artist, keep your travel dates flexible until the announcement.
Dates and places
The festival takes place every summer, from mid-July to mid-August, in the Roman theater of Carthage. In 2026, it ran from July 16 to August 19. The program is announced late: in 2026, it was unveiled in early July, less than two weeks before the opening. The 2027 dates were not known as of mid-October 2026.
Attending the Carthage International Festival
Tickets and prices
In 2026, online ticket sales opened on July 5 on teskerti.tn and on the festival's official website. Box offices opened on July 11 at the Roman theater of Carthage and at the Cité de la Culture in Tunis.
There are two seating categories: the stands, and chairs, which cost more. Here are the 2026 prices, as reported by La Presse.
| Type of show | Stands | Chairs |
|---|---|---|
| Big Arab stars (opening, closing, Cheb Khaled, Elissa…) | 100 DT | 150 DT |
| Amina Fakhet | 80 DT | 120 DT |
| Tunisian variety acts | 60 DT | 100 DT |
| Theater, Rondò Veneziano | 40 DT | 80 DT |
| Group projects, flamenco, world folk traditions | 30 DT | not specified |
DT: Tunisian dinar. Prices for the 2026 edition, to be checked for the next one.
Our advice
For the big Arab stars, buy your ticket online as soon as sales open. These are the evenings that sell out fastest.
Getting there
The TGM, the suburban train linking Tunis Marine to La Marsa, serves six stations in Carthage. Carthage Hannibal station is the closest to the Roman theater, less than 500 meters away on foot. Shows end late: plan on a taxi back if you are staying far from the line.
Accommodation
Staying in Carthage, Sidi Bou Saïd or La Marsa makes it easy to get back after the show. All three areas are on the TGM line.
Safety
Tunisia is under heightened vigilance outside the areas advised against in the south and center-west, according to France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry's travel advice). Carthage is not in an area advised against. Also check your own government's travel advice.
Watch out
France Diplomatie reports tighter security measures, sometimes including traffic bans, in central Tunis and around the presidential palace in Carthage. Do not take photos near the palace, and follow the instructions of the security forces.
Entry requirements
Depending on your nationality, you will either enter Tunisia without a visa or need to apply for one: check your case on our Tunisia entry requirements page. French passport holders can enter without a visa for up to three months, and since January 1, 2025, the passport must be valid for at least three months after the date of entry. For health and money, see our Tunisia page. The country's other festivals are in our calendar of festivals in Tunisia.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you buy tickets for the Carthage Festival?
Online on teskerti.tn and on the festival's official website, or at the box offices of the Roman theater of Carthage and the Cité de la Culture in Tunis. In 2026, online sales started six days before the box offices opened.
Is the festival held in an amphitheater?
No, in the Roman theater of Carthage. The amphitheater of Carthage is a different monument on the archaeological site. For a concert in a Roman amphitheater, look instead at the El Jem festival.
Can people who do not speak Arabic enjoy the shows?
Most evenings are concerts of Arabic song, which you can enjoy without understanding the lyrics. International shows, such as flamenco or Rondò Veneziano, are often the most accessible.
