Morocco Events and Festivals

Almond Blossom Festival: Held in mid-February in the Tafraout Valley, this event marks the blossoming of the many almond trees you can find here. The photogenic pink blossom attracts crowds each year who come to admire this short-lived sign of spring.

Kelaa of M’Gounan: Mid-May sees the Kelaa of M’Gounan in Ourzazate Province. Featuring folk dancing, singing, handicrafts, food and much more, this event is ideal for the whole family and offers a great insight into this region’s heritage.

Honey Festival: Argana in Agadir Province claims to be the largest collective beehive in the world and certainly one of the country’s biggest honey producers. Its construction is fascinating and worthy of a visit alone, with the Honey Festival being one of the best times to visit.

Cherry Festival: Fez Province marks the cherry season with a three-day entertainment festival. Events include sporting competitions, processions, a fairground and the crowning of ‘Miss Cherry’.

Camel Festival: This annual event attracts many tourists who celebrate Morocco’s cherished beasts with bumps. It is held at Goulimine in July, and you should expect to see musical and dance performances too.

Marrakech Arts Festival: This vibrant al fresco celebration sees a coming together of artists and gives visitors the perfect opportunity to get up close with Morocco’s traditional folk arts.

Asilah Cultural Festival: Held in Asilah in August this cultural event attracts crowds who come to enjoy the town’s traditional offerings of dance, music and crafts.

Festival of Fiancés: Hosted by Imilchl, a small settlement in the Atlas Mountains, this is a traditional day for couples to get married. Up to 30,000 people attend the event, with tents being set up and flocks of horses and camels arriving. Dancing and exquisite costumes feature.

Date Festival: Early October witnesses the Erfoud come alive for this lively event in honour of dates. Nearly a million date palms are said to grow here, providing a livelihood for all of Erfoud’s residents.

Olive Festival: The olive groves in Fez Province mark the beginning of the olive-picking season with this event, which celebrates folklore with feasts.

Agadir Festival: An eight-day event showcasing a wide range of musical genres from desert chants to electronic music and rap. Drawing mainly a local crowd, many visitors prefer this less touristy event to some of Morocco’s other crowd-pullers.

Egypt’s religious festivals follow the Islamic lunar calendar. Therefore, the exact dates change each year. Ramadan occurs 29 days earlier each year, with Eid Al Fitr marking the end of Ramadan.

Ramadan: The most important month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims across Morocco fast until dusk each day and feast from sunset to sunrise. Daytime activity is at a minimum during this month-long period, and visitors should refrain from being seen eating on the streets during Ramadan.

Eid al Fitr: The end of Ramadan is marked with a three-day festival signalling the end of the fasting period. This is a time for families to get together and feast while praying. Visiting friends and gift-giving also feature significantly.

Eid al Adha: This is the time of year when Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca in remembrance of the time when Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, for God. The sacrifice of sheep and cows at this time is a symbolic gesture.

Islamic New Year: The New Year, also known as Muharram, is celebrated across the country, with many places not selling alcohol on this day.