Home · The calendar
Festivals and holidays
The major celebrations of each country, to help you pick the dates of your trip.
January
Jan.Tradition · AlgeriaYennayer (Amazigh New Year)Nationwide, especially Kabylie and the Amazigh regions
Jan.Festival · MaliOgobagna FestivalBamako
Jan.Tradition · BeninVodun Festival (Day of Endogenous Religions)Ouidah and nationwide
Jan.Religious festival · MauritiusThaipoosam CavadeeTamil temples all over the island
February
Feb.Festival · MaliSégou'Art, Festival on the NigerSégou
Feb.National holiday · CameroonYouth DayNationwide
Feb.National holiday · BurundiNational Unity DayBujumbura (National Unity monument) and nationwide
Feb.Tradition · MauritiusSpring Festival (Chinese New Year)Port Louis (Chinatown) and nationwide
March
Mar.Religious festival · MoroccoEid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan)Nationwide
Mar.Religious festival · AlgeriaEid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan)Nationwide
Mar.National holiday · TunisiaIndependence DayNationwide
Mar.Religious festival · TunisiaEid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan)Nationwide
Mar.Religious festival · MauritaniaEid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan)Nationwide
Mar.Religious festival · SenegalKorité (Eid al-Fitr)Nationwide
Mar.Festival · Burkina FasoFESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou)Ouagadougou
Mar.Religious festival · Burkina FasoRamadan and Eid al-FitrNationwide
Mar.Religious festival · GuineaKorité (Eid al-Fitr)Nationwide
Mar.Religious festival · TogoKorité (Eid al-Fitr)Nationwide
Mar.Religious festival · CameroonDjoulde Soumae (Eid al-Fitr)Nationwide, especially the north
Mar.Religious festival · MauritiusMaha Shivaratree (Grand Bassin pilgrimage)Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao), Savanne district, and roads across the island
May
MayReligious festival · MoroccoEid al-Adha (Eid el-Kebir)Nationwide
MayTradition · MoroccoInternational Rose FestivalKelaat M'Gouna, Dades Valley
MayReligious festival · AlgeriaEid al-Adha (Eid el-Kebir)Nationwide
MayReligious festival · TunisiaEid al-Adha (Eid el-Kebir)Nationwide
MayReligious festival · MauritaniaEid al-Adha (Tabaski)Nationwide
MayReligious festival · SenegalTabaski (Eid al-Adha)Nationwide
MayFestival · SenegalSaint-Louis Jazz FestivalSaint-Louis
MayReligious festival · Burkina FasoTabaski (Eid al-Adha)Nationwide
MayReligious festival · BeninTabaski (Eid al-Adha)Nationwide, especially the north and towns with large Muslim communities
July
JulyNational holiday · MoroccoThrone DayNationwide
JulyNational holiday · AlgeriaIndependence and Youth DayNationwide
JulyFestival · AlgeriaTimgad International Cultural FestivalTimgad, Batna province
JulyNational holiday · TunisiaRepublic DayNationwide
July – Aug.Festival · TunisiaCarthage International FestivalRoman theater of Carthage, near Tunis
July – Aug.Festival · TunisiaEl Jem International Symphonic Music FestivalRoman amphitheater of El Jem
JulyReligious festival · SenegalGrand Magal of ToubaTouba
JulyNational holiday · RwandaIndependence DayNationwide
JulyNational holiday · RwandaKwibohora (Liberation Day)Kigali and nationwide
JulyNational holiday · BurundiIndependence DayBujumbura (Intwari stadium) and nationwide
August
Aug.Tradition · RwandaUmuganura (National Harvest Day)Nationwide, especially in the villages
Aug.Religious festival · SeychellesLa Digue Festival (Feast of the Assumption)La Digue
September
Sept. – Oct.Tradition · MoroccoImilchil Marriage FestivalImilchil and Bouzmou, High Atlas (Midelt province)
Sept.Festival · RwandaKwita Izina (Gorilla Naming Ceremony)Kinigi, at the foot of Volcanoes National Park (Musanze district)
October
Oct.Festival · SeychellesFestival KreolMahé (Victoria) and other islands
November
Nov.National holiday · MoroccoIndependence DayNationwide
Nov.National holiday · AlgeriaRevolution DayNationwide
Nov.National holiday · MauritaniaIndependence DayNationwide, especially Nouakchott
Nov. – Dec.Festival · SenegalDak'Art Biennale of Contemporary African ArtDakar
Nov.Festival · SeychellesSeychelles Ocean Festival (formerly SUBIOS)Mahé (Beau Vallon, Victoria) and islands
