Festivals not only bring joy, happiness, and enjoyment but also a chance to meet our every loved one and celebrate the leisure. Marrakesh is a mind-blowing place in North Africa where you can enjoy fantastic festivals during the trip to country. Located in the foothills of snow-capped Atlas Mountain and Sahara desert on the other side Marrakesh is a beautiful city of Morocco with lots of culture, tradition and a place to enjoy adventurous sport. The place is also famous for its worth attending festivals and the energy with which they celebrate them. Marrakesh along with celebrating religious festivals also celebrates festivals related to their tradition and culture as well as they promote it. So if you are planning to visit this city, don’t forget to attend these festivals if they fall on date of your tour to this beautiful city.
Celebrated in the month of July this festival was started by Hassan II in the year 1960. This festival is held for a week and celebration is done with traditional dance and songs. Various artists such as story tellers, dancers and singers etc. take part in this festival from all over Morocco. This festival also attracts the people from all over the world and gives a chance to represent talent of artistic people globally. The large crowd of global audience comes to enjoy this festival every year.
Music lovers will love to enjoy sun festival in Marrakesh that features domestic and foreign musicians. This extra-ordinary music fest takes place for over five days all over the city. Featuring various styles of music, this event offers you the chance of exploring more about the city.
TEDx has been set up in the spirit of TED’s mission. The objective of this event is to support independent organizers on the basis of punch-line ‘ideas worth spreading’. TEDx is a speial talkfest of the city where movers and shakers accept challenges like dare to question and driving forces. This festival represents all about the self respecting culture of Marrakesh.
It is an annual marathon held in Marrakesh organised by a non-profitable organisation. Thousands of participants from all over the world compete in this marathon and along with this; half marathon race is also conducted there, the total length being 42,195 KMs for marathon and 21,097 for half marathon.
Also known as FIFM, this is an international film festival founded in 2001 and since then it is one of the biggest events of the Moroccan cinema held annually. This event gathers reputed director, actresses, actors and other people associated with film making from the different parts of world and rewards the best out of them. Moreover, this event has also been an attraction for Hollywood stars and showcases over 100 films annually.
Moussem is a fun festival of Marrakesh that takes place in every part of the city. Setti Fatma Moussem is organised in the month August every year at the stunning location of Ourika valley where seven waterfalls make the place ultimately beautiful. The festival can take place in any shape such as dance, music, religious elements, entertainment deals, feast, food and games or combination of this all.
Started from year 2005 by the Marrakesh biennale organisation, this festival is held in every two years to promote contemporary art, films and literature. This event is trilingual (French, Arabic and English) and held to promote the art and talent of students and other professionals providing an international exposure to them and also focuses on the development of local institutions.
This special music festival is surviving in the city for over 100 years and passing down generation to generation. Being a cultural fest, it pays tribute to local saints in musical form. Drums and chants as source of music, traditional instruments and combination of foot stomping beat with cultural lyrics blow life in the festival.
It is the first world touring car championship to be held in Africa and Morocco. Started in May 2009, more than 140 supercars racing in the streets of Marrakesh this race is held annually for three days. The greatest irony is that no Moroccan driver has ever won this race.
Along with these festivals there are many other festivals celebrated in Marrakesh like Ramadan, Tafraoute, Berkane etc. So enjoy the liveliness of this city at the times of these festivals. You can even plan your trip to Marrakesh according to the dates of these festivals.