From running over 250 kms across the Sahara to attending the most popular traditional African  Music festivals.
From horsemen riding and firing muskets in perfect sync to fasting during the daylight hours for a month.
Morocco’s festivals & events are exciting – they can teach you more than your school ever could.
We want to make sure that you don’t miss these beautiful fiestas when you travel.
And for that very reason, here are the top 9 festivals which take place in Morocco which you must definitely check out.
Starting with the Imilchil Wedding Festival in, well, Imilchil. 

9) Imilchil Wedding Festival

Legend says that two star crossed lovers wanted to marry each other, but as they were from two different tribes, their families didn’t allow it.
So, as most tragic love stories go, they cried themselves to death, and their tears filled up two rivers in the region.
But as both these rivers were separated by a mountain, they couldn’t be together even in the afterlife. They were forever doomed to crave something they couldn’t have. 

Their families were ridden by guilt, and as the anniversary of their deaths, the young members of one tribe, marry someone from the other to prevent another tragedy like this befalling a young couple again.
Well, these days they don’t exactly get married, but a lot of people meet each other and a few get engaged. 
And thus, the Imilchil Wedding Festival was born as a symbol of love and tragedy. 
Apart from the wedding, Imilchil is a small town with a population of around 2000, and is a beautiful place to visit because of the great camping spots, and its scenic views. And this place isn’t crowded, this place is quite peaceful. 

8) Gnaoua and World Music Festival, Essaouira 

Essaouira is a  port city in Morocco and around 350 kilometres from Casablanca. The Gnaoua are a spiritual brotherhood of mystics.
They tend to combine ritual poetry with traditional music and dancing. Over 500,000 tourists end up visiting this festival every year and it lasts for a period of four days in June. The festival begins at sunset, and it goes on for hours. 

During high tide, this beautiful port city sometimes becomes an island city. And the fish here is delicious and to die for.
They also have a lot of water sports, just letting you know in case you wanted a few more reasons to travel. 

7) Marrakech Popular Arts Festival 

Heard of the historical El Badi Palace? It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Marrakesh. In case you’re wondering why I brought this up, the Marrakech Popular Arts festival takes place over here.
This festival isn’t about something specific. You get to watch folk dancers, belly dancers, fusion musicians blow the stage away. 

And there’s always the Fantasia. Picture this. Hundreds of horsemen dressed in traditional clothes with muskets charge in a straight line at the same speed kicking up a cloud of red dust in their wake. And in one swift move, they fire their muskets.
This performance takes you back to the 8th century Morocco. Venture out of the palace to witness this. 

The palm and olive trees of Menara give you a different vibe. They’re really peaceful and you generally tend to forget the noise and crowds when you walk through the garden. 

6) Marathon des Sables 

So a bit about the history of the marathon. The idea took place when the Greek soldier Pheidippides ran from a battlefield from Marathon to Athens, in Greece. Approximately 40 kilometers, in 490 B.C to announce the defeat of the Persians.
He delivered the message and dropped dead. Yeah, pretty dramatic. So the usual marathon is around 42 kilometers. Imagine running six times that, in the Sahara, and having to carry your own food and water in a backpack the entire time. 

That’s the legendary Marathon des Sables.
Also known as the Sahara Marathon. So, yeah, it goes on for over six days and spans over 250 kms and the entire thing is held in the Sahara Desert.
And if that wasn’t enough, Sahara is home to a number of snakes and scorpions, most of which are poisonous. Luckily for us, these are usually nocturnal.
So why did we put this here as a festival? Other than it being regarded as one of the toughest foot races on the planet, it is one which brings people from all over the planet together.
You get to see people helping strangers out, push each other to their limits and find their potential. And this is something beautiful. They say the marathon is run by two people. One who starts, and one who finishes it. That’s how much this race changes you. 

Around 1,200 people sign up for this event every year. In case you’re considering running, there’s a two year waiting list, so you better hurry and begin training. 

5) Fez Festival of World Sacred Music 

Welcome to Fez, the land which boasts of being the oldest and the largest medieval cities in the world. Art has always been a form of power in our world. It’s a means through which people express themselves and spread messages. 
The Fez world festival of sacred music is an annual festival held for a week in June, in, well, Fez. It brings together the most well-known spiritual dancers and musicians of Morocco and around the world.
And it’s one of the most expressive festivals on the planet. It’s also considered as a platform to spread love and peace People here are always open to debates and dialogues, especially by those who have different views from the rest of us.
This festival can leave you mentally stimulated. 

Over 100,000 people from all over the world attend this festival annually. It is unique in the sense that it combines high art, entertainment and spiritual energy and intellectual challenges. Fez is known as the cultural capital of Morocco. 

4) Kelaa-des-Mgouna Rose Festival

How important do you think roses are to a culture? Witness one of the most unique and oldest festivals in Morocco, the Kelaa-des-Mgouna.
Held annually, and for three days in June, it takes place in the valley of Roses. The locals celebrate the harvest of the roses in the town of Kelaat M’gouna.
Well, you could find almost anything made of roses here. Perfumes, creams, medicines and even jams. Oh, and rose water here is fabulous. 

This tends to attract around 20,000 visitors annually. If you felt that didn’t make it unique enough, on the last day of the festival, which is usually a Sunday, they elect Miss Roses. The women of Morocco dressed in kaftans and decorated with roses come out to dance. 

If you have heard of something similar, which I doubt, do let us know in the comments below. 

3) Timitar music festival 

Yeah, another music festival. Moroccans love their music. Timitar takes place in Agadir, a major city well known for its beaches on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, and the foot of the Atlas mountains. 

Timitar is one of Africa’s most renowned music festivals and has over 500,000 attendees annually. Since its inception, it became well known not only as a concert venue, but also as a social movement and began attracting a lot of open minded people who want to see the human species evolve. 

The performers here are generally of various cultural backgrounds, and their impact far exceeds the geographical limits of the country. Jazz, electro, folk are some of the popular music played here. You get the gist, it’s really diverse. 

2) Eid al-Adha

So the Islamic religion has over 25 prophets, who were said to be sent by Allah. Prophet Ibhraim was one of them, and the festival is to remind everyone of his sacrifice. 

Legend says that for two nights in a row Prophet Ibrahim had a dream where Aallah commanded him to sacrifice his son, Ismail, whom he loved dearly.
When Ibhrahim told Ismail, him being a faithful son told his Dad to do as Allah commanded. Ibrahim took his son to Mount Arafat to make the sacrifice. Ibhrahim was blindfolded as he didn’t want to watch his son suffer. After the act, Ibhramin opened the blindfold and saw that he had sacrificed a ram and Ismail was standing beside him. They then heard a voice reminding them that Allah looks after his faithful followers, and hence Ismail had been spared. This was a test, and Ibhrahim has passed.

To commemorate this, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha and perform Qurbani, where they make a sacrifice of an animal. The meat is later shared equally amongst friends, family and the poor. Eid ul-Adha is also the last day of the Haji, which is the pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. This is a traditional event, and it’s best if you’re open about it and soak in the joy. 

1) Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr

Ramadan is the holy month where Muslims fast during daylight hours. They aren’t allowed to eat or drink anything until the prayer which takes place after the sunset, for a month. This is meant to grow their mental strength and increase their patience, and also to understand the pain and suffering a lot of people go through. 

A lot of the wealthy families feed the poor and less fortunate while they break the fast. Eid al-Fitr, or the ‘festival of breaking the fast’, is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims to mark the end of Ramadan.
Muslims believe that they are commanded by God, as mentioned in the Quran, to continue their fast until Eid al-fitr, the final day of Ramadan. It shows the potential of humankind, and that people here will always be there for you. 

Conclusion 

Morocco is a beautiful and diverse country. As a traveler if you want to experience the world in a different perspective and learn a ton about other cultures, listen to new music and also meet beautiful people, these festivals/destinations are totally meant for you. 

The world is a tiny place, but there is still a lot to see. We can help you get there. 

Seeking discomfort in everything he does, from sports to spirituality and trying to make a contribution and play his role in fixing our “society”. Aditya Gopakumar loves stories, travel, and Idli.

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