Africa is the festival continent. Throughout the whole continent,
colourful and vibrant festivals range through musical, religous, cultural and
harvest to name just a few.
In this section we have included just some
of the festivals and events that are happening - we shall be adding more
regularly - so please bookmark this page...
Recommended Book
African Ceremonies an outstanding two-volume survey of the
continent's rituals, rites and ceremonies. Divided into six sectionsAbirth and
initiation; courtship and marriage; royalty and power; seasonal rites; beliefs
and worship; spirits and ancestorsAthe set documents 43 ceremonies in 26
countries. In addition to the more than 800 arresting color photographs, the
text respectfully details each ceremony.
The
Total Solar Eclipse of 2006 on March 29th is set to be one of the best of
the past few years, the longest until 2009, and the most easily accessible of
the next 10 years! Here's are below tours to browse through
Full
Solar Eclipse Algeria/Niger 16 days On this true desert expedition
you will venture far into the Sahara to view the eclipse. Fly direct to Djanet
in Southern Algeria amidst the splendid Tassili Plateau, from where your guides
will get all vehicles loaded with water, fuel and provisions for the next five
days - you will be heading South towards Niger. Click
to view full itinerary
Full
Solar Eclipse Togo and Dahomey 6 days After having checked out
Lome, Togo’s capital right on the Gulf of Guinea, you will head North
towards the small towns of Kpalime and Atakpame where you will be watching the
full solar eclipse right in spectacular surroundings before continuing your
journey towards Benin. In Dohomey you will visit the “Venice of
Africa” and experience the essence of voodoo culture. You spend the nights
on this outstanding itinerary in the best hotels available and you are well
looked after by your local guides and your Tour Leader. Click
to view full itinerary
Solar Eclipse - 29th
March 2006 The Total Solar Eclipse of 2006 March 29 is set to be one
of the best of the past few years, the longest until 2009, and the most easily
accessible of the next 10 years!
Full Solar Eclipse 8 days
- Libya The Eight Wonder Of The World, the volcanic Waw an Namus
crater provides a spectacular background for the event. An expedition to one of
the remotest locations in the Libyan Sahara. will be flying right into the
middle of the Libyan Sahara, followed by a 4 day 4x4 expedition to one of the
remotest locations in the world’s largest desert. Click to view full
itinerary
Full Solar Eclipse 14
days - Libya plus Tunisia flying into the island of Djerba in
Southern Tunisia. After an overnight stop on the island your expedition heads
for the Libyan border at Ras Ajdir down to Ghadames, the pearl of the desert.
In Sebha the 4 day eclipse leg begins, heading out to one of the remotest
locations in the world’s largest desert. Click to view full
itinerary
Full
Solar Eclipse Togo and Dahomey 9 days If you wish to relax for a
couple of days on the beach after having toured Togo and Benin and watched the
eclipse, this longer version of our Togo Benin itinerary is just right for you.
You can get a first impression of Lome, Togo’s capital on the Gulf of
Guinea before you will head North towards the small towns of Kpalime and
Atakpame where you will be watching the full solar eclipse right in spectacular
surroundings. Continue your journey towards Benin, here you will visit the
“Venice of Africa” and experience the essence of voodoo
culture. Click
to view full itinerary
Fespaco African Film Festival
- 26 February - 5 March 2005 Festival Panafricain du Cinema et de la
Television de Ouagadougou - FESPACO The week-long festival is the largest
African film festival more than 40,000 people are expected to attend. It will
be held in the main stadium in the capital city, Ouagadougou.
Many festivals
include thrilling durbars of chiefs, when tribal leaders and Queen Mothers
process in decorated palanquins, shaded by the traditional umbrellas, and
supported by drummers and warriors discharging ancient muskets. The dates of
many festivals are determined by the traditional calendars, often decided close
to the event.
Aboakyir festival - May each year This Festival is
celebrated by the people of Simpa or Winneba in the Central Region of Ghana.
The festival is a celebration to mark the migration of these people from the
ancient Western Sudan Empire where they were led by 2 brothers and a god called
Otu. Upon consulting their god, they were instructed by their traditional
priest or mediator between the people and the god to sacrifice a young member
of the Royal family every year to their god.
Panafest - 24 July- 2nd Aug
2005 Panafest is a biennial festival of African dance, music and other
performing arts that is held every two years in Ghana. A cultural event
dedicated to the enhancement of the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the
development of the African continent. It is organized biennially for Africans
and people of Africa descent as well as all persons committed to the well being
of Africans on continent and in the diaspora. The essential thrust of PANAFEST
is to enhance DEVELOPMENT.
The Homowo Festival - August/September The word
"Homowo" actually means 'making fun of hunger.' Our traditional oral history
describes a time long ago when the rains stopped and the sea closed its gates.
A deadly famine spread throughout the southern Accra Plains, the home of the Ga
people. When the harvest finally arrived and food became plentiful, the people
were so happy that they celebrated with a festival that ridiculed hunger.
The Hogbetsotso Festival This is celebrated on the first
Saturday of November every year by the Anlo Ewes of the Volta Region of Ghana.
The essential feature of this festival is a magnificent durbar of chiefs and
citizens. Hogbetsotso, generally known as "the festival of the Exodus" is held
annually to commemorate the escape of the Anlo Ewes from the tyrannical ruler
of Notsie - Agokoli of Togo. The chiefs appear on the durbar grounds in their
most charming royal regalia and sit in state to acknowledge and receive homage
from their subjects. The entire ceremony is laced with non-stop soul-stirring
drumming and dancing
Bouake Carnival - towards end March-
April Another important event is the week long carnival in Bouaké
each March, a festivity attracting thousands of visitors.
Fêtes des Masques (Festival of Masks) - November One of Côte
d'Ivoire's most famous festivals is the Fêtes des Masques (Festival of
Masks), which takes place in the region of Man occurs in November. Numerous
small villages in the region hold contests to determine the best dancers and to
pay homage to forest spirits who are embodied in the elaborate masks.
Fête du Dipri - April Held in Gomon, near Abidjan, this
festival starts around midnight, when women and children sneak out of their
huts and, naked, carry out nocturnal rites to exorcise the village of evil
spells. Before sunrise the chief appears, drums pound and villagers go into
trances. The frenzy continues until late afternoon of the next day.
Crossing of the cattle - December The Cattle
Crossing is the most important Fulani festival in Diafarabe. Every December,
herders bring cattle from the grazing lands to the river at Diafarabe. Here
everyone crosses the river. On the other side families are reunited for a few
days, before they take the cattle to new pastures. The first day is the
Promenade des Jeunes, when the unmarried men and women dress up to attract each
other. There is also a competition to judge the fattest and best looked-after
cattle, with useful prizes.
Music Festival -
Festival-au-Desert- 7-9 Jan 05 (website in French) Under the sponsorship of the Ministry
for the Culture, in partnership with the Ministry for the Craft industry and
Tourism of Mali the festival is organized by associations not-governmental
Touareg Efès and Aitma in partnership with: Africa festival (Germany),
the Intergovernmental Agency of Francophonie (France), Comission European
(Mali), the GTZ (Germany), Sfinks (Belgium), Triban Union (France) and
Volkswagen (Germany).
Fête des Masques - April The Dogons are famous
for their masks and during the five-day event many of them are used in ritual
ceremonies that go back more than 1000 years . At each Sigui festival, a new
ceremonial mask is carved especially for the occasion, then placed in the
Tellem caves. Remnants of these masks going back hundreds of years have been
found in the caves.
Festival on the Niger 4, 5, 6 February 2005
Segou tradional malian musique and dance, a Forum with theme "development
trough culture and tourism", a Fair with local art and food
Durbar Festival - Feb 2005 (tbc) The Durbar festival
is celebrated at the culmination of the two great Muslim festivals Id el Fitri
and Id el Kabir. The festival gives a good idea of the past glories of the
emirate before the influence of western culture.
International Camel Derby & Festival - August
(TBC) The Derby takes place at Maralal, Samburu District, centred at
Yare Club & Camp, just four kilometres south of Maralal town on the
Nyahururu road. . It is also a spectacular festival packed with a variety of
events that draws visitors from all over the world. The Derby has been on the
go since 1990, with entries from Australia, America, New Zealand, Canada,
England, France, Spain, Japan, South Africa and beyond competing against the
reigning Kenya champions in both the amateur and professional races. The route
runs through semi-desert regions with varying levels of difficulty and camels
(with or without handlers) are available to hire for those wishing to compete.
6TH. Nairobi International Book Fair - 24th - 28th
September 2003 This is the 6th event - organized by the Kenya Publishers
Association. The emphasis is locally published books and magazines, but is now
starting to attract the attention of publishers elsewhere in Africa and
elsewhere overseas. Targets the publishing trade as well as the public. Up to
20,000 visitors, including schools groups. Provides a platform for the dynamic
marketing and promotion service industry, and targets promotional
book-signings, book-readings, book-launches and a comprehensive seminar
programme.
Mombasa Carnival - November The Mombasa carnival
features parades and floats from every conceivable cultural, national and
religious group in Kenya. There are two main parades which converge onto Moi
Avenue which feature incredible floats, spectacular costumes and fantastic
music.
Malawi
Lake of
Stars Festival - 10-12th September 2005 an event aimed at bringing
some of the world’s most talented DJ’s and bands into an undiscovered
and unique setting, the festival aims to promote ecotourism within Malawi
whilst at the same time raising money for the Children in the Wilderness
project set up to help disadvantaged children in Malawi.
The Annual
Kilimanjaro Half & Full Marathon - 27 February 2005 This race
has been set up to promote the sport in Tanzania, and has the official backing
of the Tanzania Tourist Board, the Tanzania Amateur Athletics Association and
therefore the IAAF, and is registered with AIMS. The route starts and ends in
Moshi, Tanzania, and runs north towards the mountain, through rural farmland on
a tarmac road, before returning on another rural dirt road to end back in
Moshi. The total altitude gain is not great, and the whole race is completed
between 4000 and 6000 ft above sea level.
Zanzibar
The 6th
Festival of the Dhow Countries June/July East Africa’s largest
cultural event, takes place in Zanzibar in magnificent, historical venues along
the waterfront of Stone Town. The festival celebrates the unique cultural
heritage of the "Dhow" countries: the African continent and the Indian Ocean
region and their global Diaspora.
Egyptian
Maraton - February 18th 2005 The Marathon is an international event
with over 36 nationalities participating and it is the only A I M S
(Association of international Marathons and Road Races) certified Marathon in
the country
Pharaonic Race 26th November 2004 100Kms : The
route of the race will take you first to sites of Sakkara , the ancient
necropolis of Memphis, Egypt's earliest capital. The third highlight will be
the magnificent area of Dahshure , where the bent and the red Pyramids of King
Snefru can be admired.
Abu Simbel Festival - Twice every year, 22nd
February and 22nd October) Abu Simbel is located in the heart of Nubia
and is accessible by road or air from Aswan. The most remarkable feature of the
site is that the temple is precisely oriented so that twice every year, on 22
February and 22 October, the first rays of the morning sun shine down the
entire length of the temple-cave to illuminate the back wall of the innermost
shrine and the statues of the four gods seated there
Ramses II, in a fit
of precision and despotic architectural egotism, carefully angled his temple at
Abu Simbel so that the inner sanctum would light up twice a year: once on the
anniversary of his rise to the throne, and once on his birthday. The
combination of human endeavour and natural phenomena provides what must be one
of the most spectacular sights in the world.
South Sinai Camel
Festival - May This festival gives all travelers a chance to change
their opinion regarding camels being slow plodders. The most speediest and
bumpiest racing of all, takes place at Sharm El-Sheikh.
Challenge
Race 3rd 100 Kilometer Pharaonic Race - November 26th 2004 The idea
was first initiated when in 1977 the Egyptian Egyptologist,Ahmed Moussa who
while digging discovered a piece of rock telling the story of Pharaonic
soldiers running a race of 100 Km. This race took place in 690-665 B.C, during
the reign of king Taharka, when the king went to inspect an army camp and found
the soldiers in perfect physical fitness. It was then that he laid down the
rules for the running race. The race was held in the area between Sakkara
Pyramid and Faiyum Oasis ,passing by Memphis, Dahshur Pyramid,Elleshet Pyramid,
Kefren Pyramid ending at Hawara Pyramid at Faiyum.The King himself participated
in part of the race to show his interest in the sport.The surprise in the
translation of the hieroglyphic scriptures is that the winner completed the
race in eight hours only To revive this memory the race will take place at the
same area and with almost the same routing.
Cairo Film Festival -
30 November To 10 December 2004 With its ancient history, and vast
motion picture industry, Egypt became the cultural capital of the Arab world.
Egypt's cinema's influence on the Arabs is as profound as that of the American
cinema on the rest of the world. That why Cairo is known to be "Hollywood" of
the Middle East.
Meskal It is said
that Empress Helen, Mother of Constantine the Great, discovered the cross upon
which Christ was crucified in the year 326. Unable to locate the Holy
Sepulchre, she prayed for help and was directed by the smoke of an incense
burner to where the cross lay buried.
In the Middle Ages, the Patriarch
of Alexandria gave the Ethiopian Emperor Dawit half of the True Cross in return
for the protection afforded to the Coptic Christians. A fragment of the True
Cross is said to be held at the Gishen Marien monastery, some 70 kilometres
northwest of Dessie.
Timket, or the Feast of the Epiphany, is celebrated in the January,
2004. The 3-day event commemorates the baptism of Christ and is one of the most
colourful Ethiopian festivals. The night before the Timket, priests take the
Tabot (which symbolises the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Ten
Commandments) from each church to a tent at a consecrated pool or stream. There
is frenetic activity, including the ringing of bells, blowing of trumpets and
the burning of incense. In Addis Ababa, tents are pitched at Jan Meda, to the
northeast of the city centre. At 02h00, mass is celebrated, attended by crowds
of people carrying lighted oil lamps. At dawn, the priest uses a ceremonial
cross to extinguish a candle burning on a pole in a nearby river. Inevitably,
some of the congregation leap into the river. The Tabots are then taken back to
the churches in procession, accompanied by horsemen, while the festivities
continue.
There are a couple of big annual
events that help visitors unravel the mysteries of Morocco. Feasts are
organized during all seasons, celebrating various local traditions. Festivals
are consecrated to the arts and to the popular traditions. "Moussems" are
important gathering to pay homage to a special personalities
Journey to the holy city of Fez for some of the most inspired music on
the planet. A joyful celebration of the divine, B'ismillah, in the name of God,
brings together Pakistani qawwali chants, Egyptian madhi odes, flamenco-style
Christian saeta, ancient gwalior chants from northern India, Sufi music of the
whirling dervishes and more, performed by internationally renowned artists from
the US, France, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Egypt, Morocco,
Israel, Senegal, Poland, Greece and India. Click to read itinerary
Essaouira
Festival Gnaoua & World Music(23rd to 26th June 05) Gnawa World
Music Festival is as committed as ever and for its 8th edition Essaouira once
again weaves its magic in the pursuit of peace and understanding.
Imilchil Festival - September Her
name was "Tislet", and his was "Isli". Their families were enemy Berber tribes
from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Although they were lovers, in true
Shakespearean tradition......
The most famous wedding tradition takes
place in the village of Imilchil All the young people who live in the High
Atlas mountains come to participate in the "Moussem", a kind of tribal marriage
Festival where the brides choose their grooms
Qualifying Tournament -
September 8 02 to July 6 2003 Six venues include the newly-built
stadium at Rades, on the outskirts of the capital Tunis, which was used for
last year's Mediterranean Games and the El Menzah stadium in Tunis where the
final of the 1994 African Nations Cup, which Tunisia also hosted, was played.
The other venues are the Olympic stadium in Sousse, also used in 1994, the
Tayeb Mniri stadium in Sfax, the October 15 stadium in Bizerte and the Ben
Jeannet stadium in Monastir. The draw for the four opening round groups at the
16-team tournament will be conducted in Tunis on September 20 2003.
Each year on the first Thursday of
October, the Festival is alive and kicking again. The main days of the Festival
will be Friday through Sunday. During the four days of the Festival about 40
events will take place at 8 venues in Morija which cater for all tastes in
music, dance, drama and film. At the main Arena, Thabeng Football Grounds, are
also found arts & crafts displays and sales, as well as information booths
and tents marketing a wide range of products, including food and drinks of
different traditions. Concerts, Jazz, Famo, Gospel & Kwaito will highlight
each day.The friendly & festive atmosphere of this Festival is unique and
each visitor is highly welcomed
One World Beat
Festival- March 19-21 2004 On the weekend of March 19-21 2004
hundreds of musicians and bands around the world will perform in the
second-annual music festival - One World Beat 2004. Together with local and
international help organizations they will send out one important message:
Music Making a Difference!
Augrabies Extreme
Maraton- 21 - 31 Oct 04 The fourth running of the Augrabies Extreme
Marathon will again be held in the beautiful and contrasting landscape of the
Northern Cape’s “Green Kalahari”. The Augrabies Extreme Marathon
is a self-sufficiency run held over six legs in seven days with set distances
for each day from 32km to 75km.
Woodstock30 Sept - 3 Oct 2004 South Africa's premier
youth music and lifestyle festival - 3 Stages representing the top rock, pop,
hip hop, and contemporary acts in South Africa. Complete beat bliss of all
genres of dance music, situated 2km from the main stage in a valley of its own.
featuring some of SA's top extreme sports entertainers and sporty stunt men.
Hermanus
Whale Festival , 23-26 September 2004 The fun Festival with the
most spectacular natural setting on earth brings you a combination of music,
music, music, live theatre, sport and adventurous environmental activities -
the ultimate Enviro-Arts experience. A whole week of theatre, music, craft
stalls, sport and fun is planned - bring the whole family.
Cape Epic 2005: 2 -
9 April 2005 the second biggest mountain bike stage race in the world
and many consider it to be the best. It starts in the beautiful Garden Route
town of Knysna and finishes eight days later in style at the grand Spier Wine
Estate, just outside Cape Town.
Incwala -
December - January The new year comes a little early in Swaziland, along
with one of the biggest and most intricate African festivals of the year or
"Festival of the First Fruits," brings the country together to gain the
blessing of ancestors, sanctify the kingship, and kick off the harvest season
with a party. The two main celebrations are Little Incwala and Big Incwala.
Dates are firmed up by tribal astronomers just weeks before.
The Chinese
New Year - 9 Feb 2005 (Every year) is a spectacular event, and a
deeply symbolic one. In Mauritius it is treated as a spring cleaning both of
the inner and the outer worlds, as families get together to celebrate the
beginning of a new year with vows, fireworks, good food and celebration.
SAUTI ZA BUSARA Swahili Music & Cultural Festival - 13th -
15th February, 04 a 3-day weekend cultural extravaganza of music,
theatre and dance, showcasing best of Swahili musical traditions - from past,
present and future - The theme of this new festival in East Africa is Swahili
Encounters, presenting a diversity of performing arts all rooted in Swahili
language and traditions. Contemporary and traditional styles will be
represented, alongside exciting new fusions and included will be some of the
finest groups from the region.
For latest information contact: Busara
Promotions PO Box 3635, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Tel: +255 747 428478 Fax: +44 870
1321190 Email: busara@zanlink.com or
busarapromotions@lycos.com
The 6th Festival of the Dhow
Countries - June / July (TBC) East Africa’s largest cultural
event, will take place in Zanzibar from 25th June – 4th July 2004, in
magnificent, historical venues along the waterfront of Stone Town. The festival
celebrates the unique cultural heritage of the "Dhow" countries: the African
continent and the Indian Ocean region and their global Diaspora.
The
Zanzibar International Culture Festival - July (Tamasha la Utamaduni la
Mzanzibari) The Zanzibar Cultural Festival features traditonal and contemporary
dance, music, arts and crafts. Many of the dances have their roots in ancient
tribal rituals connected with the many stages of a human life, or with royal
ceremonies. Drawing participants as far as Mozambique, Kenya, Comoro, Germany,
China, India etc., Cultural Festival has became very popular in Zanzibar.
Mwakakogwa Festival - July/August a traditional festival to
celebrate the local New Year. It is mainly practiced in the Southern Unguja,
particularly in Makunduchi. Originating from Persia and brought here by early,
Immigrants, Mwakakogwa is marked by sacrifices, dances, and the actual field
fighting. In addition to the tourists from abroad, it draws participants from
the whole of East Africa.
Timket, or the Feast of the Epiphany, is celebrated in the January,
2004. The 3-day event commemorates the baptism of Christ and is one of the most
colourful Ethiopian festivals. The night before the Timket, priests take the
Tabot (which symbolises the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Ten
Commandments) from each church to a tent at a consecrated pool or stream. There
is frenetic activity, including the ringing of bells, blowing of trumpets and
the burning of incense. In Addis Ababa, tents are pitched at Jan Meda, to the
northeast of the city centre. At 02h00, mass is celebrated, attended by crowds
of people carrying lighted oil lamps. At dawn, the priest uses a ceremonial
cross to extinguish a candle burning on a pole in a nearby river. Inevitably,
some of the congregation leap into the river. The Tabots are then taken back to
the churches in procession, accompanied by horsemen, while the festivities
continue. 
Imilchil Festival - September