Home / Festivals

The living guide to Africa's celebrations

Africa's festivals, kept alive by the people who live them.

Q: Can I plan a trip around a festival?

Yes. Each festival page shows its next date, how many days it runs, where it is held, and what happens, with an add-to-calendar option so you can plan around it.

When each one happens, what to expect, and the music, food and meaning behind it. One place to discover a celebration, and plan to be there.

99festivals

41countries

Kept current by the community

🥁 Cultural & heritage festivals

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All kinds 🥁 Cultural & heritage

#25 🥁 Mar

Madagascar

Alahamadi Be

Traditional Malagasy New Year

📅 Mar ⏳ 2 days Needs a local's update

🏆 #1 Festival in Madagascar

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#26 🥁 Oct

Madagascar

Madajazzcar

International jazz festival

📅 Oct ⏳ 14 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Madagascar

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#27 🥁 Apr

Madagascar

Santabary Festival

Traditional first rice harvest celebration

📅 Apr ⏳ 1 day Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Madagascar

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#28 🥁 Feb

Mauritania

Festival des Villes Anciennes

Ancient Cities Festival

📅 Feb ⏳ 4 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#29 🥁 Feb

Guinea-Bissau

Carnival of Bissau

Annual carnival celebration

📅 Feb ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#30 🥁 Feb

Guinea

Festival des Arts de Conakry

Major arts and culture festival in the capital

📅 Feb ⏳ 7 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#31 🥁 Apr

Cape Verde

Atlantic Music Expo

International music festival and trade fair

📅 Apr ⏳ 4 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#32 🥁 Mar

Chad

N'Djamena Music Festival

Annual music and cultural festival

📅 Mar ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#33 🥁 Oct

Chad

Festival International de la Culture Tchadienne

International festival of Chadian culture

📅 Oct ⏳ 4 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#34 🥁 Apr

Benin

Gelede Festival

Traditional masquerade festival

📅 Apr ⏳ 2 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#35 🥁 Feb

Cape Verde

Carnival

Pre-Lenten festival

📅 Feb ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#36 🥁 Sep

Togo

Agbogbo-Za Festival

Historical and cultural festival of the Ewe people

📅 Sep ⏳ 5 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#37 🥁 Oct

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe International Film Festival

Annual film festival

📅 Oct ⏳ 10 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#38 🥁 Sep

Zimbabwe

Shoko Festival

Urban culture festival

📅 Sep ⏳ 5 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#39 🥁 Sep

Zimbabwe

Intwasa Arts Festival

Spring arts festival

📅 Sep ⏳ 7 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#40 🥁 Sep

Angola

Luanda Jazz Festival

Annual jazz music festival

📅 Sep ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#41 🥁 Jan

Mali

Festival au Désert

Tuareg music festival

📅 Jan ⏳ 3 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#42 🥁 Feb

Burkina Faso

FESPACO

Pan-African Film Festival

📅 Feb ⏳ 8 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#43 🥁 Oct

Burkina Faso

SIAO

International Arts and Crafts Fair

📅 Oct ⏳ 9 days Needs a local's update

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#44 🥁 Sep

Uganda

Empango

Coronation anniversary celebration of the Toro Kingdom

📅 Sep ⏳ 1 day Needs a local's update

🏆 #1 Festival in Uganda

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#45 🥁 Aug

Uganda

Mbarara Cultural Festival

Annual celebration of Ankole culture and traditions

📅 Aug ⏳ 1 day Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Uganda

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#46 🥁 Jul

Uganda

Amakula Festival

Cultural festival celebrating the harvest season in Buganda

📅 Jul ⏳ 1 day Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Uganda

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#47 🥁 Sep

Uganda

Ekigangu Kya Busoga

Cultural festival of the Busoga Kingdom

📅 Sep ⏳ 1 day Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Uganda

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

#48 🥁 Sep

Morocco

Moussem of Moulay Idriss

Religious and cultural pilgrimage festival

📅 Sep ⏳ 8 days Needs a local's update

🏆 Top 10 Festival in Morocco

🥁 Cultural & heritage ▲ 0

Kept current, not frozen. Members confirm dates and flag changes as festivals move year to year.

Reviewed, not scraped. Every addition and edit is checked before it goes live.

From the people who live them. Detail comes from the communities that celebrate.

Know a festival better than we do?

This guide is only as alive as the people keeping it current. If a celebration from your community is missing, or its details have moved on, help the continent find it, and get credited for it.

Add or improve a festival Free · Reviewed before publishing · You're credited

Frequently asked questions

What is Lughayangu Festivals?

A living guide to festivals across Africa: when each one happens, what to expect, and the music, food, dress and meaning behind it. Every festival is kept current by a community that includes the people who celebrate them.

How current is the information?

Festivals shift year to year, so members confirm dates, flag changes and add detail continuously, and every change is reviewed before it goes live. That's what keeps this more accurate than a static list.

Can I plan a trip around a festival?

Yes. Each festival page shows its next date, how long it runs, where it's held and what happens, with an add-to-calendar option so you can plan around it.

Are these the same as public holidays?

No. Festivals are cultural celebrations, kept separate from statutory public holidays. Many aren't days off, and many move each year. You can explore official holidays in our Holidays section.

Is it free?

Yes, browsing African festivals on Lughayangu is completely free, and contributing is open to any registered member.