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Ouarzazate itself is quiet on the festival front, but it’s the gateway to the Draa-Tafilalet region’s main annual events, from the Rose Festival in May to the Sahara’s Marathon des Sables in April. Most are 1 to 3 hours from the city, so Ouarzazate makes a practical base. Here’s the Ouarzazate events and festivals calendar. For the full seasonal picture, start with the Ouarzazate city guide.
Ouarzazate Events and Festivals: Spring (March to May)
Festival of Nomads, M’Hamid El Ghizlane (March)
Held in March at M’Hamid El Ghizlane, 260km southeast of Ouarzazate on the edge of the Sahara, this festival gathers nomadic tribes for three days of music, camel racing, poetry and crafts. Dates shift slightly each year, so check locally. It’s the region’s clearest look at Sahrawi and Berber nomadic culture.
Marathon des Sables (April)
The Marathon des Sables, usually the first half of April, is a 250km (155 mile) six-stage self-sufficient ultra-marathon across the southern Sahara. The route shifts each year but often passes within the Draa-Tafilalet region, and Ouarzazate is a staging point for support teams and spectators. If you’re not running, book hotels early in April as crew and media fill the town. Book early through where to stay in Ouarzazate if you’re crewing or spectating.
Rose Festival, Kelaa M’Gouna (May)
The Rose Festival in Kelaa M’Gouna, 90km east of Ouarzazate, runs over a weekend in mid-May and celebrates the rose petal harvest that produces the valley’s rose water and oil. Expect a parade of flower-covered floats, a Miss Rose pageant, music and street stalls. The valley harvests around 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes of rose petals a year, and the festival is the best time to buy rose products. May sits near 30°C (86°F); see Ouarzazate weather by month for the full month.
Ouarzazate Events and Festivals: Summer and Autumn
Date Festival, Erfoud (October)
Erfoud, about 300km east, hosts a three-day date festival in October to mark the harvest of the region’s Medjool and other date varieties, which number over 20 types in the Tafilalet oasis. It includes a date market, tastings and traditional music. From Ouarzazate it’s a long day, so most visitors overnight in Erfoud or nearby Merzouga. Check Ouarzazate travel tips for how to reach Erfoud and Merzouga.
Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (dates vary)
Ramadan, the Islamic month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, moves back about 10 days each year and falls across different seasons. During Ramadan many restaurants in Ouarzazate close or serve only after sunset, and daytime cafes are quiet, though hotels still serve guests. Eid al-Fitr ends the month with three days of family celebrations and busy transport. Check the year’s exact dates before booking.
Ouarzazate Events and Festivals: Winter
Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year (January 12 to 13)
Yennayer, the Amazigh (Berber) New Year, is celebrated across the Drâa-Tafilalet region around January 12 to 13 with couscous, music and family gatherings. It’s not a large tourist event, but you’ll see it in restaurants and homes, and it’s a natural time to try tagine and couscous with a local family-run riad. See Ouarzazate neighborhoods for the districts with the most riads.
Plan your trip around these dates using the best time to visit Ouarzazate guide, and pair festival visits with the attractions in things to do in Ouarzazate.
