Moussems do not follow a neat calendar. Some depend on the harvest, some on the lunar calendar, and a few are postponed at the last minute. This moussem calendar gathers what we know for autumn 2026 to autumn 2027: the confirmed dates, the usual periods and the events that are easiest to reach from Essaouira and Marrakech.
We update this page as dates are announced. "Usual period" means the event normally takes place then; always check the official announcement — or ask us — before booking anything non-refundable.
Moussem calendar 2026–2027 at a glance
| When | Event | Region | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13–18 Oct 2026 | Salon du Cheval (17th edition) | El Jadida | Held |
| 22–25 Oct 2026 | Moussem of Sidi El Mokhtar | Chichaoua province | Announced |
| 30 Oct – 3 Nov 2026 | Moussem of Tan-Tan (19th edition) | Tan-Tan | Announced |
| Mid/late March 2027 | Regraga pilgrimage (daour) begins | Around Essaouira | Usual period |
| June 2027 | Hassan II Trophy final (tbourida) | Dar Es-Salam, Rabat | Usual period |
| August 2027 | Moussem of Moulay Abdellah Amghar | Near El Jadida | Usual period |
| August 2027 | Moussem of Sidi El Mokhtar (usual slot) | Chichaoua province | Usual period |
| Late summer 2027 | Village moussems with tbourida | All over Morocco | Usual period |
| September 2027 | Imilchil "engagement" moussem | High Atlas | Usual period |
| October 2027 | Salon du Cheval | El Jadida | Usual period |
Autumn 2026
Late October is the highlight of the season for travellers on the coast. The Moussem of Sidi El Mokhtar, postponed from August, has been announced from 22 to 25 October, about an hour inland from Essaouira on the road to Marrakech. A week later, the Moussem of Tan-Tan — on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2008 — has been rescheduled from 30 October to 3 November 2026, with camel races, Saharan tents and tbourida. Tan-Tan is far south, about 500 km from Essaouira by road, so treat it as a trip of several days via Agadir.
In El Jadida, the Salon du Cheval held its 17th edition from 13 to 18 October, with a tbourida Grand Prix — read about it in our guide to the Barb horse.
Winter 2026–2027
Winter is quiet for tbourida: few moussems are held between December and February, and none during Ramadan, expected around February–March 2027. This is the season of music in Essaouira instead — see our Essaouira events calendar, with jazz in December and contemporary art until January.
Spring 2027
Around the spring equinox, the Regraga brotherhood begins its daour, a pilgrimage of about forty days between the shrines of the Chiadma, the countryside north and east of Essaouira. There is no tbourida, but it is one of the oldest religious traditions of the region; our guide to the Regraga pilgrimage explains it. In June, the national Hassan II Trophy brings the best tbourida troupes to Dar Es-Salam in Rabat for its final.
Summer 2027
August is moussem month. The harvest is in, families are on holiday and villages across the plains hold their festivals. The biggest is the Moussem of Moulay Abdellah Amghar near El Jadida — 134 troupes in 2026. Sidi El Mokhtar normally returns to its August slot too. Around Marrakech and Essaouira, small village moussems are announced a few days ahead by posters and word of mouth: ask your riad or your driver.
How we hear about moussem dates
Big events publish their dates in the national press a few weeks ahead. Village moussems are a different story: they are announced by posters on shop windows, by the local authorities and above all by word of mouth, sometimes only a few days before. Our drivers live in the region and hear about them first — at the café, at the souk, from the riders themselves. That is why the best way to complete this moussem calendar is simply to ask us a week or two before your stay: we will tell you what is planned near Essaouira and Marrakech on your dates, and whether a tbourida is expected.
How to use this moussem calendar
- Plan around a window, not a single day. Dates can move; a few days of flexibility make all the difference.
- Go in the afternoon. Tbourida passages peak in the last hours of daylight.
- Plan the return first. Moussems are in the countryside and end after dark; book a driver who waits.
- Read up before you go: our complete guide to the Moroccan fantasia and what a moussem is explain the essentials.
Getting there from Essaouira or Marrakech
- Sidi El Mokhtar sits on the road between Marrakech and Essaouira: add it as a stop to our Marrakech to Essaouira transfer, from €90 per vehicle at the time of writing.
- El Jadida and Moulay Abdellah are reached by the coast road: our Essaouira to Oualidia transfer covers the first two hours.
- Tan-Tan is a long journey south: start with our Essaouira to Agadir transfer and continue the next day.
- From Essaouira, a custom day with a driver works like our full-day private excursion.
Bookmark this moussem calendar and contact us with your dates: we will tell you what is on and organise the transport.
