Essaouira looks like a sleepy fishing town for about five minutes. Then you notice the posters on the medina walls, the musicians rehearsing in a courtyard, the crowd gathering on the rocks at sunset — and you realise this is one of the most musical towns in Africa. Since 2019 it has been a UNESCO Creative City of Music, and its calendar of Essaouira events runs from Gnawa trance and Judeo-Andalusian song to jazz, classical music, photography and contemporary art.
This guide lists what is on from autumn 2026 to autumn 2027, month by month. We drive festival-goers to Essaouira every week, so we have added the practical side too: when to book, where to stay and how to get home after the last concert.
Dates change. The dates below are those announced by organisers or published by local agendas in October 2026. When a date is marked "to be confirmed", check the official channels before booking anything non-refundable.
Essaouira events 2026–2027 at a glance
| When | Event | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 19–24 Oct 2026 | Trek des Gazelles, sea edition | Women's trekking challenge along the coast south of Essaouira |
| Late Oct – early Nov 2026 | Festival des Andalousies Atlantiques | Judeo-Arab-Andalusian music, forums; local agendas list 29 Oct – 1 Nov (to be confirmed) |
| Late Nov 2026 | Rendez-vous de la Photo | Photography exhibitions across the medina; dates to be confirmed |
| 10 Dec 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 | Casablanca International Biennale, Essaouira edition | Contemporary art, more than 80 artists, venues across town |
| Late Dec 2026 | Jazz sous l'Arganier | Jazz concerts at Dar Souiri; local agendas list 26–28 Dec (to be confirmed) |
| 31 Dec 2026 | New Year's Eve | Dinners, rooftop parties, a walk on the ramparts |
| April 2027 | La Dolce Vita à Mogador | Italian cinema meetings; local agendas list 14–18 April |
| Late Apr – early May 2027 | Wave Classic Moulay | International windsurf competition at Moulay Bouzerktoun |
| Spring 2027 | Printemps Musical des Alizés | Classical and lyric concerts; the 2026 edition ran 30 Apr – 3 May |
| 24–26 June 2027 | Gnaoua & World Music Festival | 28th edition, free stages and intimate concerts |
| October 2027 | Moga Festival | Electronic music, arts and wellness; local agendas list 6–10 Oct |
Autumn: Andalusian music and photography
Autumn is the insider's season. The summer crowds have gone, the wind drops and the light turns golden. It is also when Essaouira celebrates its Jewish and Muslim heritage with the Festival des Andalousies Atlantiques, a weekend of Judeo-Andalusian music, gharnati song and conversations at Bayt Dakira, the house of memory in the old mellah. A few weeks later, the Rendez-vous de la Photo — run by the Institut français — hangs exhibitions on the ramparts, in bastions and in cultural spaces across the medina.
Winter: contemporary art, jazz and New Year
Winter 2026–2027 is unusually rich. The Casablanca International Biennale has moved its sixth edition to Essaouira, from 10 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, with more than eighty artists under the theme Fabriquer l'impossible. Between Christmas and New Year, Jazz sous l'Arganier brings Moroccan and international jazz musicians to the intimate hall of Dar Souiri. Then comes New Year's Eve, quieter than in Marrakech but very atmospheric: grilled fish, rooftop terraces and a walk on the ramparts under the stars.
Winter days are mild — often 18–20°C in the afternoon — but evenings are cool, so pack a warm layer. Our guide to Essaouira at night has ideas for the evenings without a festival.
Spring: classical music, cinema and wind
In April the Dolce Vita à Mogador meetings screen Italian and Moroccan films, and windsurfers from around the world gather at Moulay Bouzerktoun, 25 km north of town, for the Wave Classic Moulay. Around the turn of May, the Printemps Musical des Alizés fills Dar Souiri and the old riads with chamber music and opera arias. Spring is also when the all-women Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles traditionally celebrates its finish on Essaouira's seafront.
Summer: Gnaoua and the beach
The big one. For three days in late June, the Gnaoua & World Music Festival turns the whole town into a stage: free concerts on Place Moulay Hassan and on the beach, intimate ticketed concerts in historic venues, and fusions between Gnawa masters and jazz, blues or African musicians. The 28th edition is announced for 24–26 June 2027. Summer is also high season for kitesurfing, when the trade winds blow almost every afternoon.
Year-round culture
Not all Essaouira events are festivals. Dar Souiri, the cultural house of the Essaouira-Mogador association, hosts concerts, talks and exhibitions through the year — see our Dar Souiri guide. The médiathèque of the Institut français programmes films and meetings, explained in our médiathèque and cinema guide, and the galleries of the "city of artists" are open every day: start with our Essaouira art galleries guide.
Planning a conference, a seminar or a wedding instead? See our section on business events and groups in Essaouira.
Planning tips for festival dates
- Book your accommodation early. During the Gnaoua festival, the town fills up weeks in advance; for the autumn and winter events, a few weeks' notice is usually enough.
- Stay inside or close to the medina. Most venues are within walking distance of Bab Sbaa and Place Moulay Hassan. Our guide to where to stay in Essaouira compares the areas.
- Remember the medina is pedestrian. Cars stop at the gates; porters with hand carts take luggage to the riads.
- Plan your way home. Concerts often end late. A pre-booked driver avoids negotiating a taxi at midnight — see our guide to getting to Essaouira for a festival.
Getting to Essaouira
Most visitors arrive from Marrakech: our Marrakech to Essaouira transfer takes about two and a half hours and, at the time of writing, costs €100 per vehicle for up to three passengers, €120 in a van for four to seven and €170 in a minibus for larger groups. Flying straight into Essaouira-Mogador? The Essaouira airport transfer takes about twenty minutes from €20. And when the festival is over, we can take you on to Marrakech, Agadir or Casablanca airport.
Between two concerts, take a day for the coast and the argan country with our half-day excursion or the full day to Sidi Kaouki. Whatever the date, Essaouira events are best enjoyed slowly — with time for a sunset on the Skala.
