Tunisia Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015
(Tunisia, TN, North Africa)
In Tunisia, even the smallest of towns and villages come with their very own annual events and festivals, when they celebrate everything from a good harvest to the start of a new season.
Tunisia's extensive calendar of larger annual events features a number of traditional festivities and appealing things to do. These include everything from camel racing to storytelling.
Arts festivals usually flourish in Tunisia during the summer months, when many tourists choose to visit. On arrival at your holiday destination, it is worth checking with your hotel or local tourism office as to whether any will be held nearby during your stay. In addition, several annual sporting events are staged here throughout the year.
Calendar of Festivals and Events
January
- Tunis Furniture Exhibition - the Kram Exhibition Grounds serves as the venue for Tunisia's major furniture showcase
February
- Ashura - held on the seventh day of February, Ashura is a traditional Muslim day of mourning, when bonfires are lit and other traditional activities take place
March
- Festival of Ksour - an annual dance and musical fest that takes place in Ksar Ouled Soltane
- Mediterranean Guitar Festival - musicians from Tunisia and further afield come together at the El Menzah VI Cultural Centre in Tunis to play rock, reggae and heavy metal music
April
- Djerba TV Festival - an international event held in Djerba and devoted to the world of television. Various film and documentary screenings take place here during April and May
- Jazz in Carthage - ten days of performances by jazz artists from all over the world. The event is staged at the Hotel Barcelo Carthage Thalasso
- Transahara Run - a car race that seems to have very few rules. Competitors just have to find the quickest way to cover the 6,000-km / 3,728-mile journey from Tunis to the Atlantic Ocean, taking in the Sahara Desert along the way, of course
- Grand Prix de la Ville de Tunis - an annual one-day cycle race where professional cyclists compete against each other in the capital of Tunis. Of note, this competition is part of the UCI Africa Tour
May
- Lag B'Omer Pilgrimage - members of the Jewish community in Tunisia travel to La Ghriba Synagogue in Djerba
- Labour Day - celebrated on May 1st each year with a one-day public holiday
June
- International Festival of Sfax - includes a wide ranging programme of performances, from pop to classical music
- Horse Festival - horse parades and racing in Meknassy and Sidi Bouzid
July
- Republic Day - celebration in remembrance of the declaration of Tunisia's independence from France
- Siren Festival - held in Kerkennah each year, this event re-enacts a traditional wedding
- Dougga International Festival - cultural performances are staged amidst the atmospheric surroundings of Dougga's Roman amphitheatre. This event continues through to August
- International Festival of Carthage - the first such gathering was held in Carthage in 1964. During the event, many concerts are staged, covering everything from jazz to fusion music. The Roman amphitheatre in Carthage makes an excellent venue
- International Festival of Hammamet - held during evenings throughout July and August, the international fest includes music performances and plays
- International Festival of Sousse - this lively fiesta is staged over the course of three weeks, between July and August. Programmed events usually include films, feature films and animations. There is also a carnival, with an impressive parade of decorated floats
August
- International Festival of Bizerte - an annual arts fest with many music and dance performances
September
- Coralis Diving Festival - a two-day event in which divers celebrate the country's wonderful marine life
October
- Carthage Film Festival - this popular film fest was first staged in Tunisia in the year 1966. It is used to showcase films made by directors from Africa, the Middle East and Maghreb
- Chott Marathon Xtreme - half-marathon distance race that takes in the desert around Tozeur
November
- Sahara Douz Festival - attracts crowds of tourists with an array of traditional activities, including camel racing and military horseback riding. Locally grown foods are also on sale
- Tunis International Book Fair - book lovers come to this annual event in their thousands. The fair is held at the Kram Exhibition Grounds
December
- International Festival of the Oasis - the town of Tozeur hosts this annual get-together. A wide variety of events are on the programme, from storytelling and dance to camel racing and music concerts