January Festivals
Marrakech International Marathon: takes place every year in late January when the weather is a little cooler. Over 5,000 participants take to the streets on a course that visits some of the most interesting parts of the city. There is a full-length marathon as well as a half-marathon for the less fit. February Festivals
Aid el Kebir: is an important date in the Muslim calendar and commemorates the story of God’s redemption for Ibrahim (Abraham) for sacrificing his son. Every family that can afford it will slaughter a sheep, and for weeks prior to the festival you will see them tethered up everywhere you go. Afterwards, the skins are hung up and cured. Shops and restaurants are usually closed as this is a traditional family gathering and most people return to their hometowns. June Festivals
National Festival of Popular Art: is one of the oldest festivals of its kind and showcases traditional arts, including dance, poetry, music and song, with interpretations of Moroccan plays and Berber music. The festival mainly takes place in the ruins of the El Badi Palace and attracts people from all over the country. In the last several years, dance troupes and artists from other countries have been invited to perform. August Festivals
Marrakech Film Festival: is a relative newcomer on the film festival circuit. Despite a relatively slow start, the organisers are hoping to turn it into a Moroccan version of the Cannes Film Festival. Past events have been held in the city's famous square, the Place Jemaa el-Fna, and have attracted top names like Scorsese, Coppola and David Lynch. September Festivals
Imilchil Brides Fair: is held every year in September in the town of Imilchil, near Marrakech. Hundreds of young men and women from the Ait Hadidu and Ait Ou Azz Berber tribes gather for the largest wedding fair in the country. Few of the marriages have been prearranged and they can be annulled within a year. The festivities consist of dinners and dances when people get to know each other and look for a prospective partner. After the marriage ceremonies, the newlyweds go for a traditional visit to the lakes Isli and Tislit. | 
