Africa's festival calendar ranges from centuries-old religious celebrations to music festivals built within the last two decades. The diversity reflects the continent's range of religious traditions, musical genres and recent cultural movements as much as its geography.
The festivals on this list range from major city events with international audiences to smaller regional celebrations tied to harvest, religion or a specific musical tradition. Some draw visitors from across the world, while many others remain largely attended by locals.
Checking lunar and religious calendars matters more here than in most regions, since many of the continent's most significant festivals shift dates from year to year. Local tour operators in the bigger cities can also help arrange transport around the busiest dates.
