Jemaa el-Fnaa hosts Marrakech Folklore Days, 22-25 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 02:40 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- Jemaa el-Fnaa is listed as a venue for Marrakech Folklore Days from 22 to 25 October 2026.
- The festival brings more than 640 Moroccan and international artists from over 20 countries to Marrakech during four days.
- The square is at the entrance to the Medina and was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008.
Jemaa el-Fnaa (Jamaâ el-Fna) in Marrakech is among the venues for Marrakech Folklore Days from 22 to 25 October 2026. The four-day festival brings traditional dance, music, craft and parades to several locations in Morocco's Red City.
Marrakech Folklore Days brings four days of performances
The eighth edition of Marrakech Folklore Days is organised by the Association du Patrimoine et du Folklore in partnership with Morocco's Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the Commune of Marrakech and M Avenue. The programme runs from 22 to 25 October 2026, a period confirmed by the festival organiser.
The organiser describes the programme as a meeting of international groups through dance, music and living heritage. The festival also lists craft activities, workshops, guided visits and a parade of groups in traditional costume. A local event listing names the square among the festival locations alongside M Avenue and other historic sites, and identifies the Association du Patrimoine et du Folklore as the organiser.
The programme is intended to bring cultural practices into public places rather than confine them to a single hall. That matters at a square whose recognised heritage is built around performance, oral traditions and everyday public life.
Jemaa el-Fnaa links the festival to living heritage
The square stands at the entrance to the Medina of Marrakech. UNESCO describes it as a triangular cultural space surrounded by restaurants, stalls and public buildings, as well as a meeting point for residents and visitors.
UNESCO inscribed the cultural space on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. Its documented traditions include storytelling, poetry, music, dance and other forms of public expression. Those established characteristics give the October programme a clear connection to the setting: the festival's parades and performances will take place in a space already recognised for cultural exchange.
The square has also been protected as part of Morocco's artistic heritage since 1922. Its position at the Medina entrance means that the event is linked to the historic centre rather than to a stand-alone festival ground. UNESCO's heritage description records both the location and the range of traditions associated with the cultural space.
The 2026 programme connects Marrakech traditions and world groups
More than 640 Moroccan and international artists are announced for the 2026 edition, with participants from more than 20 countries across Europe, Africa, the Arab world and Latin America. The published programme also includes a masterclass on Moroccan Jewish culture, presented under the theme of living heritage and shared memory.
The festival therefore places the square within a wider route through Marrakech. Visitors may encounter activities at the listed venues, while the square provides the setting specifically named for part of the festival's public programme. Daily timings for the square have not been set out on the organiser's main page.
Visiting Jemaa el-Fnaa: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Marrakech Folklore Days runs from 22 to 25 October 2026, with Jemaa el-Fnaa named among the venues.
- The festival adds parades, traditional performances, craft activities and workshops to a square that normally functions as an open public cultural space.
- The square is at the entrance to the Medina of Marrakech. The published venue information names Marrakech but does not specify a railway station or tram connection.
- The setting is an open urban square surrounded by restaurants, stalls and public buildings, with pedestrian movement through the historic Medina area.
- Morocco's official languages are Arabic and Amazigh, and the national currency is the Moroccan dirham.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Further festival details may be added by the organiser before 22 October 2026.
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Frequently asked questions about Jemaa el-Fnaa
When do Marrakech Folklore Days take place at Jemaa el-Fnaa?
The festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026, with the square listed among its Marrakech venues.
What is Jemaa el-Fnaa?
It is a triangular public square at the entrance to the Medina, recognised by UNESCO in 2008 for its cultural space and living traditions.
Where is Jemaa el-Fnaa and how do you get there?
The square is in the Medina of Marrakech, Morocco. The available festival information identifies the city and venue but does not specify a station or public transport line.
