All Festivals of Ghana - Full list with dates
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Festivals in Ghana are annual or biannual event celebrated by different tribes, towns in various parts of the country in commemoration of a past event or in recognition of some personalities.
Festivals in Ghana celebrated
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A notable feature of the Ghanaian society, and one that is of great interest to travelers, is the enormous number of traditional festivals that take place in various parts of the country throughout the year.
This is made for an all year round celebration of festivals which are different from each other in their meanings, history and activities undertaken. These festivals make known some common qualities and beliefs of the Ghanaian society. |
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However, one of the most interesting festivals is the Akwasidae Festival of the Ashantis. The Akwasidae festival is celebrated every 42 days in Ghana.
The Ashantis believe in the dead. Each time that a king dies, his stool ("chair") is sent to a special place where it is kept. It is the duty of the Asantehene, the Ashanti King purify at every 42 days the stools of the dead kings. |
The festival starts on Friday and it is called Adaefofie. It continues on Saturday and this is called Memeneda Dapaa. Both Friday and Saturday celebrations are performed behind close doors and the public cannot participate.
Panafest
This festival is held very summer. It is celebrates Ghanaian roots. People from other African countries as well as the African-Americans with roots in Ghana visit the country and celebrate their heritage.
The Homowo Festival
The word "Homowo" actually means 'making fun of hunger.' Our traditional oral history described a time long ago when the rains stopped and the sea closed its gates.
A deadly famine spread throughout the southern Accra Plains, the home of the Ga people.
When the harvest finally arrived and food became plentiful, the people were so happy that they celebrated with a festival that ridiculed hunger.
This festival is held very summer. It is celebrates Ghanaian roots. People from other African countries as well as the African-Americans with roots in Ghana visit the country and celebrate their heritage.
The Homowo Festival
The word "Homowo" actually means 'making fun of hunger.' Our traditional oral history described a time long ago when the rains stopped and the sea closed its gates.
A deadly famine spread throughout the southern Accra Plains, the home of the Ga people.
When the harvest finally arrived and food became plentiful, the people were so happy that they celebrated with a festival that ridiculed hunger.
January - Festivals by region
Feb.
March
April / May
May
July
All other festivals, by month, below;
- Adae Kese Festival – State Festival of the Ashanti’s for the purification of ancestral stools - Kumasi, Ashanti Region
- Edina Buronya Festival - (Local version of Christmas exclusively celebrated by the people of Edina) – 1st Thursday of the New Year - Elmina, Central Region
- Rice Festival – Harvest / Thanksgiving: 3rd Week -Akpafu, Volta Region
- Ntoa Fokuose Festival – Festival of the god ‘Ntoa” – 10th January -Nkoranza, Brong Ahafo Region
- Akwanbo Festival - Gomoa Abora, Central Region
- Yam Festival - Sefwi Bekwai Traditional Area, Western Region
Feb.
- Okwawuman Afahye - Abetifi Traditional Area, Eastern Region
March
- Gologo Festival – Sacrifices to the gods of abundant rain and good harvest in the ensuing year -Tong-Zug, Upper East Region
- Ngmayen Festival – Harvest / Thanksgiving – late March or early April -Krobo Odumase Somanya,
- Eastern Region
- Odwira Festival -Kyempo, Asante Akim South, Ashanti Region
April / May
- Aboakyer Festival (Deer Hunting) (Short Info) – Aboakyir Festival Ghana.(Full Info) - Winneba, Central region of Ghana. Late April or early May -Winneba – Central Region
May
- Kotoklo Festival – in honor of the shrine “Kotoklo” for the role it played in an ancient war -Somanya & Krobo Odumase, Eastern Region
July
- Bakatue Festival – Fish Harvest -Elmina, Central Region
All other festivals, by month, below;
Ghanaian Festivals
Ghana is a country that celebrates festivals. There are several rites and rituals that are performed throughout the year in various parts of the country.
They cover the right of passage childbirth, puberty, marriage and death. For the majority of people, these celebrations provide all that is satisfying to their communities and families.
At any time of the year, a tourist will encounter a festival in one of the country's ten regions. Each region has its own major festivals and the way people respond to them is dependent entirely upon their mood. During periods of economic prosperity, for example, the celebrations are naturally quite colorful.
Ghana is a country that celebrates festivals. There are several rites and rituals that are performed throughout the year in various parts of the country.
They cover the right of passage childbirth, puberty, marriage and death. For the majority of people, these celebrations provide all that is satisfying to their communities and families.
At any time of the year, a tourist will encounter a festival in one of the country's ten regions. Each region has its own major festivals and the way people respond to them is dependent entirely upon their mood. During periods of economic prosperity, for example, the celebrations are naturally quite colorful.
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Among the major festivals are;
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Others are the:
Adae Festival Kumasi Ghana Adae Kese Festival
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More festivals in all regions of Ghana
August
September
October
November
December
August
- Homowo Festival - (Harvest/Thanksgiving) -Accra, Labadi, Teshie, Nungua Gt. Accra Region
- Asafotu Festival – (Commenmorating victories of warriors in battles, and in honour of those who fell in battles) 1st weekend in August - Ada, Greater Accra Region
- Bayere Afahye - (Yam harvest) – last Monday or 1st Monday in 2nd week -Banda, Brong – Ahafo Region
- Akwambo Festival - (Path – clearing) a Festival commemorating the clearing of foot path leading to rivers, farms & communal sites – early August-Agona Nyakrom-Central Region
- Ahobaa Festival - (Festival commemorating end of the epidemic, and in honour of a man called ‘Ahor’ who sacrificed his life to end the epidemic) – 3rd week -Gomoa Assin,- Central Region
- Kundum Festival - (Festival commemorating end of famine dating beyond 1700) 2nd week-Upper Dixcove, Western Region
- Damba Festival - (Ushers in the new yam crop. Originally linked with Islam, to commemorate the birth and naming of the Prophet Mohammed) -Dagomba Festival, Mamprusi, Gonja, Nanumba and Wala, Northern and Upper Regions
- Odambea Festival - (Commemorates the migration of the people of “Nkusukum” from Techiman to their present settlement at Saltpond -Saltpond- Central Region
- Ahobaa Festival - Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area, Western Region
September
- Fetu Afahye Festival (Short info) and Fetu Afahye Festival (Full info) - (Festival commemorates first contact with the Whites) – 1st week -Ogua Traditional Area, Cape Coast, Central Region
- Odwira Festival - (Harvest/Thanksgiving) -Akropong-Akuapem, Eastern Region
- Kobine Festival - (Harvest/Thanksgiving -Dagarti, Upper West Region
- Akwanbo Festival -Enyan Abaasa, Ajumako-Enyam Essian, Central Region
- Ohum Festival - Mampong-Akuapem, Eastern Region
- Awubia Festival -Awutu, Bawjiase, Central Region
October
- Akonnedi Festival - (Festival of the ‘Akonnedi’ shrine) 9th – 15th October -Larteh, Eastern Region
- Ngmayem Festival - Shai Traditional Area, Dodowa, Greater Accra
- Yam Festival - Kpedze, Volta Region
- Odwira Festival - Akropong and Amanokrom, Eastern Region
- Bugum (Fire) Festival - The dates back to the time when one Tindana lost his dear son. The name of the Tindana and the said son are known as Tindana Suhizee and suhipieli respectively. (Northern regions)
- Akwambo Festival - Agona Duakwa, Central Region
November
- Hogbetsotso - (Festival commemorating migration of the people of Anlo from Notsieto Anlo State) -Anlo, Volta Region
- Apoo - (Purification of the people) to rid them of social evil -Techiman, Brong Ahafo Region
- Kwafie - (Purification ceremony), the highlight of which is a large bonfire) – between November & December - Dormaa Ahenkro, Berekum Nsuatre, Brong-Ahafo Region
- Kabube - Nandom Traditional Area, Upper West Region
- Amu (brown rice) Festival - Of the chiefs and people of the Avatime Traditional Area at Avatime Gbadzeme in the Volta Region
- The chiefs and people of Vane together with their kinsmen from the Avatime Traditional Area celebrate the AMU or Rice Festival through the week leading to, and on the first weekend in the month of November every year. This festival is celebrated in lieu of the agricultural activities forming the major economic activity of the people and rice cultivated as a staple.
- Odwira Festival -Denkyira Traditional Area, Dunkwa, Central Region
December
- Fiok Festival (War festival), re-enacting the ancient heroic exploits of the Builsas) -Sandema, Upper East Region
- Yam Festival -Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Area, Western Region
- Odwira Festival -Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, Akyem Oda, Eastern Region
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