National civil holidays:
New Year’s Eve, 1 January
Armed Forces Day, 28 January
Labour Day, 1 May
Independence Day, 1 August
Christian religious festivities:
Christian Easter, variable date (March/April)
All Saints’ Day, 1 November
Christian Christmas, 25 December
Muslim religious festivities:
Aid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan or Little Festival), a date that varies according to the lunar calendar
Aid el-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice or Great Feast or Tabaski), date variable according to the lunar calendar
Al Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet), date variable according to the lunar calendar
Voodoo religious festivals:
National Voodoo Day, 10 January
Generally considered a cultural and musical festival, it is actually a religious celebration with a fixed date and marks the recognition of voodoo as an official religion for the nation and internationally. Every 10 January, believers from all over the world gather on Ouidah beaches for a whole day of celebrations, rituals, sacrifices, dances and events linked to voodoo. The event has become so popular that it attracts the curious from all parts of the world, yet it continues to be an event that has not lost its sacredness and is deeply felt by all the voodoo communities who flock there.
Traditional animist or voodoo festivals of a local nature, linked for example to sowing, harvesting, transhumance or events in general of a community nature, such as circumcision or initiation, are certainly the most fascinating and unmissable, but equally unpredictable are their dates, which are set only a few weeks before the event. This “inconvenience” makes them true and genuine events, not planned for the use and consumption of tourists who, if they are lucky enough to come across one of these events, will certainly have a unique experience.
These include the Gueledé initiations in the Savé area, generally in the spring months. The yam first harvest festivals in the Taneka, Betammaribé and Dassa regions, are generally all in August, depending on the seasonality of the crops.
Cultural festivals include:
Quintessence, 9-10-11 January
This is a film festival held in Ouidah, in conjunction with the Voodoo Festival, during which a jury awards the best film made by African directors, after three days of screenings.
Turtle Festival, 8 January
Every year, hundreds of baby turtles are released into the ocean on the beach at Grand Popo. They were born under monitoring by an association that works to protect them.