Marrakesh Medina hosts Marrakech Folklore Days on 24 October

Marrakesh Medina is hosting part of Marrakech Folklore Days from 22 to 25 October 2026, including a parade through the historic quarter on 24 October. The festival brings traditional dance, music, costumes and cultural activities to several venues in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Marrakech Folklore Days reaches the historic quarter

The eighth Marrakech Folklore Days is organised by the Association du Patrimoine et du Folklore. Its programme brings Moroccan and international groups to M Avenue, Jemaa el-Fna, the Maroc Heritage Cultural Centre and the old city.

The programme includes traditional dances, costumes, world music, cultural meetings, workshops and guided visits to the medina and its heritage sites. On 24 October, the parade moves through Jemaa el-Fna, the souks and the narrow lanes of the historic quarter. A closing Gnaoua Fusion performance by Othmane Hmiti is also scheduled for that evening. The official festival programme confirms the 22 to 25 October 2026 dates and the event theme of peace, unity and living heritage.

The 24 October procession gives the festival a route through a working urban district rather than a single enclosed venue. That links its international folk programme with the square, markets and lanes that form the daily public setting of the old city.

UNESCO heritage frames the festival route

UNESCO says Marrakesh was founded by the Almoravids between 1070 and 1072. The historic quarter contains the Koutoubia Mosque, the Kasbah, ramparts, monumental gates, gardens, palaces, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the Saadian Tombs and Jemaa el-Fna.

The property covers 700 hectares and was added to the World Heritage List in 1985. Its lanes, houses, souks, fondouks, craft activities and traditional trades make it a living historic town, according to the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The parade therefore passes through spaces that combine heritage monuments with commercial and residential activity.

Jemaa el-Fna is one of the named places in the festival programme and is also identified by UNESCO as an open-air theatre. The shared setting is the clearest connection between the 24 October event and the character of the historic quarter.

Visiting Marrakesh Medina: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Marrakech Folklore Days run from 22 to 25 October 2026, with the parade in the historic quarter on 24 October at Jemaa el-Fna, the souks and surrounding lanes.
• The programme adds guided visits to the medina and heritage sites, while the parade itself follows public streets and the square rather than a single museum entrance.
• The quarter is in Marrakesh and includes narrow lanes, souks, traditional trades and historic monuments, so visitors should expect an urban walking environment.
• Morocco uses Arabic and Amazigh as official languages, while 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.

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Frequently asked questions about Marrakesh Medina

When does Marrakech Folklore Days take place at Marrakesh Medina?

The festival runs from 22 to 25 October 2026, with a parade through Jemaa el-Fna and the surrounding lanes on 24 October.

What is Marrakesh Medina?

It is the historic quarter of Marrakesh, a 700-hectare World Heritage property inscribed by UNESCO in 1985.

Where is Marrakesh Medina and how do you get there?

The quarter is in Marrakesh, Morocco, and the festival programme names Jemaa el-Fna and the souks as locations for the 24 October parade.