In honour of this past Memorial day, lets look at some traditions that make this nation what it is. Ghana is renowned for its vibrant and diverse culture, boasting a plethora of festivals and events throughout the year that honour the country's rich heritage. This article presents a comprehensive selection of these festivals in chronological order throughout the year. Whether you're in the mood for festivities in February, August, or October, there's a local festival you can take part in.
JANUARY
🎉 Akwasidae
📍 Asantehene's Palace, Kumasi (Ashanti Region)
📅 Every 6 weeks throughout the year
❓An Ashanti festival that commemorates ancestors and the timing of various agricultural activities. The exciting and colorful event is celebrated with a public durbar of chiefs as a part of the larger Adaekese celebration.
🎉 Kakamotobi Fancy Dress Masquerade Finale
📍 Winneba (Central Region)
📅 1st January
❓Dutch and British traders at the Winneba seaport began the tradition of the festival in the 19th century. Wearing assorted masks, they celebrated Christmas with dance and alcohol in white-owned bars. Janka Abraham a local who worked as a bar attendant, incorporated the masquerade tradition into local customs. He founded the English-speaking troop known as Nobles in 1923. The members of the Nobles gathered before dawn on Christmas Day dressed in manners that imitated the various European professions to parody the Europeans. The troop would then parade through the streets of Winneba all day and night, backed by adaha music. Now, masqueraders wear elaborate costumes accompanied by brass bands. The festival ends with a Dance competition at the Advanced Teacher Training College Park where the best team is rewarded.
🎉 Tingana Celebration
📍 Balungu, Wiakongo and Pwalugu in the Tongo area (Northern and Upper East Regions)
📅 Throughout January
❓ The "New Year" celebration of the Telensis tribe. The tribe gives a thanksgiving offering of sacrifices alongside traditional music, dancing and celebration.
🎉 Dayitsotsoke
📍 Tafi Atome (Volta Region)
📅 2nd January
❓ Community celebration with drumming, dance, crafts and other cultural displays.
🎉 Edina Bronya
📍Elmina (Central Region)
📅 First Thursday in January
❓ Local version of Christmas exclusively celebrated by the people of Edina. This fest is to celebrate friendship between the Dutch and people of Elmina. To celebrate, the people of Edina are engage in elaborate fish-catching rituals, firing of musketry, drumming, dancing, singing, and a sacrificing of sheep in front of the Elmina castle.
🎉 The Buɣim Chuɣu / Begum (Fire Festival)
📍 Tamale, Walewale, Bolgatanga, throughout the area (Northern and Upper East Regions)
📅 9th day of Bugum Goli, the month of fire (First month of the Dagomba lunar year)
❓ The Fire festival is celebrated to remember the "lost son of a king" which happened before the unification of Dagbon. The King Suhizee's child, Suhipieli, went out to play then fell asleep under a tree. The other children forgot of him and went home. Later that night, the King and Queen found that the child was not with any of them. The king ordered his warriors to search for his son. The people lit torches in search for the search and finally found him under the tree deeply asleep. The royals believed that the tree stole the child and hid him. They therefore considered the tree an evil tree, threw torches on that tree and shamed it. The community at that time regarded that particular tree as an evil tree and many feared it. The king decreed that the event should be marked yearly to commemorate the event. Now, every year, families come together to honor their ancestors, seek blessings, and ward off evil spirits. While marching to the evil tree, they play the gungong and dance the ancient ziem, a dance for the tindaamba 'land priests'. The people dress as warriors when celebrating Bugum Chugu in Dagbon.
🇬🇭 Ntoa Fokuose Festival
📍 Nkoranza, Brong Ahafo Region
📅 10th January
❓ Festival of the god "Ntoa”
🎉🇬🇭 Adaakoya
📍 Bolgatanga and Zuarungu (Northern and Upper East Regions)
📅 January - February
❓ During this festival to give thanks to the gods for good harvest, thanksgiving sacrifices are given by the Gurunsis tribe followed by drumming, dancing and procession of chiefs.
🇬🇭 Yagle-Kuure
📍 Zaare (Northern and Upper East Regions)
📅 January - February
❓ Celebration of the main farming tool of the area, the hoe, by blacksmiths of the Zaare area. Like most other festivals in the region, the celebration is characterized by sacrifices and later followed by drumming and dancing.
🇬🇭 Paragbeile
📍 Tumu in Sissala East (Upper West Region)
📅 Last week in January to First week in February
❓ this Thanksgiving harvest Festival of the Sissala people is a celebration where the Sissala war warriors and farmers are saluted during every farming and harvest seasons by the local residents for contributing safety and foodstuff towards their upkeep and development. During the festival, visitors are welcomed to share food and drinks, the people put on traditional clothes, and farm produce is displayed during drumming, dance and merry-making amidst rare cultural displays where meat of goats and dogs were seen eaten raw.
🎉🇬🇭 Fao
📍 Villages in Paga, Navrongo, Chiana and Kayoro (Northern and Upper East Regions)
📅 Between November and February (but mostly in January)
❓ A communal celebration in the to express gratitude to the gods for safeguarding the community during the farming season and to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Stalks of millet are displayed as a sign of sacrifice and thanks.
FEBRUARY
🎉🇬🇭 Fetish Festival
📍 Tafi Atome (Volta Region)
📅 First or Second week of February
❓ A celebration to recognize the benefits and contributions of the monkeys at the Tafi sanctuary.
🎉🇬🇭 Dzawuwu
📍 Dabala, in Agave district (Volta Region)
📅 February
❓Celebrated at Dabala, the chief commercial centre, Dzawuwu pays tribute to the brave departed Agaves who fought and won several wars. It is a thanksgiving festival where special portions of foods are sprinkled to the gods and libation is poured for the people to renew their loyalty to their rulers. It features drumming, dancing and an impressive durbar of chiefs.
🎉🇬🇭 Nyigbla
📍 Afife, near Akatsi (Volta Region)
📅 February
❓ A week-long celebration that climaxes in the third weekend in February is held to commemorate the Anlo-Ewe migration to the area. It is celebrated with war dances, songs, bonfire jumping and a grand procession of area chiefs.
MARCH
🇬🇭 Independence Day
📍 Throughout Ghana
📅 6th March
❓ Commemorates the Independence of Ghana from the British Empire in 1957. The whole of Ghana takes the day off.. The day begins with a grand performance and parade of marches by students, soldiers and other groups, performances, speeches, overhead air-force jets and many more. The day then dissolves into scattered parties and celebrations throughout the nation. See things to do this Independence day.
🎉 Papa Festival
📍 Kumawu, in Sekyere East district (Ashanti Region)
📅 Usually in March (same date as Akwasiade)
❓ There is a procession of chiefs & militia to honour this day. Cows are also sacrificed for rituals and to secure cow meat.
🎉 Damba Festival
📍 Northern, Upper East & Upper West Regions of Ghana (Northern Regions of Ghana)
📅 The Dagomba lunar Month (the 3rd month of the Islamic calendar)
❓These celebrations coincide with the new farming season when new yam is harvested. Originally linked with Islam to mark the birth and naming of Prophet Mohammed, the 8-day festival has gradually taken on a traditional rather than Islamic tone, to celebrate their heritage and glorify their chieftaincy. The celebration starts off with Yila Bohambu, nightly rehearsal of songs of Damba, led by ladies of courts, across major palaces in related kingdoms. On the 11th day, there is a procession on horseback amidst drumming and dancing. This is when the festivities officially begoin. The celebrations are punctuated by the Binchera Damba (Smock Show & Dancing), Shinkaafa Gahimbu (the picking of rice), Somo Damba (prayers and dancing), Naa Damba (dances and horse shows), Nahu Glibu (the rounding of cow by chiefs), and finally the Belkulsi, a colourful farewell procession. The dates of this celebration can be moved entirely in extrenuous situations like bad weather.
🎉 Ngmayem Festival
📍 Odumase Krobo towns & Dodowa (Greater Accra & Eastern Region)
📅 Late March or Early April
❓ Harvest and thanksgiving festival that commemorates the end of a past famine and promotes tribal unity and historical awareness among the younger generation.
🎉 Apoo Festival
📍 Techiman, Nkoranza and Wenchi (Bono East & Brong Ahafo Regions)
📅 March / April
❓ A festival that purifies the people, dispels social evil and pleases the ancestors so that they bestow the people with good crops.
🎉 Gologo Festival
📍 Talensi, Tenzug at Tonga Hills (Upper East Region)
📅 Late March - Early April
❓ Gologo, also known as Golib, is a pre-harvest festival marked by offerings and sacrifices to the gods for abundant rain, a successful farming season, and protection from earthly deities in the forthcoming season. The sacrifices are accompanied by public music and dancing.
🎉 Kpledjoo
📍 Tema (Greater Accra Region)
📅 Late March or Early April
❓ Ceremony to open Sakumo lagoon for fishing. Grand procession of chiefs and people with lots of cameraderie and hugging amongst the people.
APRIL
🎉 Zumbenti
📍 Kaleo (Upper West Region)
📅 First week in April
❓ Most important thanksgiving festival celebrated by the chiefs and people. A time of prayer, re-uniting of families and many traditional marriages.
🎉 Kalibi
📍 Sankanka (Upper West Region)
📅 First week in April
❓ An event remembering how Babatu and Samori led the people to victory over slave raiders in 1896.
🎉 Paragliding & Hang Gliding Festival
📍 Kwahu plateau at Atibie Kwahu (Eastern Region)
📅 Easter weekend
❓ Part of the Easter celebration in the area, this festival has become a massive attraction since its inception in 2005.
🎉 Bong Ngo Festival
📍 Jirapa (Upper West Region)
📅 April
❓ The “Bong Ngo festival” is held to mark the beginning of the farming season and the lifting of the seasonal ban on harvesting of dawadawa fruits.
🎉 Dipo Festival
📍 Krobo Odumase & Somanya (Eastern Region)
📅 April
❓ Dipo, also known Bobum, is a unique Puberty Rites Festival during which puberty rites are performed on adolescent girls to initiate them into womanhood. This occasion also provides an opportunity for showcasing the exquisite handmade beads of the region which are then used to adorn the girls.
🎉 Jintigi Fire Festival
📍 Gonja area, Domango and Larabanga (Savannah Region)
📅 April
❓ Consultation and recitals of the Koran by the Chief Imam to predict the coming year, followed by night processions with torches into the bush, outskirts of towns and villages within Gonjaland.
🎉 Wilaa
📍 Takpo (Upper West Region)
📅 27th April
❓ Thanksgiving at Wilaa shrine to thank the gos for their guidance and protection.
🎉 Godigbeza Festival
📍 Aflao (Volta Region
📅 April
❓ Grand procession of chiefs to commemorate the exodus from Northern Togo punctuated by war dances, songs and drumming.
MAY
🎉 Aboakyer Festival
📍 Winneba (Central Region)
📅 First Saturday in May
❓‘’Aboa’’ means animal and ‘’Kyer’’ means hunt so Aboakyer, meaning 'Animal Hunt' in Fante, commemorates the migration of the traditional ancestors of Winneba, the Simpofo. The festival is celebrated with a deer hunt since the human sacrifices have been replaced with the hunting and slaying of an antelope. The strict enforcement of the hunting ban is overlooked, as this is an important part of the Simpa peoples’ calendar. The hunters are divided into 2 unarmed warrior groups (Asafo 1 and Asafo 2 who are differentiated by White and Red apparel), who must go into the bushes and bring back a live antelope to the towns’ chief. The teams compete to be the first to present their prize to the elders. The deer sacrifice is made the next day at 2PM. Various rituals and activities are done throughout the week to clear any bad omen on the day of hunt for the live deer. For instance, three days before the festival begins, houses receive a smear of sheep blood and a sprinkling of dough mix meal.
🎉🇬🇭 Kotoklo Festival
📍 Somanya & Krobo Odumase (Eastern Region)
📅 May
❓ A festival to honour the “Kotoklo” shrine for the role it played leading the Krobo's victory in a few ancient wars.
JUNE
🎉 First Ohum (OhumKan / Ahukan)
📍 Akyem Abuakwa, Kibi and other villages (Eastern Region)
📅 First Tuesday and Wednesday in June or July
❓ A 2-day festival celebrating the first yam harvest and seeking blessings from the gods for the upcoming year. It also marks the anniversary of the Akyem nation. There is a 2-week ban on drumming, dancing and noisemaking prior to the festival.
🎉 Apiba
📍 Senya Beraku (Central Region)
📅 June
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🎉 Gyenpren Festival
📍 Kwahu Tafo (Eastern Region)
📅 June
❓ Celebrated with a procession chiefs, drumming and dancing, to thank the gods for an abundant harvest and a peaceful community.
🎉 Dzimbi Festival
📍 Upper East & Upper West Regions
📅 June
❓ Celebrated with drumming, dancing, food, and durbars of chiefs in remembrance of the history of the people and how far they have come.
🎉 Asafua Festival
📍 Sekondi (Western Region)
📅 June
❓ A celebration of the local deity Asafua.
🎉 Apenortor Festival
📍 Mepe in North Tongu District (Volta region)
📅 June to August
❓ It is a colourful festival where during the procession of the chiefs, the people don their best of regalia for general merry-making. It is also the period to take stock of the previous year’s activities whilst development plans are initiated. Though it starts in June, the main celebration takes place in August.
JULY
🎉 Bakatue Festival
📍 Elmina (Central Region)
📅 First full week in July
❓ Started in 1847, this annual festival signifies the start of the fishing season in Elmina. During this event, the Edinafo community offers prayers and thanks to the gods for a successful fishing year. Rituals are performed on the Monday, then the Lagoon is opened on the Tuesday for the royal processions on palanquins at the river banks and on the lagoon.
🎉 Alluole
📍 Sefwi, Wiawso (Western Region)
📅 July
❓ Yam festival at this unique enclave of Judaism.
🎉 Reverential Night
📍 Cape Coast (Central Region)
📅 31 July
❓ Solemn vigil to remember those ancestors who became slaves during the Middle Passage. Attendees are encouraged to wear white. On Odd years, this is celebration is part of the PANAFEST.
🎉 Kundum
📍 Coastal towns from Sekondi to Axim (Western Region)
📅 Between July and November
❓ This is the biggest festival celebrated in the Western Region, this festival is celebrated in coastal towns during different weeks over the course of a number of months. The harvest festival is a way to express gratitude to the gods for an abundant harvest in the region, and celebrates the end of famine that occurred ed in the early 1700's. During this period, the people mourn the dead, remember their ancestors, expel evil spirits, cleanse the community and set goals for the coming year.
🎉 Asafotufiam
📍 Ada (Greater Accra)
📅 Last Thursday in July to First Saturday in August
❓ Commemorates the accomplishments of ancestors who fought in wars to establish their settlements. The local dance 'Kpatsa' entertains the chief and the people.Commemorates victories of warriors with procession of chiefs, historic re-enactments and musketry firing.
AUGUST
🎉 Emancipation Day
📍 Assin Praso & Accra (Central & Greater Accra Regions)
📅 1st August (sometimes late July)
❓ This event commemorates the final abolition of Chatel Slavery in the British colonies on 1st August 1834. Ghana was the first country in Africa officially celebrate Emancipation Day in 1998. Ceremonies are conducted at the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre, the George Padmore Library and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra with a durbar of Chiefs. On odd years, this is celebration is part of the PANAFEST.
🎉 Akwambo Festival
📍 Swedru and Nyakrom (Central Region)
📅 Early August.
❓ Akwambo means "to Clear a Path" in English. It is celebrated by the Agona people to commemorate the journey and arrival of their founding settlers. The settlers cleared a foot path leading to rivers, farms and communal sites for the four towns of Ekrawfo, Otabenadze, Gyinankoma, and Atakwaa. During this Path clearing festival, paths to communal sites are freshly cleared. The following day there is a parade of clay-covered people carrying twigs and tree branches, drumming, dancing and firing musketry.
🎉 Yaa Asantewaa
📍 Ejisu (Ashanti Region )
📅 Early August
❓ Procession of chiefs and people pay homage to Yaa Asantewaa, the Ashanti war heroine who defeated the British.
🎉 Bayere Afahye - (Yam harvest)
📍 Banda (Brong Ahafo Region)
📅 Monday in 2nd week or Last Week of August
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🎉 Homowo
📍 Ga-inhabited Accra (Greater Accra Region)
📅 August
❓ The most popular harvest and thanksgiving festival in the Capital, Homowo is celebrated by the Ga people, who are considered to be the first to settle on the soil of Accra resulting from the Bantu migration thousands of years ago. In Ga, "Homo” means hunger and “Wo” means hoot, thus; Homowo, means 'hoot at hunger.' It is a remembrance of the famines during the pre-colonial era. It honors the people's history and signifies the end of hunger. It is celebrated to hoot at hunger, to honour the gods for blessing them with rain after a long period of droughts and hunger, and to acknowledge the gods for blessing them with a good harvest afterward. The celebration normally starts from the month of May to November but the main celebrations are had in August
🎉 PANAFEST
📍 Cape Coast & Elmina (Central Region)
📅 August (in odd-numbered years)
❓ Huge biennial event that celebrates African culture and history through theater, music, cinema, poetry and lectures combined with traditional processions.
🎉 Chalewote Festival
📍 Jamestown (Greater Accra Reagion)
📅 Mid August - Early September
❓ Chalewote, literrally meaning "Buddy, lets go" in English, is an annual contemporary Street Art Festival that debuted in 2011. The now week-long festival features graffiti murals, photography, spoken word, street painting, theater shows, live performances, community sports competitions, films, interactive art installations, and many more.
🎉 Apatwa Festival
📍 Dixcove near Busua (Western Region)
📅 August
❓ This festival features various ceremonies, tributes, community service, and merry-making lasting most of the month
🎉 Agbeliza Festival
📍 Akatsi, Avenorpedo and Avenorpeme (Volta Region)
📅 August
❓ A festival to appreciate cassava and its diversity. During this Cassava festival, at least 20 different products made from the Cassava plant are displayed.
🎉 Edim Kese Festival
📍 Sekondi (Western Region)
📅 August
❓ Festival of remembrances to ancestors with plenty of drumming and dance.
🎉 Ahobaa Festival
📍 Gomoa Assin & Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area (Western & Central Region)
📅 3rd week in August
❓ Festival commemorating end of epidemic, and in honour of the man called ‘Ahor’ who sacrificed his life to end the epidemic.
🎉 Agbamevoza (Kente Festival)
📍 Agotime Traditional Area (Volta Region)
📅 August or September
❓ Agbamevo means 'loom-cloth' in the Ewe Language. Thousands attend the festival to see Kente-weaving competition, the crowning of Miss Agbamevor (Miss Kente), and the beautiful procession of chiefs.
🎉 Afadzato Togbo Tsikeke Festivals
📍 Liati-Wote (Volta Region)
📅 late August
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🎉 Odambea Festival
📍 Saltpond (Central Region)
📅 Last Saturday of August
❓ Commemorates the migration of the Nkusukum people from Techiman to their present settlement at Saltpond. It features the re-enactment of the ancient life styles of the people.
SEPTEMBER
🎉 Fetu Afahye Festival
📍 Ogua Traditional Area, Cape Coast (Central Region)
📅 First week of September (Sometimes starts in the last week of August)
❓ The week-long festival most importantly celebrates the the 77 gods of the Oguaa Traditional Area, for their historic intervention during the Cape Coast Plague of the 1700s. The devastating plague demanded a call upon their gods by the inhabitants of Cape Coast and its environs, hence the name “Fetu” originally known as “Efin Tu”-doing away with dirt. It reminds the people of Oguaa of their history and traditions. The festival is also observed to commemorate a pumper harvest from the sea as well as the importance of the contribution of the Asafo companies in Oguaaman in the 18th and 19th centuries, which culminated in the nation‘s independence. Fetu Afahye was once banned by the then colonials of Ghana who depicted the festival as a bad traditional phenomenon. The festival is now used as a calendar for the farming seasons of the Oguaa Traditional Area and this particular phenomenon is also referred to as “Afehyia” meaning, a loop of seasons. The actual celebration is had on the first Saturday of September with a huge procession of Chiefs, a Bakatue ceremony and boat race at the Fosu lagoon followed by an enormous Monday night procession of traditional priests and priestesses. The Oguaa tribe adorns new clothes for the Carnival.
🎉 Epor
📍 Lolobi-Kumasi (Volta Region)
📅 1st Saturday in September
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🎉 Nkronu
📍 Shama, Beposo (Western Region)
📅 September
❓ Festival to purify the royal stools of area chiefs. Involves prayers to ancestors for a good harvest and long life.
🎉 Awubia Festival
📍 Awutu & Bawjiase (Central Region)
📅 September
❓ Like Homowo, Awubia is a celebration to 'hoot at hunger' and welcome a bumper harvest of grains but for the Fantes in Awutu and Bawjiase.
🎉 Akwantutenten Festival
📍 Worawora / Akan Volta (Volta Region)
📅 September
❓ The chiefs and people of Worawora who are Akans (also know as “AkanVolta”) celebrate their newly revived festival to commemorate the exodus of the people of Worawora from Ashanti-land to their present abode. The festival involves a pilgrimage to their former settlements up the hills overlooking their present settlement. Their chiefs sit in state to receive homage from their subjects.
🎉 Odwira Festival
📍 Akropong-Akuapim, Aburi, Larteh and Mamfi (Eastern Region)
📅 September
❓ A yam harvest festival that originated as a celebration of the historic victory over the unbeatable Ashanti army during the historic battle of Katamansu near Dodowa in 1826. Also an opportunity for the people of Fanteakwa to cleanse themselves and ask for protection from their gods.
🎉 Asogli Te Za (Yam Festival)
📍 Ho Municipality (Volta Region)
📅 In mid-September to September ending,
❓ A harvest festival to celebrate the cultivation of yam that was started by a hunter who found the tuber in the forest during his hunting expedition. The chiefs and people of Asogli and surrounding areas celebrate their annual yam festival where cooked yam is sprinkled at the various shrines. There is also a grand durbar of chiefs who sit in state to receive homage from their subjects. The mode of celebration differs slightly from one traditional area to another.🎉🇬🇭
🎉 OhumKyire (second Ohum)
📍 Akyem, Kibi and other villages (Eastern Region)
📅 Tuesday and Wednesday in September or October
❓ This celebration doubles as the anniversary of Akyem Nation as well as a thanksgiving for the annual harvest. There is a two-week ban on drumming, dancing and noisemaking prior to the festival.
🎉 Wli Falls Festival
📍 Wli Falls (Volta Region)
📅 September or October
❓ The chiefs and people of the three communities forming the Wli Traditional Area “Agoviefe, Afegame and Todzi” thank their gods for being kind enough to provide a source of water in their arid area. They also thank the gods for their unique nature reserve filled with different greenery and herbs that they use for medicinal purposes.
OCTOBER
🎉 Kobine Festival
📍 Dagarti, Lawra (Upper West Region)
📅 First week in October (but could be from mid-September to mid-November)
❓ a unique traditional dance and thanksgiving festival that marks the conclusion of a successful harvest. This post-harvest celebration acknowledges the gods with dance groups who compete for the 'best dancer' and 'best community group' titles.
🎉🇬🇭 Velukusi
📍 Ve-deme (Volta Region)
📅 First week in October
❓ Commemorates the escape of the Ewes under the cruel King Aghorkoli in Togo. To escape, the Ewes poured water on a section of the walls that enslaved them, broke the wall down and then walked backwards to disguise their route. This is re-enacted for all to feel what really happened. The climax of the festival is the display of rich traditional cloths and beads and a grand durbar of chiefs.
🎉 Akonnedi Festival
📍 Larteh, Eastern Region
📅 Early to Mid October
❓ Festival of the ‘Akonnedi’ shrine
🎉 Sasadu Festival
📍 Saviefe, Afrofu, Sovie and Alavanyo (Volta Region)
📅 October
❓ Celebrates the fraternal relationship between the four communities forming the SASADU area who are said to be of the same stock. The festivites are rotated between the 4 communities and crowned by a grand durbar of chiefs.
🎉 FofieYam Festival
📍 Nchiraai, Techiman (Bono East & Brong Ahafo Regions)
📅 October
❓ Celebrated to give thanks to the gods for the harvest and to invoke blessings, guidance and protection for the year ahead. Exciting durbar of chiefs on the Saturday climax this week-long celebration featuring food, dress and dance.
🎉 Foyawoo Festival
📍 Atebubu (Bono East Region)
📅 October
❓Celebrated with a colourful durbar of chiefs carried in palanquins is accompanied by dancing, drumming and horn blowing. Visitors are greeted with food and drink as locals adorn traditional clothing.
🎉 Munufie Festival
📍 Japekrom (Bono East Region)
📅 October
❓ This festival promoting diversity and bringing neighbors into dialogue, is celebrated with a durbar of chiefs, dance competitions, football matches, musical performances, and traditional drumming.
🎉 Boaram Festival
📍 Teng-zug, in Tongo District (East Region)
📅 October or November
❓ Harvest and thanksgiving festival of the Talensis tribe with sacrifices to gods.
NOVEMBER
🎉 Vane Amu Brown Rice Festival
📍 Vane, Avatime Gbadzeme (Volta Region)
📅 First weekend of November
❓ The festival celebrates the people of Avatime, who migrated from the Ahanta areas of the Western Region, fought the original people of the area they now occupy. It is celebrated with the harvesting of rice by the chiefs and people of Vane together with their kinsmen. The week-long celebration is celebrated in lieu of the agricultural activities forming the major economic activity of the people and rice cultivated as a staple. As is characteristic of the area, festivities are highlighted with drumming, dancing, singing and a durbar of chiefs.
🎉 Hogbetsotso
📍 Anloga (Volta Region)
📅 First Saturday of November,
❓ The week-long Hogbetwotso festival, or the 'festival of exodus,' honours the escape and migration by the ancestors of the Anglo people from the ancient walled city of Notsieto Anlo State in Northern Togo, from the tyrannical rule of King Togbe Agokorli in the 17th Century, to their present location in the south eastern wetlands of Ghana. Legend has it that the ancestors escaped by walking back-wards to elude their enemies who might follow them. A grand durbar of chiefs and their subjects is held at Anloga on the first Saturday in November amidst drumming and dancing to “Husago” and other war songs, and is rounded off with chiefs paying homage to their paramount chief, and renewing their allegiance. The grand procession of chiefs is accompanied by drumming, dancing and singing.
🎉 Mmoa Ni Nko
📍 Offinso (Ashanti Region)
📅 First Saturday in November (Every 4 years)
❓ Celebrates the bravery and wisdom of Nana Wiafe Akenten I, who accepted land instead of jewelry from the Ashanti King, Nana Osei Tutu I, as a reward for loyalty in warfare against the Dormaas of the Brong Ahafo region. The land granted is what makes up the present day Offinso Municipality. In November 1995, the present Offinsohene, Nana Wiafe Akenten III, and his elders instituted the festival to replace the “Mangyina” festival, to bring into focus the wisdom, bravery and military genius of the ancestors of the Offinsoman. It is celebrated with a grand procession of chiefs, drumming, dancing and musket firing.
🎉 Dodoleglime Festival
📍 Ve Traditional Area (Volta Region)
📅 November
❓ Just like Hogbetsotso, but for ewes in Ve, Dodoleglime (or Ve-Lukusi), meaning 'coming out of the wall' in Ewe, comemorates the heroic ancestors who dug a hole in the wall that surrounded the Notsie town to escape the tyrannical rule of Togbe Agorkoli in the 17th century.
🎉🇬🇭 Glimetotoza Festival
📍 Kpeve, Tsohor, Klikor in the Adaklu district (Volta Region)
📅 November
❓ Just like Hogbtsotso, this festival celebrates the escape from Notsie of the ancestors of the people of Adaklu. It is marked with a grand procession of chiefs, war dances, songs and drums.
🎉🇬🇭 Kloyosikplem
📍 Yilo Krobo (Eastern Region)
📅 November
❓This festival was created in 1992 to commemorate the Centenuary of their eviction from the Krobo Mountain by the British. This gave the event its name – Kloyosikplemi meaning ‘The Descent from Krobo Mountain’. The Mountain itself was very important for the Krobo people, and was their home and ritual center for hundreds of years. The Mountain is still used today for pilgrimages during special festivals – Although very little remains of the original Krobo settlements as the British forces destroyed almost everything.
🎉🇬🇭 Adekyem
📍 Bechem (Brong Ahafo)
📅 November
❓ Adekyem meaning "The Sharing of Things" highlights the historical role of Bechem as a place where the spoils of Asante wars were distributed. After the war over Dormaa, Nana Osei Tutu I and his victorious war leaders sat to share their booty or spoils at Abekyease. The chiefs said, “We shall divide our booty here” (yebekye mu wo ha) hence, the name Bechem. After the Gyaman war with Abo Kofi too, the war booty was shared at Bechem. That is how Abekyease became known as Bechem and has been called to this day!
🎉🇬🇭 Sasabobirim
📍 Awuah Domase (Brong Ahafo)
📅 November
❓ This is held in remembrance of the area chief who joined Yaa Asantewaa and her army to fight the British.
🎉🇬🇭 Akwantukese
📍 Koforidua, New Juabeng (Eastern Region)
📅 November
❓ Literally meaning "The Great Travel / Migration", this festival is in remembrance of the migration of Juabeng people from Ashanti to the Koforidua area.
🎉🇬🇭 Kloyo Sikplemi
📍 Somanya, Yilo Krobo, (Eastern Region)
📅 November
❓ Expedition to the base of the mountain where Krobo people were evicted by the British. Celebrated with a procession of chiefs will climax this celebration.
🎉🇬🇭 Ayimagonu
📍 Dofor Adidome (Volta Region)
📅 November
❓ Much pagentry, grand procession of chiefs riding palanquins amidst drumming, dancing and singing of war songs.
🎉🇬🇭 Kpalikpakpa
📍 Wegbe Kpalime, Volta Region
📅 November
❓ Music, drumming, dance, and a durbar of chiefs to remember the ancestors.
🎉🇬🇭 Sometutuza
📍 Keta Agbozume (Volta Region)
📅 3rd Saturday in November
❓ Two weeks after the Anlo-Ewes celebrated Hogbetsotso festival, their cousins, the Some-Ewes celebrate their Keta-Sometutuza at Agbozume for the same reason. Festivities are punctuated by a grand procession of chiefs wearing traditional hand-woven Ewe-style Kente cloth as the Some area is noted for Kete(kente) weaving.
🎉 Samanpiid
📍 Bawku (Upper East Region)
📅 November or December
❓ A Harvest thanksgiving festival, natives of Bawku celebrate with traditional music, dances, and costumes.
🎉 Kakube
📍 Nandom (Upper West Region)
📅 November or December
❓ This festival is celebrated to thank family gods and ask them to bless the soil, protect the people during the farming seasons.
🎉 Kwafie (Purification ceremony)
📍 Techiman, Wenchi, Sunyani, Berekum (Bono East & Brong Ahafo Regions)
📅 November or December
❓ Celebrates the ancestors who brought fire to the area, the high-light of which is a large bonfire.
🎉 Gbidukor Festival
📍 Peki & Hohoe (Volta Region)
📅 November or first week December
❓ A time to commemorate the conquests and exploits of the ancestors of the Gbi-Ewes (in Gbi North (Hohoe), and Gbi-South (Peki)). The festivities alternate between the communities of Hohoe to Peki. It is a very huge and colourful festival where Chiefs are carried in palanquins amidst drumming and dancing. There are various community activities throughout the month. New development projects are initiated. It fest also marks the period of family re-union.
🎉🇬🇭 Nkyidwo
📍 Essumeja (Ashanti Region)
📅 Last Monday in November through first Monday in December
❓ Commemorates the origin of the Ashantis at a site in the Asantemanso forest. Rituals are performed and there is a procession of chiefs on the mid-Saturday.
DECEMBER
🎉🇬🇭 Fiok Festival (War Festival)
📍 Sandema in Builsa (Upper East Region)
📅 Second Friday of December to Third Thursday
❓ Important festival commemorates victory over the slave raiders. Ultimately a harvest thanksgiving festival, various communities to express gratitude to the gods of the Sandema people. The celebration features war dances punctuated by re-enactments of the ancient heroic exploits of the Builsas, with grand procession of chiefs at climax. Traditional headgear is worn with enormous antlers.
🎉🇬🇭 Fancy Dress Masquerade
📍 Winneba
📅 25th to 2nd January
❓ is a colourful festival that features brass band music. Dutch and British traders at the Winneba seaport began the tradition of the festival in the 19th century. Wearing assorted masks, they danced and drank in white-owned bars celebrating Christmas. The tradition was imitated by the locals of Saltpond.
🎉🇬🇭 Afrochella (Now Afrofuture)
📍 El Wak Stadium (Greater Accra Region)
📅 28th - 29th December
❓ Contemporary Ghanaian Festival that showcases the diversity and vibrancy of African music, art, food, and fashion. The 2 day festival is punctuated by high-energy performances from the continent's biggest artists, thought-provoking art pieces of local talents and delicious local snacks by some of the best vendors and many more. It is also celebrated throughout the year with smaller events, panels and parties.
BONUS:
🎉 Adae Kese Festival
📍 Kumasi (Ashanti Region)
📅 Every 5 Years
❓ State Festival of the Ashanti’s for the purification of ancestral stools and to rememper past leaders and fallen heroes of the people. Though they are dead, their spirits are believed to be alive and taking interest in the affairs of the living, watching their actions, and consulting with them during the Adae festival. Adae Kese is an umbrella celebration that includes the festivities of Odwira, Akwasiadae and Awukudae
This is the comprehensive list of festivals in Ghana. Check back in 2 weeks for another informative or riveting article about Accra, Ghana or both. Till then, check out our website for upcoming things to get into. Let us know your favourite Ghanaian celebration, and always remember: Life is for Living so Live it Up!