Erfoud Date Festival

Every October, following the date harvest, the town of Erfoud hosts the lively annual Date Festival. Situated in the heart of the date-producing region with nearly a million date palms, Erfoud’s celebrations feature traditional music, dance, processions, and an opportunity for tourists to savor local festival food, particularly dates, and revel in the three-day festivities. Highlights include a fashion parade, the crowning of the ‘Date Queen,’ and an exhilarating dromedary race.

The festival also includes official tents for companies and cooperatives to showcase their dates and date-related products, with a formal Governmental opening on the first day. Morocco boasts a hundred different date varieties, with 45 found in the South alone.

Visitors attending the festival can choose from various hotels in Erfoud, such as the Kasbah Hotel, Chez Tonton, Auberge Derkoua Chez Michel, and the Belere Hotel, among others. Booking accommodations well in advance is crucial due to the event’s popularity.

Dates have held a significant role in Moroccan cuisine for millennia, with archaeological evidence indicating date cultivation dating back to 6,000 BC in Arabia. The date palm has been a vital resource for countless people across the Middle East and Northern Africa, providing a multitude of uses including thread, mattresses, lumber, rope making, and various household and dietary purposes.