Festivals

Tunisia is a marvelous country. Annually there are 340 different festivals of international and local scale here. Below there is a description of those most popular among foreign tourists. Any person may become an eye-witness of these holidays and performances - it is enough to come in touch with a representative of a hosting company and to purchase a group ticket or to make an individual request.

It should be noted that the dates for most of these festivals changes annually. Some of the festivals have no certain location. Before going to a ball you should check its place and time once more.

International Hammamet Art Festival

July 17 - August 19. Hammamet.

In 1920s the Romanian aristocrat George Sebastian has constructed a small villa in the Moresque style in Hammamet. In the garden of this villa there is a Roman theatre where this annual festival of theatre, music and dance takes place.

Tunisian Maluf Festival

July 17 - 31. Testour Tunisian.

Maluf is folklore of Arab-Spanish population of Andalusia who returned to Tunis and founded their settlements there. Musicians from Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Indonesia and other countries performs Arabic and Andalusian music.

International Festival of Visual Arts and Sculpture

July 23 - August 3. Mahres.

Annually this festival attracts young talents from Eastern and European countries. A winner presents his piece of art as a gift for the admirable exposition in the central park of the city - the Park of Philosophy.

International Festival of Symphony Music

July 23 - August 22. El Jem.

Ancient Roman Colosseum - the third in size amphitheatre of the world - has 35,000 seats. Its acoustic properties give a possibility to lead a performance without a microphone. All the performances take place in the night time. Among the habitues of the festival there are such great stars as the Bolshoy Ballet (Moscow), the Mariinsky Ballet (St. Petersburg), La Scala (Milano), the Vienna Opera and others.

International Auessou Festival

July 24. Sousse.

The program includes folk songs and dances as well as a carnival procession along the main street of the city.

Festival of Arab racehorses

August 1 - 5. Battan.

Races of Arab thoroughbred horses. Demonstration of the mastery of jockeys.

Festival of Ceramics

August 1 - 6. Guellala Djerba.

At this festival masters perform their art of producing amazing ceramics from different types of clay (white, red and brown one). Also there will be a fair of hand-made ceramics.

Festival of Corals

September 2 - 6. Tabarka.

Everyone, who is fond of sea-depths, diving and sea flora are invited, but the festival will also be interesting if you simply would like to know more about the sea. Guests are welcome to visit  lectures, seminars, cinema shows and numerous exhibitions of underwater shots.

Sea Festival and the Day of Sirens

Second half of September. Kerkena.

Demonstration of a traditional way of fishing and octopuses fishing with ceramic jugs. All the willing guests may participate in competitions: go to the sea on boat and set traps. After the competitions there will be a luxury feast with octopus as a main dish.

Festival "Trident of Neptun"

May or September. Tabarka.

These are international competitions in underwater fishing; the award is a symbolic trident. In the end the person wielding a harpoon best of all will be announced.

Festival of Oases

November 5 - 8. Tozeur.

Collecting of dates is a Tunisian analogue of a European collecting of grapes. The program includes: competitions in smacking and throwing of knives, snake charming, horse races and camel fights as a culmination point.

Sahara Festival

November 26 - 29. Douz.

In the city of Douz - one of the oases of Sahara - there is a traditional Bedouin festival. There will be traditional dromedary (Arabian camel) races. In this camel Formula-1 riders will participate riders from Algeria, Egypt, Qatar, Libya and France. All the events are free.

Festival of Amateur Films

Kelibia.

The city-port Kelibia has been known since ancient times. A 6th century Byzantine fortress still remains there. In Kelibia there are wonderful solitary beaches and non-expensive fish restaurants. The festival is held under the patronage of the Tunisian Cinema Clubs Federation.