Public Holidays in Marrakech
Although the public holidays do not have a set date in Morocco, it always comes in handy to find out about the country’s main bank holidays before travelling.
It is impossible to determine most of Morocco’s public holidays, as the dates are timed according to the lunar calendar, therefore; the dates vary from year to year. This happens in other Islam countries and cities like Dubai and Istanbul.
Public holidays in Marrakech
- Christian New Year: 1 January
- Proclamation of Independence: 11 January. In 1944 a manifesto demanding full independence for Morocco from the French was presented.
- Worker’s Day: 1 May
- The Prophet’s Birthday (Eid Al Mawlid): Commemoration of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.
- Feast of the Throne: 30 July. Commemorates King Mohammed VI’s coronation in 1999.
- Oued Ed-Dahab Day: 14 August. Allegiance Day.
- Revolution Day: 20 August. Marks the Revolution of Morocco when Mohammed V fought for independence.
- Ramadan: Ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Citizens of Morocco fast during 30 days from dawn to sunset.
- Green March Day: 6 November. The Green March was a mass demonstration that took place on 6 November 1975 to take over the Province of Sahara.
- Independence Day: Morocco commemorates its independence from France and Spain in 1956. Although the country was declared independent on the 2 March 1956, King Mohammed V didn’t proclaim independence until the 18 November of that same year.
- Festival of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha): Date varies. Commemorates when Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son to follow God’s command. This date is considered one of the holiest days in the Islamic calendar and it is tradition for families to sacrifice a sheep or a goat and eat it together.
- Islamic New Year (Fatih Muharram): Date varies.
