Fixed
Set by law, the same every year
National holidays such as the Throne Day on 30 July. Banks and offices close, while the souks and most workshops stay open.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
The Fes calendar for 2027
Every date that changes a Fes trip in 2027, month by month. Fixed holidays are certain. Ramadan and the Eids follow the moon, so they are expected dates. The festivals haven't announced 2027 dates yet, and we say so rather than guess.
- Dates checked November 2026
- Moon dates marked as expected
- Updated when festivals announce
Three kinds of date
Read every date below with its label.
Expected
Set by the moon
Ramadan, the two Eids, the Islamic New Year and the Prophet's birthday. Astronomers forecast them, and Morocco confirms each one by sighting the new moon, usually the evening before. They can move by a day.
Not announced
Set by the organisers
The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and the Sefrou cherry festival publish their dates in the months before. We don't print a date until they do.
Some dates are fixed. Some follow the moon.
Fes el Bali from the Merinid Tombs2027, month by month
Checked in November 2026 against public holiday calendars and astronomical forecasts. We confirm every moon date with you the week before you travel.
1, 11 and 14 January · fixed
New Year, the Independence Manifesto and the Amazigh New Year
Three public holidays in two weeks. The medina is cool and quiet, and most of it stays open.
From about Monday 8 February · expected
Ramadan begins
Quiet mornings, slow afternoons, late evenings. It falls in the Middle Atlas snow window too.
Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March · expected
Eid al-Fitr
The end of Ramadan. Many medina shops close for a day or two, and families gather at home.
Sunday 28 March · fixed
Easter Sunday
Not a Moroccan holiday, but it shapes when European and North American families travel. In 2027 it falls after Ramadan has ended.
1 May · fixed
Labour Day
A public holiday. Spring is in full swing and the gardens are in flower.
Sunday 16 or Monday 17 May · expected
Eid al-Adha
The feast of the sacrifice. Many medina shops and workshops close for several days, and roads and trains are busy.
May or early June · not announced
Fes Festival of World Sacred Music
Recent editions have run in May or early June. The 2027 dates are not out yet.
Early June · expected, date not confirmed
Islamic New Year
A public holiday, usually quiet in Fes.
June · not announced
Sefrou cherry festival
Sefrou's UNESCO-listed festival, about 30 km from Fes. The 2027 dates are not out yet.
30 July · fixed
Throne Day
A national holiday in the heat of summer. Several more national holidays follow in August.
Around mid-August · expected, date not confirmed
The Prophet's birthday (Mawlid)
A public holiday and a family day. Expect some shops to close.
6 and 18 November · fixed
The Green March and Independence Day
Two holidays in the gentle autumn season, a good time for both the medina and the Sahara.
Calendar questions
The questions people ask us most before they plan a trip.
Which Moroccan public holidays fall on fixed dates in 2027?
New Year's Day (1 January), the Independence Manifesto (11 January), the Amazigh New Year (14 January), Labour Day (1 May), the Throne Day (30 July), the Green March (6 November) and Independence Day (18 November), plus several national holidays in August. Banks and government offices close; most of the medina carries on.
Why do Ramadan and Eid dates move every year?
They follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about eleven days shorter than the solar year, so each holiday comes earlier every year. Morocco fixes each date by sighting the new moon, usually the evening before, which is why we give them as expected dates.
What are the expected Islamic holiday dates for 2027?
Ramadan is expected to begin around Monday 8 February, Eid al-Fitr around 9 or 10 March and Eid al-Adha around 16 or 17 May. The Islamic New Year is expected in early June and the Prophet's birthday around mid-August, but those two dates are not confirmed yet.
Are the 2027 festival dates out yet?
Not yet. The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music has recently taken place in May or early June, and the Sefrou cherry festival in June. We add their 2027 dates here when the organisers publish them.
Tell us your dates. We'll tell you what falls on them.
- Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
- A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
- You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.