Events & Festivals in Ghana, West Africa

Ashanti - Adae and Akwasidae Festival - Kumasi

This is perhaps the most important period in the calendar of the Ashanti Kingdom. It is held in a large open space in the capital city of Kumasi. The festival is normally well attended and embraced by Ashantis from all walks of life. The Adae Kese celebrations are magnified forms of Sunday Adae festivals, celebrated every six weeks in accordance with the Akan calendar which is based on forty-two day cycle. Invariably, the last Akwasidae festival is set aside for the celebration of Adae Kese. The Adae festival is a continuous demonstration of faith in the vision and heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, which has existed since the introduction of the Golden Stool in 1700.
Date: Celebrated once every six weeks, throughout the year.
Venue: Kumasi, Ashanti Region

January 1: Mascarading Festival - Winneba

It started around the 1920s and is celebrated on the 1st of January every year and draws large crowds from all over. There are four fancy-dressing groups who participate in the festival competition, wearing masks and accompanied by brass band music. The festival begins in the morning of New Year Day with street dancing and is open to all the performing groups who parade through the principal streets of Winneba. The groups converge at the Advanced Teacher Training College Part where the competition takes the form of a march past and three different dances (Highlife/Blues) performed by the groups.

January (1st Thursday): Edina Bronya Festival

This festival is a novel Christmas introduced to the people of Elmina during the Dutch era of the colonial period. The period coincides with the Dutch Festival which falls on the first Thursday of January every year and marked in Elmina to signify the bond of friendship between the Dutch and the people of Elmina. A fish-catching ritual is performed at the banks of the Benya Lagoon by the Asafo Companies in their full regalia. The Paramount Chief and his retinue are present at the banks and musketry is fired. On the eve of the festival, the Paramount chief climbs up Fort St. Jago and fires shots at midnight to usher in the New Year. The Paramount Chief rides in a Palanquine the next day to pay homage to the various clans. The Paramount Chief and his elders converge in front of Elmina Castle where a sheep is slaughtered. There is merry making, drumming and dancing throughout.

Dzawuwu Festival of Agave - Ewes

In every February, the chiefs and people of the Agave traditional area celebrate their annual Dzawuwu festival at Dabala, their chief commercial centre. It is essentially a thanksgiving festival where special portions foods are sprinkled to the gods. It also commemorates the bravery of the Agaves of the past who fought and won several wars. It is the time to pay tribute to departed ones and to pour libation for the people to renew their loyalty to their rulers. It has an impressive durbar of chiefs to climax it. Drumming and dancing feature prominently.

Gologo - Tong-Zug

Talensi of Tong-Zug celebrate this festival in March just before the planting of grain. During the three-day festival, sacrifices are offered to the gods for plentiful rain and good harvest.
Date: March
Venue: Upper East Region

Papa Nantwi - Kumawu, Asante

Papa Nantwi is celebrated by the people of Kumawu to commemorate the bravery and patriotism of an ancestral chief of Kumawu Nana Tweneboah Kodua I who offered himself to be sacrificed for the attainment of Asante unity and also for Asante to emerge victorious in the independence battle against the Denkyira’s who were their overlords. It is said that the Golden stool which symbolizes Asante’s unity, Asante’s strength and also the official stool of the Asantehene conjured from the skies about 300 years ago by the legendary priest Okomfo Anokye descended from the skies after Nana Tweneboa Kodua’s sacrifice. The celebrations begin with sacrificial rituals on the eve of the actual day. The day starts with a mini durbar of chiefs presided over by the Paramount Chief of Kumawu. It is then followed by a procession of the chiefs and traditional militia warrior group to 'PAPASO', where the sacrificial cow is slaughtered.

April 27: Willa Festival - Takpo

Celebrated in 27st April, at Takpo, this festival is to thank the ancestral shrine 'Will' for guidance and protection and also to ask for continued blessing from the shrine and God Almighty.

Bobum or Dipo Festival - Krobo Odumase & Somanya

Dipo is celebrated in April by the people of Manya and Yilo Krobo in the towns of Krobo Odumase and Somanya, about 80 kilometres north of Accra. The mode of celebration is that, adolescent girls are adorned in beautiful beads and half-clothed. The festival initiates such girls into womanhood.

May (1st Saturday): Aboakye Festival

The festival is a celebration to mark their migration from the ancient Western Sudan Empire where they were apparently led by two brothers and a god. It involves two groups competing to bring a live Antelop to be presented to the chiefs and elders of the area. Whoever does the first presentation is the winner.
Venue: Winneba, Central Region-66km. West of Accra in the Central Region

Dipo - Odumase & Somanya

A Puberty Festival by the Krobos, who live in Odumase and Somanya in the eastern Region, when girls at adolescent age are initiated into womanhood amidst drumming and dancing.

June/July: - Ohum Festival - Akyem

Celebrated in Akyem (Abuakwa Traditional area). The festival is celebrated twice a year. These are known as OhumKan and OhumKyire and celebrated in June/July and September/ October respectively. Marking the anniversary of the Akyem Nation: worshipping of the ancestral stools and the spirits of those who formerly occupied them. The celebration is also to mark the first harvest (yam) of the year and to ask for blessings for the coming year. The duration of the festival is 2 days (Tuesday - Wednesday). Two weeks before the festival, a ban in placed on drumming, dancing and noise making. Monday preceding the Tuesday, home the first harvest of the year and to have plenty of food in the house for the duration of the celebrations.

June/July: - Ohum Festival - Akyem

Celebrated in Akyem (Abuakwa Traditional area). The festival is celebrated twice a year. These are known as OhumKan and OhumKyire and celebrated in June/July and September/ October respectively. Marking the anniversary of the Akyem Nation: worshipping of the ancestral stools and the spirits of those who formerly occupied them. The celebration is also to mark the first harvest (yam) of the year and to ask for blessings for the coming year. The duration of the festival is 2 days (Tuesday - Wednesday). Two weeks before the festival, a ban in placed on drumming, dancing and noise making. Monday preceding the Tuesday, home the first harvest of the year and to have plenty of food in the house for the duration of the celebrations.

July (1st Week): Edina Bakatue Festival - Elina

Literally translated means "The opening of the Lagoon" or the "Draining of the Lagoon". It is celebrated to commemorate the founding of the town, Elmina by the Europeans. It is also celebrated to invoke the deity, Nana Benya's continuous protection of the state and its people. During the celebration, the Paramount Chief and his sub-chiefs, elders' fetish priests and priestesses, and indeed the entire state offer the sacred food of eggs and mashed yam mixed with palm oil to the river god and pray for peace. All rituals are performed on Mondays. Fetish priests and priestesses along with drummers take turns to perform their rituals. There is a performance of the spiritually possessed chief fetish priest as he responds to spiritual revelations. After this the royal possess, made up of gorgeously dressed chiefs and stool carriers, some riding in beautifully decorated palanquins. After performing some rituals at the riverside, the chief priest casts his net three times and announces the lifting of the ban on fishing, drumming, funerals and other social activities in the traditional area. There is a spectacular ride on the lagoon by women resplendent in "Kente" cloth and local festive headgears. A royal procession leading to the chief's palace amidst traditional music ends the festival.
Date: 1st week in July
Venue: Elmina

July (Last Thursday): Asafotufiam - Ada

Asafotufiam is an annual festival celebrated by the people of Ada to commemorates the victories of their warriors in battle and mourn those who lost their lives. The historic events are re-enacted. There are also purification ceremonies and a durbar (gathering) of Chiefs.
Date: Last Thursday in July to the first weekend of August.
Venue: Ada. Greater Accra Region. 71km east of Accra.

August (Last Saturday): Odambea

Celebrated by the Chiefs and people of the Saltpond (Nkusukum) Traditional Area. This event commemorates the migration of the Nkusukum people to their present settlement. The festival's name itself, Odambea, means 'fortified link'. A special feature is the re-enactment of the ancient life styles of the people.
Date: Last Saturday of August
Venue: Saltpond, Central Region 119km West of Accra, 25km East of Cape Coast

August (Last Week)/Sepember (1st Week): Homowo Festival - Accra

Homowo (hooting at hunger) is one of the colourful festivals celebrated by the people of the Ga (Accra) Traditional Area. Homowo is characterised by rituals such as the sprinkling of "Kpokpoi" (the festival dish) to the gods and ancestors for spiritual protection, procession of twins through the principal streets, traditional drumming and dancing and general merry-making. A month before the celebration, there is a ban of noise making. A climax of the festival is that from 12 noon to 6pm, any woman, no matter the status, should accept a hug from a man on the festival street.
Date: Last week in August/first week in September
Venue: Accra

August: Damba

The Damba festival celebrations coincide with the new farming season when new yam is harvested. Originally linked with Islam to mark the birth of Mohammed, the two-day festival has gradually taken on a traditional rather than Islamic tone, with pageantry and showmanship. It is an opportunity for the community to thank God for a bountiful harvest.
Date: August
Venue: Gonjaland, Mamprusi land and Nanumbaland, Upper West Region.

September: Kobine - Lawra

This post harvest festival gives thanks to the gods for a bountiful harvest. It is normally celebrated in the month of September by the Walas and the people of Lawra. The three-day festival culminates in feasting and dancing.
Date: September
Venue: Wa, Lawra in the Upper West Region.

August/October: Ohum Festival - Akem

The festival is celebrated twice a year in Akyem (Abuakwa Traditional area). These are known as OhumKan and OhumKyire and celebrated in June/July and September/ October respectively. Marking the anniversary of the Akyem Nation: worshipping of the ancestral stools and the spirits of those who formerly occupied them. The celebration is also to mark the first harvest (yam) of the year and to ask for blessings for the coming year. The duration of the festival is 2 days (Tuesday - Wednesday). Two weeks before the festival, a ban in placed on drumming, dancing and noise making. Monday preceding the Tuesday, home the first harvest f the year and to have plenty of food in the house for the duration of the celebrations.

August/September: - Ohum Festival - Akyem

Celebrated in Akyem (Abuakwa Traditional area). The festival is celebrated twice a year. These are known as OhumKan and OhumKyire and celebrated in June/July and September/ October respectively. Marking the anniversary of the Akyem Nation: worshipping of the ancestral stools and the spirits of those who formerly occupied them. The celebration is also to mark the first harvest (yam) of the year and to ask for blessings for the coming year. The duration of the festival is 2 days (Tuesday - Wednesday). Two weeks before the festival, a ban in placed on drumming, dancing and noise making. Monday preceding the Tuesday, home the first harvest of the year and to have plenty of food in the house for the duration of the celebrations.

Kobine - Lawra

This post harvest festival gives thanks to the gods for a bountiful harvest. It is normally celebrated in the month of September by the Walas and the people of Lawra. The three-day festival culminates in feasting and dancing.
Date: September
Venue: Wa, Lawra in the Upper West Region

November (1st Week): Akwantukese Festival - New Juaben

The Chiefs and people of New Juaben Traditional Area celebrate this festival in the first week of November each year. It is a period of consecration of black stools, invocation of the blessing of ancestral spirits and show of appreciation to the gods for their guidance. A colourful durbar of chiefs is marked to climax the celebrations

November (Last Mon/December 1st Mon): Nkyidwo Festival

Celebrated in the last Monday in November/1st Monday in December by the Essumeja, (Bekwai District). The performance of rituals and durbar of traditional leaders at a site. In the Asantemanso forest, known to be the ancestral origin of the Asantes. The significance of this festival is to mark the emergence of the first seven Asante ancestors from a huge hole in the ground, marking the origin of the Ashanti's.

November/December: Kwafie

Kwafie is principally a purification ceremony, the highlight of which is a large bonfire in the courtyard. It is believed that the Dormaas brought fire to Ghana and this legend is symbolically represented in a bonfire. There is a durbar of chiefs and family reunions.
Date: November/December
Venue: Dormaa Ahenkro, Berekum, Nsuatre, Brong Ahafo Region

November/December: Hogbetsotso Festival - Anloga

On the first Saturday of every November, a grand durbar of chiefs and people is held at Anloga, the traditional home of the Anlo-speaking Ewes. The durbar forms a significant part of the week-long Hogbetsotso festival which commemorates the migration of the Anlo-Ewes from the ancient walled city of Notsie in present day northern Togo, to their present abode in Ghana. They claim they escaped the tyranny of a wicked chief, Agorkoli, by walking "backwards" amid drumming and dancing to war songs.
Date: November/December
Venue: Anloga, 140 km. East of Accra, in the Volta Region

November (Last Mon/December 1st Mon): Nkyidwo Festival

Celebrated in the last Monday in November/1st Monday in December by the Essumeja, (Bekwai District). The performance of rituals and durbar of traditional leaders at a site. In the Asantemanso forest, known to be the ancestral origin of the Asantes. The significance of this festival is to mark the emergence of the first seven Asante ancestors from a huge hole in the ground, marking the origin of the Ashanti's.

November/December: Kwafie

Kwafie is principally a purification ceremony, the highlight of which is a large bonfire in the courtyard. It is believed that the Dormaas brought fire to Ghana and this legend is symbolically represented in a bonfire. There is a durbar of chiefs and family reunions.
Date: November/December
Venue: Dormaa Ahenkro, Berekum, Nsuatre, Brong Ahafo Region

November/December: Hogbetsotso Festival - Anloga

On the first Saturday of every November, a grand durbar of chiefs and people is held at Anloga, the traditional home of the Anlo-speaking Ewes. The durbar forms a significant part of the week-long Hogbetsotso festival which commemorates the migration of the Anlo-Ewes from the ancient walled city of Notsie in present day northern Togo, to their present abode in Ghana. They claim they escaped the tyranny of a wicked chief, Agorkoli, by walking "backwards" amid drumming and dancing to war songs.
Date: November/December
Venue: Anloga, 140 km. East of Accra, in the Volta Region

December: Fiok - Sandema

The annual Fiok festival is celebrated by the Builsas of Sandema. This is a War festival, which re-enacts the ancient heroic exploits of the Builsas. Amid drumming and dancing, the gods are invoked for protection and a bountiful harvest.
Date: December
Venue: Sandema; 838km north of Accra in the Upper East Region