ASILAH CULTURAL FESTIVALS

The first cultural festivals in Asilah started in the late 1970s, thanks to the efforts of two friends who wanted to bring back the glory to what was then quite a dilapidated town. Over forty years on and Asilah is now a centre for arts and culture in Morocco, with festivals happening throughout the year and arts lovers coming from around the world.

The main event is simply known as the Asilah Festival which lasts for two months of the summer. Artists, musicians and other performers, plus some 200,000 visitors, pour into the town for eight weeks of cultural workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, concerts and even a three day horse festival. The beautiful Centre de Hasan II Rencontres Internationales, just inside the medina walls, hosts the event, with satellite performances happening around the town.

One of the most striking activities is Wall Painting. Every year the ancient walls of the medina are whitewashed to give artists a blank canvas, which they then cover with the most amazing creations. These murals are then left until the following year when the whole process starts again.