Morocco Holidays & Closures: The Planning Calendar

Morocco has fixed national holidays on the Gregorian calendar and movable religious holidays on the Islamic lunar calendar.

Fixed dates include New Year's Day (1 January), Independence Manifesto Day (11 January), Labour Day (1 May), Throne Day (30 July), the anniversary of the Green March (6 November), and Independence Day (18 November). On these days banks and many offices close, though the tourism sector largely keeps running.

Ramadan is the month of fasting, and it moves about ten days earlier each year. During Ramadan, daytime life slows: many restaurants close at lunch, and locals rest in the afternoon.

Evenings transform — iftar meals bring families together, souks stay open late, and the city is genuinely lively after dark. For visitors, tourism businesses still operate, but we recommend confirming opening hours and planning lunch at your hotel or a venue that serves during the day.

Eid al-Fitr ends Ramadan with three days of celebration, and Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice) follows about two months later. Both are major family holidays.

During the Eids, many businesses close for several days, transport can be busier as Moroccans travel, and some restaurants and shops shut entirely. If your event falls near an Eid, book venues and vendors early and confirm exact dates against the lunar calendar for your year.

Marrakech hosts several annual events that fill hotels: the International Film Festival, the Marathon de Marrakech, the Folklore Festival, and major golf and music events. Dates change each year.

If you are planning a trip or event around a festival, hotel availability tightens noticeably. For wedding and event clients, we check the festival calendar before proposing dates, because a concurrent festival can affect venues, traffic, and vendor availability.

The practical rule for visitors and event planners: treat the last ten days of Ramadan, the two Eids, and the fixed public holidays as reduced-service windows, and confirm everything else against the current year's calendar.

For weddings and events, we always map your preferred dates against Ramadan, the Eids, and major festivals before confirming the venue — it is the fastest way to avoid a scheduling surprise.