Next: about 15 to 17 Sept 2027
Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival)
The September gathering of the Ait Haddidou in the High Atlas, where young people meet and families arrange betrothals.
When is Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival) in 2027?
Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival) 2027 runs from 15 to 17 September 2027. The date follows the moon or a local calendar, so it can move by a day. Other years: 2026, 15 to 17 September 2026; 2028, 15 to 17 September 2028.
About Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival)
The Imilchil moussem is a three-day harvest fair held on a high plain below the Atlas peaks, run by the Ait Haddidou Berber tribe. Families camp in tents, trade livestock and carpets, and sing and dance the ahidous in rings. It is best known as a marriage fair: young people who are free to marry meet there, and betrothals are agreed between families in the tents. The popular story of two lovers from rival clans who wept two lakes is told to visitors, though local people describe the fair mainly as a pilgrimage to the shrine of Sidi Hmad Lmghni and a market. Tourism has brought crowds and stage-managed shows alongside the real exchanges.
Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival) dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival) date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 to 17 September 2026 |
| 2027 | 15 to 17 September 2027 |
| 2028 | 15 to 17 September 2028 |
This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.
What is served
- tagine
- mint tea
- couscous
Wedding customs of Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival)
Also part of it, and being written: Moussem (The annual saint-linked fair of North Africa.), Berbers (The people who keep the fair.).
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background: "Imilchil" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ahidus: Fotograaf / photographer: Drs. F.M. (Frits) Cowan (1931 - 2010), CC BY-SA 3.0, source