Cherry Festival of Sefrou
مهرجان حب الملوك
On UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Photo: Bertramz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Every June for more than a century, the town of Sefrou near Fez has celebrated its cherry harvest with a parade of floats, music and dance troupes, and a newly crowned Cherry Queen who hands out cherries to the crowd.
A town and its fruit
For three days each June, the people of Sefrou celebrate the natural and cultural beauty of their region, symbolised by the cherry. The festival was founded in 1919; in 2026 it reached its 102nd edition. It was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.
The Cherry Queen and the parade
Each year a Cherry Queen is chosen in a pageant that draws competitors from the region and from all over Morocco. The high point of the festival is a parade of performing troupes, rural and urban music, majorettes and bands, and floats carrying local producers. At its centre rides the Cherry Queen, ornately dressed and surrounded by attendants, offering cherries to the onlookers.
Made by the whole town
UNESCO describes a festival to which the whole population contributes: craftswomen make silk buttons for traditional dresses, fruit growers supply the cherries, local sports clubs hold competitions, and music and dance troupes fill the days. Young people are drawn into the work so that the tradition carries on.
The organisers present the festival as a celebration of the tolerance and coexistence between the different cultural and religious communities of this old town, and of its crafts and local produce.
When it happens
The festival is held over several days in June; the dates are announced each year. The 102nd edition was held from 24 to 27 June 2026. Check the announcement for the year you plan to travel.
- June 2027Approximate window
- June 2028Approximate window
- June 2029Approximate window
- June 2030Approximate window
Visiting with respect
Good to know
- The parade is the busiest moment of the festival. Arrive early to find a place along the route.
- Ask before photographing people, and dress modestly.
Sources
This entry was written from the following sources.
- Cherry festival in SefrouUNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage · read September 16, 2026
- Le 102ème festival des Cerises de Sefrou du 24 au 27 juinAujourd’hui le Maroc · read September 16, 2026
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