Aissawa Festival Returns to Meknes After 10-Year Break

Meknes is bringing back the spiritual fire with the long-awaited return of the Aissawa Festival.

Fez– It’s official: the Aissawa Festival is back. After more than a decade of silence, Meknes is bringing back one of its most iconic cultural events, this time with bigger ambitions and a bold new direction.

The festival, once a beloved staple of the Meknassi cultural calendar, went on an unexpected hiatus following Morocco’s regional reorganization back in 2015, when Meknes-Tafilalet became part of the larger Fez-Meknes region.

That change, combined with shifting priorities, left the Aissawa Festival in the shadows. But in 2025, the city is making up for lost time.

From July 23 to 26, Meknes will echo once again with the sacred chants, hypnotic rhythms, and powerful energy of the Aissawa brotherhood.

Dozens of groups, locally known as “taïfa,” from across Morocco are set to converge on the city, reigniting a centuries-old spiritual tradition that blends music, mysticism, and Moroccan identity.

This year’s edition is not just a comeback, it’s a reset. Spearheaded by the Fez-Meknes Regional Council with the full support of the Governor of Meknes, multiple elected councils, and a lineup of key city figures, the festival is being reimagined as a future international heavyweight.

Think Essaouira’s Gnaoua Festival or Fez’s Sacred Music Festival, but with a uniquely Meknassi flavor.

Meknes is finally ready to make some noise

One major development is the creation of “Association Meknes Cultures,” a new collective bringing together a mosaic of respected artists, academics, and cultural advocates from the city.

Their mission is to guide the festival into its next chapter and ensure it meets the standards of global cultural events, artistically, technically, and logistically.

A high-level planning meeting at the Meknes governorate recently brought together the region’s top decision-makers, including the head of the regional council, local mayors, and festival directors.

The consensus was clear: this edition needs to be exceptional in every way. And judging by the energy behind it, it will be.

Titled “Maqamat wa Iqaaat Alamiyya” (Global Maqams and Rhythms), the 2025 edition will serve as both a homecoming and a launchpad.

It’s a celebration of heritage, but also a declaration that Meknes is ready to join the ranks of Morocco’s great festival cities.

After spending 10 years in the shadows, the Aissawa Festival is making a spirited comeback. And with it, Meknes, once known as the silent capital, is ready to make some serious noise.