Cherry Festival in Sefrou

Name: Cherry Festival in Sefrou
Start: 2025-06-11
End: 2025-06-13
Location: Sefrou

Morocco’s Sweetest Celebration of Spring, Beauty, and Community

2026/06/10 - 2026/06/12

The Sefrou Cherry Festival is one of Morocco’s largest fruit festivals, held every June in the town of Sefrou near Fez, celebrating the cherry harvest and local pride.

Each June, the small town of Sefrou near Fez bursts into color for the Cherry Festival. Over three days, parades, music, dance, and cherry-themed treats fill the streets, drawing crowds from all over Morocco. This festival, honoring the region’s prized cherry harvest, is perfect for fruit lovers, folklore fans, and anyone seeking the warm hospitality of authentic Morocco.

Garlands decorate whitewashed houses, the scent of ripe cherries and fresh bread fills the air, children’s laughter echoes, and majorettes and floats parade through the lively streets. Sefrou’s festival is a unique blend of rural simplicity, urban spectacle, and heartfelt community spirit—a true celebration of spring.

Main Attractions

Grand Parade and Crowning of the Cherry Queen

The highlight is the grand parade, where floats decorated with cherries, local products, and flowers wind through the city, accompanied by majorettes, brass bands, and performers. The star is the Cherry Queen, chosen from among local young women, who parades in splendor and hands out cherries and flowers. The crowning is a moment of pride and joy for the whole town.

Music, Dance, and Folklore

Berber folk songs, ahidus (circle dances), and performances by local orchestras and theater groups fill the festival with rhythm and color. The Fantasia (traditional equestrian show) is a dramatic highlight, while drums, flutes, and cheers echo through the city.

Crafts, Markets, and Local Delicacies

Stalls line the streets with embroidery, silk buttons, Berber carpets, cedar woodwork, and more. Cherry jams, pastries, and Moroccan food are everywhere. The feel of silk, the shine of silver, and the taste of sweet cherries make the market a sensory delight.

Cultural and Historical Background

The Sefrou Cherry Festival began in 1919 during the French Protectorate era, inspired by cherry festivals in southern France. Sefrou’s fertile valleys and unique climate made it Morocco’s leading cherry-producing region, and the festival was launched to celebrate the harvest and thank local farmers. Sefrou is located at about 850 meters above sea level, with a cool climate and abundant water, perfect for cherry cultivation.

The festival grew from a local harvest celebration into a showcase of community pride and cultural fusion, bringing together Berber, Arab, and Jewish traditions. The parade, crowning of the Cherry Queen, traditional music, and crafts became central features, and the festival evolved into a “cherry celebration” that unites generations and cultures.

In 2012, the Sefrou Cherry Festival was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, recognized as a symbol of local identity and solidarity. Today, it attracts 400,000–500,000 visitors annually and is beloved as a springtime event that brings together agriculture, tourism, and traditional culture in Morocco.

Participant Voices

I visited from Spain and was touched by the hospitality. I joined the circle dance, tasted cherry pie, and cheered for the Cherry Queen—it truly felt like being part of the community.

Fun Facts

The Cherry Queen is chosen from dozens of candidates and symbolizes beauty, hospitality, and agricultural success.
Besides cherries, Sefrou is famous for honey, olives, apples, and embroidery.

Festival Dates

The Sefrou Cherry Festival is held every June in Sefrou. Enjoy the parades, food, and local warmth, and experience a “Moroccan spring celebration” that has continued for over a century.