Introducing the essential summer event of the city of Agadir – the 8th Timitar Festival!
Considered one of the biggest in the country, the Timitar Festival in Agadir is being held from 22nd to 25th June 2011. Founded to honour Amazigh (Berber) culture, Timitar has established itself as one of the premiere African music festivals, featuring over 40 artists and with some 500,000 people expected to attend.
Actively working towards promoting the Souss Massa Draa culture, the district council of the Agadir Under Massa Draa initiated the Timitar Festival as a cultural project for Amazigh artists and world musicians to meet. It honours artists coming from all over the world including Africa, South America, Europe and the Middle East in order to offer the Agadir audience the best of Amazigh traditional music, modern music from the Maghreb and elsewhere, and even rap, jazz and hip hop.
Until the mid 1990’s when they pressed the King publicly for their cultural traditions to be respected, the majority of Berbers – or Amazigh – went unrecognised in North Africa. Since then there has been increased awareness in tourism in the Southern region, recognition of their language in schools, and larger respect from Arab Moroccans and foreigners with regards their cuisine, rug making and silver traditions.
Timitar Festival stages three open air venues throughout Agadir, and has produced 46 concerts since its inception. Each year, music can be enjoyed at the central Place al Amar, Place Bijaouane and the Theatre de Verdure. Eclectic musical styles such as Indian, Spanish, Cuban Jazz and Hip-Hop are presented, as well as Moroccan cultural music including Berber and Gnaoua . Also including sounds and images with DJ and VJ sets – the diverse Festival line up promises an exciting venture into a deeply cultural Morocco in the summer!
The coastal area of Agadir promises great seafood and cooler temperatures than other scorching-hot inland destinations. Normally fairly devoid of culture within Agadir itself, why not take advantage of the perfect conditions and enjoy a cultural injection with a difference this summer. Stay at one of our Agadir hotels to see as much of the festival as possible, or alternatively you may opt to stay at one of our more remote coastal destinations of Massa or Mirleft and take a day trip into Agadir to enjoy the world music. Call one of our Moroccan specialist today for a quotation.
