What's on in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire through the year

Busy — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Harmattan haze (10 Dec – 15 Feb (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Harmattan haze (10 Dec – 15 Feb (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Holiday

  Paquinou Easter exodus

  3–5 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowded

  Over Easter weekend Baoule families leave for home villages in the centre of the country. Abidjan's bus stations jam and fares rise on the Thursday and Friday, then the city itself goes quiet. Source ↗

Busy — Paquinou Easter exodus, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  MASA performing-arts biennial

  5–20 Apr · usuallyArts festivalBook early

  Africa's performing-arts market fills the Palais de la Culture in Treichville for a week, with a street programme across the city. It runs on an irregular multi-year cycle rather than a strict calendar, so most years there is nothing on. Source ↗

Still on: Paquinou Easter exodus (3–5 Apr)

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Hazard

  Rainy-season flash floods

  15 May – 15 Jul · usuallyFlood season

  The long rains peak around June, and cloudbursts regularly flood low-lying districts, cut roads and trigger deadly landslides on hillside neighbourhoods such as Attecoube and Yopougon. Allow extra time for any airport run. Source ↗

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Rainy-season flash floods (15 May – 15 Jul (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Rainy-season flash floods (15 May – 15 Jul (usually))

Busy — Fete de l'Independance, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Petite saison seche

  1 Aug – 20 Sep · usuallyDry season

  A cool grey break between the two rainy seasons. The lagoon goes flat, the beach places out at Assinie run half empty, and Abidjan treats it as the month to stay in town. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Fete de l'Independance

  7 AugNational holidayClosuresCrowded

  The 7 August national day closes offices and banks and puts a parade on the Plateau. The parade has moved to other cities in some years; Abidjan takes the day off either way. Source ↗

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Petite saison seche (1 Aug – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Abissa in Grand-Bassam, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Abissa in Grand-Bassam

  20 Oct – 10 Nov · usuallyMajor festivalCrowded

  The N'zima people of Grand-Bassam, an easy day trip east of Abidjan, close their year with a week of drumming, dancing and public airing of grievances. The final days draw big crowds to the old colonial town. Source ↗

Busy — Abissa in Grand-Bassam, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Abissa in Grand-Bassam (20 Oct – 10 Nov (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Season

  Harmattan haze

  10 Dec – 15 Feb · usuallyDust season

  Abidjan sits at the far southern edge of the harmattan. Some years the Saharan dust reaches the lagoon and sits over the city as a grey haze for a fortnight; other years it barely arrives. Source ↗