Every six weeks | Akwasidae | Asantehene's Palace, Kumasi | This is a festival celebrated by the Ashantis to commemorate their ancestors, the seasons and timings of various agricultural activities |
January | Fao | Navrongo, Upper East | The Fao festival is celebrated by communities in the Kassena Nankana Traditional Area to give thanks to the gods for protecting the people throughout the farming season and also express their appreciation for bumper harvest. |
February | Dipo (Puberty rites) | Odumase Krobo | During this festival, puberty rights are performed on adolescent girls to initiate them into womanhood. This festival is also an opportunity for the people to exhibit their beautiful hand-made beads. |
March | Gologo | Talensi tong Zuk, Upper East | This is a pre-harvest festival celebrated with sacrifices offered to ensure plentiful rain, a good harvest and to seek for protection in the coming season from the earthly gods. |
May | Aboakyer | Winneba (Efutus), Central Region | The festival which translates as ‘hunting for game or animal’ in the Fante dialect was instituted to commemorate the migration of Simpafo (traditional name of the people of Winneba). |
June-July | Ohum | Akyem Abuakwa, Eastern Region | A two days festival celebrated to mark the first yam harvest and ask for God’s blessings in the coming year. It also marks the anniversary of the Akyem nation. |
1st Tuesday in July | Bakatue | Elmina (Edinafo), Central Region | The festival marks the beginning of the fishing season in Elmina. During this celebration, the people offer thanks and prayers to the gods for a good fishing year. |
July-August | Asafotufiam | Ada, Greater Accra | The festival is celebrated in remembrance of the achievements of the ancestors who fought in wars for the settlement of their people. A local dance ‘Kpatsa’ is performed to entertain the chief and people. |
July - August | Damba | Nalerigu, Tamale, Northern Region and Wa, Upper West | The festival is celebrated to mark the birth and naming of Muhammad but mainly as a glorification of the chieftaincy. It is celebrated in the Dagomba lunar month of Damba. |
August | Akwambo | Agona Swedru/Agona Nyakrom | This festival is celebrated to commemorate the journey and arrival of the founding settlers of four towns namely, Ekrawfo, Otabenadze, Gyinankoma and Atakwaa. |
August/September | Homowo | Gas, Greater Accra Region | The people of Ga celebrate Homowo which means to hoot at hunger in remembrance of the famine that once occurred in their history as a people in the pre-colonial era. |
September | Awubia | Ewutu, Central Region | It is celebrated to hoot at hunger and welcome bumper harvest of grains. |
1st Saturday in September | Fetu Afahye | Cape Coast (Oguafo), Central | The festival is celebrated in remembrance of a historic disease outbreak, to keep the town clean and to prevent another epidemic befalling the people. |
September | Kobine | Lawra, Upper West Region | Kobine is a traditional dance and festival unique to the Lawra area of north western Ghana. The dance and the festival named after it are celebrated in September and October to mark the end of a successful harvest. |
September | Odwira | Akropong-Akwapim, Eastern Region | This festival marks the celebration of a historic victory over the Ashantis in the past. |
September 7 - 9 | Kundum | Nzema, Western Region | Kundum is celebrated to thank God for the abundance of food during the harvest season of the area. |
1st Saturday in September | Epor | Lolobi-Kumasi, Volta Region | |
October | Ngmayem | Odumase Krobo,Greater Accra Region | The festival is celebrated to commemorate the end of a famine that occurred some years past and to foster tribal unity and educate the younger generation on their history as a people. |
October | Apoo | Wenchi/Tekyiman, Brong Ahafo Region | This is a festival of purification of the people to rid them of social evil. |
October | Fofie Yam | Nchiraa near Wenchi, Brong Ahafo Region | The festival is celebrated to offer thanks to the gods for the harvest and invoke further blessings and protection for the year ahead. |
November | Kloyosikplem | Yilo Krobo, Eastern Region | |
November | Dodoleglime | Ve Traditional Area, Volta Region | The festival which translates as ‘coming out of the wall’ in the Ewe language is celebrated to mark the migration of the people from Notsie (a town in Togo) during the reign of Togbe Agorkoli. The festival is also to honor certain ancestors who played key roles in their secret escape. |
1st Saturday in November | Hogbetsotso | Anloga, Volta Region | The name of the festival means coming from Hogbe (Notsie) or festival of exodus. The festival is celebrated in remembrance of the migration of the Anglo people from a wicked king, Togbe Agorkoli. |
November | Mmoaninko | Ofinso, Ashanti Region | |
November -December | Adekyem | Bechem, Brong Ahafo | Bechem is derived from the Akan name 'Adekyem,' which literally means a place where items or gifts are distributed or shared, to remind the historical role of Bechem as the place where booty gained from the Asante wars was shared. |
December | Fiok | Builsa’s – Sandema, Upper East Region | This festival is celebrated as a harvest thanksgiving sacrifice to the gods of the Sandema people through the display of war dance by the various communities |