Seychelles Holidays and Festivals

Holidays and festivals in Seychelles highlight the various cultures that have helped shape this country. The 115-island archipelago in the Indian Ocean off East Africa is a fusion of peoples and cultures, and Seychellois are considered multiracial: blending from African, Asian and European descent to create a modern Creole culture. Evidence of this harmonious blend is revealed in multiple colorful and joyful celebrations throughout the year in different parts of the country. Both religious and secular holidays Seychellois celebrate with a lot of music, dance, and delicious local food that traditionally play a large part in Seychellois culture.  Help us 

Seychelles holidays and events are colorful celebrations focused mainly on the Creole culture. As mentioned above, dancing and music traditionally play a large part in Seychellois celebrations along with tasty local food. Here are some Seychelles festivals and events (by month) that are a must for tourists.

Bazar Labrine-Dusk Bazaar Festival is a paradise for all food lovers who can indulge themselves with a lot of local delicacies. It takes place in Beau Vallon on every Wednesdays in open-air atmosphere.

Seychelles Sailing Cup: At the end of January, catamarans, yachts, and traditional pirogues come to the regattas of the Seychelles Sailing Cup on Praslin. There is also a deep-sea fishing competition as part of the event, which is hosted by a Belgian sailing organization for one week each year.

Seychelles Eco-Friendly Marathon, also called Eco-Healing Seychelles marathon, starts at the Beau Vallon Bay, Mahé, and attracts sports enthusiasts from around the world. The full course of the marathon is about 42km. The event is one of the major events that take place in February on the northern peninsula of Mahé.

Semaine de la Francophonie: Celebrating French culture in mid-March, Semaine de la Francophonie is a similar entity to that which is enjoyed in Franco-influenced destinations around the world. The week-long party takes place on Mahé Island and features an array of art exhibitions and literary readings, along with French music, song, fashion and food.
In March, the International Deep-Sea Fishing Competition is held on Mahé, where the tourist office and the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) take the lead.

Seychelles International Carnival celebrated each year since 2011 is considered to be one of the world’s best carnivals. And quite rightly so. This noisy, colorful, joyous celebration of international harmony spread over three days at various locations on Mahé Island is comparable to the famous event in Rio de Janeiro. The largest party in the island capital offers live shows, open-air discos, and an extended parade across the town.

FetAfrik or Africa Day is celebrated annually on 25th May. It is a colorful artistic festival that celebrates the African origin in Seychelles with combination of Creole and African culture in Seychellois way of celebration.
Seychelles Arts Festival, organized annually by the National Art Council, is held in May. The festival offers a platform for local artists to exhibit their talents and works of art. It also offers courses for visitors to learn different forms of art. Top chefs serve up the best local dishes. Dance and music bands come up with their performances to entertain the public.

Festival of Classical Music: This event takes place every year on Mahe. Most of the concerts are held in Beau Vallon Bay. Music lovers enjoy performances of young and well - known musicians from various countries.

La Digue Festival (Assumption Day): The grandest celebration of Assumption day in Seychelles is in La Digue on August 15. It is a three days colorful celebration with a mass and procession in honor of the Virgin Mary. The festival attracts many visitors from other islands.
Round Table Beau Vallon Regatta: This is mostly a water festival comprising of water games such as yacht race, swimming, and other races. Since Beau Vallon is busy during the high season tourists who come during August and September should pre-book hotels for them.

Praslin Culinary festival & Arts Fiesta is another international event held annually in Seychelles. The celebration includes exhibitions of local artists, culinary events and traditional Thai music and dance.
Windsurfing Race is a sporting event held on Mahe in September. The event is organized by the Seychelles Yachting Association every year.

Creole Festival in Seychelles: It’s the most magnificent six-day event that celebrates everything Creole: art, music, dance, food, and crafts. The main motive of this festival is to maintain the cultural roots of the Creole populace.
SUBIOS (The Seychelles ocean festival): This is a three-day Ocean Festival at Mahe that takes place every October at Beau Vallon beach. It includes the screening of films and photographs of the underworld beneath the waves as well as boat rides, craft bazaar, and other competitions. This event is best for sea divers to cherish.