Calendar / FEMUA
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Music & Culture Festivals in Abidjan
FEMUA
Apr 27 – May 2, 2027ExpectedFEMUA 19 (2027)
Run by FEMUA, with published dates and a real program.
Dates & details verified against: Official event site ↗
Why go
FEMUA, the Festival des Musiques Urbaines d'Anoumabo, is the biggest urban-music festival in Cote d'Ivoire and one of the largest in francophone Africa. It was founded in 2008 by A'Salfo, leader of the group Magic System, and named for Anoumabo, the working-class Abidjan neighbourhood the band came from. Each spring it fills stages across the city with Afrobeats, coupe-decale, rap and reggae from Ivorian headliners and pan-African stars, wrapped around a strong social mission of free community concerts, school and health projects, and a yearly theme debated across the week. The 2026 edition, its eighteenth, ran from late April into early May with a line-up reaching from Youssou N'Dour to Fatoumata Diawara. For a first-time visitor it is the loudest, most generous window into Abidjan's music culture, a festival built by one of the country's biggest bands to give back to the quarter that raised it.
When it runs
Held each year over about six days spanning late April and early May in Abidjan, with a partner-town leg. The 2026 edition, the eighteenth, ran 28 April to 3 May; the 2027 edition is expected in the same late-April to early-May window.
- Apr 27 – May 2, 2027ExpectedFEMUA 19 (2027)
- Ran Apr 28 – May 3, 2026FEMUA 18 (2026)
Dates read confirmed where the organizer has published them, and expected where we've projected the recurrence. Always verify with the organizer before booking.
What to expect
FEMUA is held over about six days spanning late April and early May, at the start of the long rainy season, so expect hot days and the chance of heavy evening showers. The festival spreads across several Abidjan venues plus a partner town, with the main concerts in the evenings and the social and debate programme by day. Dates and line-up are confirmed by the organisers in the months before; the biggest nights draw large, lively crowds.
Getting there & around
Abidjan is reached through Felix Houphouet-Boigny International Airport, a major West African hub with wide connections. Festival venues sit across the city, so use hotel cars or ride-hailing and allow for heavy traffic. Base in or near Plateau or Cocody for access to the main sites. Book rooms ahead, as the festival draws visitors from across the region.
Where it happens
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
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