Cape Verde's festivals through the year.
From Carnival in Mindelo to the full-moon festival on the beach at Baía das Gatas - Cape Verde has a lively, year-round festival culture. Deliberately without invented calendar dates: most dates are only officially confirmed a few months ahead.
Honestly incomplete rather than falsely precise.
Many travel portals list an exact date for Cape Verde's festivals for the coming year - often simply guessed or carried over from the previous year. Carnival moves with Easter, Baía das Gatas is timed to the full moon in August, and official dates are usually only confirmed by local authorities a few months ahead. This page therefore states months rather than specific days - more reliable than a wrong number.
The major festivals at a glance.
Chronological by month - plus local patron saint festivals celebrated individually on every island.
Carnaval de Mindelo São Vicente
The country's best-known and most elaborate festival - colorful parades, samba-school-style groups, and over 100 years of tradition with clearly visible Brazilian influence. Date moves with Easter.
More on Carnival & culture →Kriol Jazz Festival Praia, Santiago
International festival for Creole jazz in the capital Praia, one of the country's most renowned music festivals.
Festa da Bandeira São Filipe, Fogo
Patron saint festival honoring the town's patron São Filipe, with horse racing on the black volcanic sand - the tradition dates back to 1917.
More on Fogo →Festival da Gamboa Praia, Santiago
One of Cape Verde's largest music festivals, right on Praia's city beach, Gamboa.
Kolá San Jon mainly Santo Antão, also São Vicente & São Nicolau
Religious-folkloric festival honoring John the Baptist, running from May 3 to June 29 and peaking on June 24 (St. John's Day). Documented in Porto Novo (Santo Antão) as far back as 1898 as the "island's biggest festival."
Festival de Baía das Gatas São Vicente
The country's most popular music festival, held since 1984 on a full-moon weekend on the beach at Baía das Gatas - often called the "Woodstock of Africa." Accommodation on São Vicente books out early for it.
Nossa Senhora da Piedade São Filipe, Fogo
Another patron saint festival in São Filipe with a procession and street party.
Morna Jazz Festival / Ribeira Bote São Vicente
Music festival with a strong social component as part of the Ribeira Bote celebrations in Mindelo.
Mindelact São Vicente
International theater festival in Mindelo, one of Cape Verde's most renowned cultural events - no fixed day confirmed.
National Morna Day nationwide
B.Léza's birthday - the official commemorative day for Cape Verde's national music since the Morna's UNESCO bid.
New Year's Eve / Passagem de Ano nationwide, biggest celebration in Mindelo
Fireworks and celebrations on several islands. Details on each island's program in our own New Year's Eve guide.
Book early for Carnival & Baía das Gatas
During Carnival and Baía das Gatas week, accommodation on São Vicente books out months in advance and flight prices rise noticeably. Plan at least 3-4 months of lead time for both, and confirm the exact date only shortly before departure, directly with the local authority or a local organizer.
Local patron saint festivals.
Beyond the nationally known festivals listed here, practically every town and every island has its own smaller patron saint festivals (festas) honoring its respective patron saint - often with a procession, music, and a street party, but without international marketing. They're the simplest way to experience genuine Cape Verdean community life away from the tourist spots, but they're barely plannable in advance - your best bet is to ask locally about the next date.
Sources & status of this page
- Carnaval de Mindelo: consistently described across several independent sources as the country's biggest festival, with over 100 years of history and demonstrable Brazilian influence. Deliberately without a fixed yearly date, since it moves with Easter.
- Festival de Baía das Gatas: the Wikipedia entry and several travel portals consistently confirm: since 1984, full-moon weekend in August, São Vicente. The exact date depends on the lunar calendar and is only announced during the current year.
- Kriol Jazz Festival, Festival da Gamboa, Morna Jazz Festival/Ribeira Bote: month and location come from several consistent travel and culture portals (including capeverde.co.uk, cabo-verde.cv); exact day dates vary yearly and are deliberately not given here.
- Kolá San Jon: the period (May 3 - June 29, peaking June 24) and the 1898 mention come from the Wikipedia entry "Kola San Jon" and Portugal's cultural heritage register (Matriz PCI) - both agree.
- Festa da Bandeira / Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Fogo), clarified 31 Oct. 2026: the exact assignment (patron saint, May 1 date) varies slightly between the sources reviewed - here the most commonly cited version. Some sources date related Bandeira festivals more generally to late April through May 1. The horse racing at the São Filipe racecourse and the 1917 origin (discovery of the flag by the group "Sete Estrelos") are documented via inforpress.cv. The previously stated detail about "traditional cake-baking" could not be confirmed in any source and was removed.
- Local patron saint festivals: a widely known but not centrally documented Cape Verdean cultural phenomenon - no single source is possible, since it involves hundreds of local dates.
- Mindelact, National Morna Day (Dec. 3), New Year's Eve (Dec. 31), added 18 Oct. 2026: the chronological overview previously ended in September, even though these three dates were already documented and sourced elsewhere on this site (best-time-to-visit.html, music-art.html, our own New Year's Eve guide) - added here for completeness of the overview billed as an "annual calendar."
Questions about Events & Festivals.
When exactly is Carnival in Cape Verde?
Always in February, with a date that moves with Easter - the best-known parade takes place in Mindelo on São Vicente. Details in our Culture & Morabeza guide.
What is the Festival de Baía das Gatas?
Cape Verde's most popular music festival - held since 1984 on a full-moon weekend in August at the beach of the same name on São Vicente, often called the "Woodstock of Africa."
Does every island have its own festivals?
Yes - in addition to the nationally known festivals, practically every town has its own patron saint festival honoring the local patron saint, usually with a procession, music, and a street party.
Do I need to book early for Carnival or Baía das Gatas?
Yes, absolutely - accommodation on São Vicente is often booked out months in advance for both, and flights get noticeably more expensive.
All months and periods stated are based on recurring, repeatedly confirmed patterns from past years - no guarantee of exact future dates. Confirm dates before booking directly with the relevant local authority, a local organizer, or an official tourism source.
Related Topics.
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