Definitely, New Year’s Day is one of the most famous festivals in Botswana. It is a public and national holiday, taking place in January. Outdoor gatherings, traditional music, dances, and popular events with plenty of food and drink are all part of the New Year celebrations in this country. Because more than 70% of the population is Christian, it is unsurprising that they observe New Year’s Day in the same way as the rest of the world.

Party and BBQs are celebrated across the country on New Year’s Day. Like people around the world, the Botswana people also often reunite with their friends and families, waiting excitedly until midnight when the clock strikes 12. Then the streets are filled with the loud banging of drums and people screaming. Many people in Botswana still practice the long-standing tradition of visiting Maun - the gateway to the Okavango Delta and is knowns as the party central of Botswana.

When: January 1st

Where: All across the country

The protection of the environment is a priority for the people of this country, and they actively participate in World Wetlands Day. Every year on February 2nd, Botswana joins the rest of the world in honoring World Wetlands Day (WWD). This is the day of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, to which Botswana became a signatory on April 9, 1997. The community here in Botswana is also concerned about the importance of the country's wetlands and the necessity to collectively maintain such critical ecosystems through the commemoration of World Wetlands Day.

If you visit Botswana in February, you will be able to participate in some of the country's prominent activities and festivals to protect the environment, such as animal conservation. The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation, and Tourism will conduct a music festival at MRI open space to reach out to the general public, particularly the young in Maun, and to direct them on issues relating to World Wetlands Day.

When: February 2nd

Where: All across the country

One of the most prominent and famous festivals in Botswana is Maitisong Festival, which takes place in March and lasts nine days. Maitisong ("place of enjoyment" in Setswana) is held by Maru-a-Pula School, which is located in the middle of Gaborone, Botswana's capital city. The Maitisong Festival was established to allow the general public to be inspired by the best of the local arts scene. The first Maitisong Festival brought together many different groups to perform. The stage was flooded with music, dance, and drama. Thousands of people visit Maru-a-Pula School each year to see shows in the theatre hall, making the Maitisong festival a symbol of the school.

At this event, visitors along with local people can flock to the streets for more than a week to enjoy a variety of traditional music, performing arts, and cultural events. It's a true carnival with a cultural and artistic component that takes place in Gaborone.

When: March

Where: Gaborone, Botswana

You can attend one of Botswana's most culturally rich events in April if you are in the northwest. The Maun Festival brings together tribal dances, music, poetry, and everything else related to the country's tribal culture. This festival, which is a progression from the Maun Carnival, has been developed to give people in northwestern Botswana the opportunity to participate in and enjoy music, culture, art, and crafts. The visual arts play an important role in this event, which celebrates northwestern Botswana's rich indigenous culture.

Moreover, it benefits schools by raising funds for children at risk and orphans helping them reintegrate into society by teaching them life skills and providing them with a good formative education. Thus, Maun Festival is an exciting and awaiting festivity that you should not miss.

When: April

Where: Maun, Botswana

Christmas is another popular festival in Botswana because the majority of the population is Christian. Because the Motswana are extremely religious, these days are observed with great religious events. There are concerts of Christmas carols and local choirs that celebrate the birth of the Baby Jesus in addition to the traditional Christmas meals.

On Christmas Eve, families usually get together and stay up late singing Christmas carols and devotional music. In the early hours of Christmas morning, people exchange gifts. On Christmas Day, most inhabitants dress up in their best clothes and attend church. People sing the songs together, perform nativity scenarios and sometimes dance. The day following Christmas is also a national holiday, called Boxing Day in Botswana. People in Botswana often take a rest on this day following the previous day's celebrations, as well as give thanks and give back to the community. On this day, leftover Christmas food is usually consumed.

When: December 24th & 25th

Where: All across the country

If you visit the Kalahari desert in August, you will have the chance to one of Motswana's most distinctive celebrations: the Kuru Dance Festival. First held in 1997, it celebrates khoisan or San culture among the Naro San at D'Kar in the Ghanzi District, Botswana. It is a traditional festival with music, dance, and songs, and therefore, helps people recognize the diversity of San culture through different kinds of art.

During the Kuru Dance Festival, a variety of dances are performed. The San people's life story is told through a variety of dances, including hunting and gathering dances, rite of passage, puberty and courtship dances, and the infamous trance healing dance. The hunting and gathering dance is performed to celebrate both the preparation for the coming hunting or gathering season and a young boy's successful first kill. Meanwhile, rite of passage is conducted to welcome a young woman into adulthood and marriage. In addition, the San believe that dusk is a divine period when the universe vibrates with spiritual energy, hence performances of puberty and courtship dances begin at sunset and continue into the night.

When: August

Where: Kalahari desert

Independence Day, one of the most famous festivals in Botswana, takes place on September 30th. This day is marked by numerous street celebrations, parades, and events commemorating the culture and traditions of the country's various ethnic communities. More excitingly, this national day is expected for fireworks, parades, fairs, picnics, concerts, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, besides various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of Botswana. Parades are frequently held in the morning before family gatherings, while fireworks shows are held in the national stadium after nightfall.

Independence Day celebrations, like other events, are frequently held outside. Because July 4th is a federal holiday, all non-essential government institutions (such as the post office and federal courts) are closed. Many politicians often attend a public event on this day to honor the country's legacy, laws, history, society, and people. Many Motswanas gather with their families and friends and organize a picnic or barbecue to celebrate Independence Day.

When: September 30th

Where: All across the country