Kartong Festival

It is an annual Festival organized by the Kartong Community Development Association in the second week of February. This festival includes a cultural display of various choreographic dances and traditional music of the two border communities of Kartong in the Gambia and Casamance in Senegal for a long weekend. It involves drumming and dance training sessions for visitors wanting to learn the rhythms of the Djembe and the two cultures separated by an imaginary boundary’s music and dance.

The cultural festival in Kartong has been a key platform where rich Gambian culture is showcased for the preservation of both present and future generations. It has over the years proved to be a major cultural revival initiative that brings together people of various backgrounds. But there is also another important dimension to this festival - it promotes Gambia tourism, for which the community has been known for many years now. Home to the famous sacred place of 'Folonko', which attracts many visitors, Kartong is well noted for playing a great role in eco-tourism which has attracted small-scale investments to the community. Its strategic location as the last village sitting on the border with neighbouring Senegal, coupled with its proximity to the sea, make the community a historic and potentially viable economic settlement.

Where: Kartong, Kombo South

When: February (2nd weekend)