Le Fête Des Masques

Fêtes des Masques, or the Festival of Masks, is the most popular of all Ivory Coast celebrations, held annually in November. It's a time to honor the woodland spirits, who are represented by villagers dressed in bright costumes and masks. The festival is hosted at the town of Man in the northern region. This is one of the things you should know about Côte d'Ivoire before travelling.

This is Ivory Coast's largest and most well-known event. Competitions are held between communities to find the greatest dancers, and seeing them dance pays reverence to the forest spirits represented by the complex masks. The Bouaké carnival, which takes place every March for a week, is another notable event. Many ethnic groups in Ivory Coast have a traditional music style that is defined by a series of rhythms and melodies that occur at the same time, without one dominating the other. Music is used in many elements of the culture.