Nairobi

Festivals and Annual Events

1st Jan is celebrated with lights and fanfare to usher in the New Year.

Showing 1–14 of 14 festivals

City guide section

Festivals and events in Nairobi

Showing 1–14 of 14 festivals

Plan around 14 festival seasons, public events, Ramadan/Eid periods, book fairs, art cycles, and winter food activity.

New Year’s Day

1st Jan is celebrated with lights and fanfare to usher in the New Year.

Good Friday and Easter Monday

Good Friday and Easter Monday are celebrated by the majority Christian population. Mass in Church and prayers are offered.

Kenyan School and College Drama Festival

The Kenyan School and College Drama Festival is a popular event and held on rotation in different cities across Kenya in the month of March as a culmination of regional competitions.

The Nairobi Air Show

The Nairobi Air Show is very popular not only in Nairobi, but also all over Africa. Air shows, sky diving, aerobatic, as well as aircraft displays are the highlights. This event is held in March.

The East African Art Festival

The East African Art Festival is held in Nairobi each year in the month of March and has competitors coming not only from Kenya, but also from other East African countries.

Labour Day

Labour Day is held on the 1st of May and is a public holiday.

Madaraka Day

1st June, the day the Kenyans got Self Governance is Madaraka Day and is important for the Kenyans.

Kenyan Safari Rally

Mid July is the time for the Kenyan Safari Rally. The two day rally ends in Nairobi. The race goes through tough terrains and through areas with a variety of wild life.

Camel Derby

The Camel Derby is celebrated in August with races and traditional dances and entertainment for all.

Kenyatta Day

Kenyatta Day on 20th October, named after the first President and founder, Jomo Kenyatta, is the day Kenyans honor the martyrs who died fighting for the Independence of the country.

If there is a bit of time and you are not averse to driving or flying to Mombasa, then the Mombasa Carnival is a must see. There are a huge number of floats representing innumerable races and cultural groups.

Eid ul Fitr

Eid -ul- Fitr is celebrated by the sizable Muslim population depending on the sighting of the moon after the month of Ramadan. It is a national holiday.

Christmas

Christmas on 25th of December is a time where all streets are lit up. Here it is celebrated more with clubs and night spots livening up with major celebrations. Mass prayers are offered.