Senegal Events

The Islamic (or Hejira) calendar is a full 11 days shorter than the Gregorian (Western) calendar, so public holidays and festivals fall 11 days earlier each year. In March for the next few years, Ras as-Sana is the Islamic celebration of the new year. Moulid an-Nabi celebrates the prophet Mohammed's birthday around May. Ramadan is celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (presently towards the end of the Gregorian calendar year), commemorating the month when the Qur'an was revealed to Mohammed. Out of deference, Muslims take neither food nor water until after sunset each day. At the end of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr), the fasting breaks amidst much celebration.

Other festivals include the Grand Magal pilgrimage and celebration, held in Touba 48 days after Ras as-Sana, and the Paris-Dakar Rally, a 10,000km (6200mi) motor race that ends in Dakar around the second week of January.

Public Holidays
1 January - New Year's Day
1 February - Confederation Day
February - Tabaski
March or April - Good Friday, Easter Monday
4 April - Independence Day
May or June - Ascension Day, Pentecost and Whit Monday
1 May - May Day
15 August - Assumption Day
1 November - All Saints' Day
November or December - 'Eid al-Fitr
25 December - Christmas