FESTIVALS

Throughout Ghana practically every town and village becomes animated with excitement at festival time. This is the proverbial hospitality of the Ghanaian at its best; visitors are often welcomed into homes to share drinks and meals and are given traditional clothes to join in the street celebrations. Parades take place to the sound of drums and traditional horns.

Each festival commemorates an event - a war or victory, the harvest, a Chiefly enstoolment or funeral. All adherents of whatever religion participate without inhibition in these festivals. Filming and photography are allowed.

FESTIVAL CALENDAR

JAN:	New Year's Day is marked with beach parties. Jan 7th is marked with military parades to commemorate the 4th Republic; Begun at Walewale, Northern Region; Apafram of the Akwamu, Eastern Region; the Rice Festival at Akpafu, Volta Region.
FEB:	Traditional festivals in Brong Ahafo and the Central Region
MAR:	March 6th Independence Day, parades by school children, voluntary organisations; Damba Feast of the Prophet at Dagbon or Walewale; Asikloe in Anfoega, Volta Region; Volo in the Akuse area; Dipo at Manya and Yilo Klobo, Eastern Region.
APRIL:	Most villages and towns in the Volta and Eastern Regions use Easter to celebrate festivals.
MAY:	1st Sat. is the famous Aboakyer Festival in Winneba with its wild chase in the forest for the first catch of a live antelope, brass band parades, durbar of chiefs; Donkyi Festival at Mamase, Brong ahafo Region; Don at Bolgatanga, Upper East Region; Beng at Ganyo Kipo near Bole, Northern Region.
JUN:	Ohumakan at Kyebi; Asafua feast at Sekondi; Ahunkan of the Akim, Kibi, Gyenpren at Tafo ; Ahobaa at Enyan-kakraba, and Apiba at Senya Beraku, Central region June 10, festival by the African-Americans living in Ghana.
JUL:	July 1 the Republic Anniversary is marked with beach parties 1st Tuesday is the bakatue Festival in Elmina, Central Region; Bombei, Ekyem Kofi, and the Kundum, Western Region.
AUG.	1st August is Asafotu-Fiam at Ada, and Homowo in and around Accra, Greater Accra Region, Fetu at Cape Coast, and Eguado to and Ahobaaa Kese at Abura, Central Region; Edim Kese at Sekondi, and Apatwa Dixcove, Western Region.
SEP:	Odwira Festival in Akropong and Amanokrom in Akwapim; 1st Sat. is Fetu Afahye Festival, Cape Coast; Yam Festivals at Ho, Volta Region, Abaadze- Dominase, Central Region, and Aburi, Eastern Region; Akyempem at Agona, Ashanti Region.
OCT:	Kundum at Esiama, Western Region; several festivals in other regions.
NOV:	Hogbetsotso, Volta Region; Adae Kese, the grandest of all Ashanti festivals in Kumasi; Fao, harvest feast at Paga, Upper East Region; Kafie Festival, Dormaa, Brong-Ahafo.
DEC:	Yam Festival at Anfoega, Volta Region; several festivals in Central Region.