Oasis Festival

Oasis started in 2015 as a three-day electronic music festival in the grounds of a hotel outside Marrakech, with a capacity in the low thousands rather than the tens of thousands of European festivals, and that scale is the pitch: several stages in gardens and around pools, international house and techno bookings alongside Moroccan and North African artists, and a crowd drawn substantially from abroad. It has moved venue more than once and has skipped years, including a pause during the pandemic period, so its continuity is not guaranteed and the dates and site need checking each time. What it is not is a Moroccan cultural festival - it is an international dance event that happens to be held in Morocco, with a growing effort to programme regional artists into that. Tickets are sold in advance and there is no gate sale; shuttle buses run from the city.

What to look for

• A small-capacity festival - low thousands rather than the European scale.
• Garden and poolside stages - several stages in hotel grounds outside the city.
• International and regional programming - house and techno with North African artists.
• An advance-only ticket - no gate sales, with shuttles from Marrakech.

When to go

Autumn; dates and venue change and are announced each year. A weekend.

Practical notes

The festival has skipped years and changed sites - confirm it is running before booking. It is an international dance event rather than a Moroccan cultural one. Tickets and accommodation are priced accordingly. Alcohol and dress norms differ from the city around it; be sensible outside the site.

Nearby

Marrakech is a shuttle ride away; the Atlas foothills are south.