# Dougga International Festival

Every summer, the Dougga International Festival holds concerts in the Roman theatre of Dougga, a World Heritage site 113 km from Tunis. Its latest edition, the 50th, ran to ten evenings from 10 to 25 July 2026, seven of them by Tunisian artists. Dates for 2027 have not yet been announced.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/events/festival-international-dougga/

The Dougga International Festival is the summer festival of the Roman town of Dougga, in north-western Tunisia: concerts take place in the evening in its ancient theatre, among the temples and houses of a town on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1997. The latest edition, the 50th, ran from 10 to 25 July 2026. Dates for 2027 have not yet been published.

## A 2nd-century theatre

Dougga's theatre dates from AD 168-169 and could hold 3,500 spectators, in a town that then had no more than 5,000 inhabitants. It belongs to the best-known example of an African town adapted to the Roman model: at Dougga you can still walk the complete plan of an ancient city, from the 21-metre Libyco-Punic mausoleum to the Roman capitol.

Arriving in the late afternoon lets you see the site before the concert: it closes at 7 pm in summer (local time) and admission is TND 8, about €2.40. Our [Tunis and the Roman sites](/en/tunisia/tunis/) page describes Dougga and the other ancient towns nearby.

## The 2026 edition: fifty years of festival

For its fiftieth anniversary, the festival focused its programme on the Tunisian scene: ten evenings, seven of them by Tunisian artists. Singer Chaima Helali opened the edition, followed by Lotfi Bouchnak, Marwa Neji, Raouf Maher, Mortadha Ftaiti and the musical show "Ziara", among others. The headline guest was Egyptian singer Hakim. The festival, directed by Mokhtar Belatek, had a budget of 500,000 to 600,000 dinars.

As a prelude, Bryan Adams played two sold-out concerts in the theatre on 2 and 3 May 2026. According to the festival director, his fee took up a large share of the edition's resources.

## Going to the festival

**From Tunis.** Dougga is 113 km from Tunis-Carthage Airport, about 1 h 45 by road without stops. The return trip is at night, after the concert, so a car with driver is the simplest option. Our [getting around Tunisia](/en/guides/se-deplacer-tunisie/) guide sets out the choices.

**Where to stay.** The nearest hotels chosen by Sabaro are in the Tunis medina: [Dar El Jeld](/en/hotels/dar-el-jeld/), [Palais Bayram](/en/hotels/palais-bayram/) and [Dar Ben Gacem](/en/hotels/dar-ben-gacem/).

**The season.** In July, average highs reach 34°C in Tunis. By day, visit sites early in the morning and keep Dougga for the late afternoon.

**Safety.** Foreign ministries do not all give the same advice for Dougga and the Roman towns of the Tell. Your country's advice:

(Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/events/festival-international-dougga/)

Our [safety in Tunisia](/en/guides/securite-tunisie/) guide has the details.

In the same month, the [Carthage International Festival](/en/events/festival-international-carthage/) and the [Hammamet International Festival](/en/events/festival-international-hammamet/) have their own stages; our [summer festivals in Tunisia](/en/guides/festivals-ete-tunisie/) guide brings them together.

## Frequently asked questions

### When is the Dougga Festival in 2027?

The dates have not been announced yet. The latest edition, the 50th, ran from 10 to 25 July 2026.

### Where is the Dougga theatre?

On the Dougga archaeological site, 113 km from Tunis-Carthage Airport, about 1 h 45 by road. It is a Roman theatre of AD 168-169, built for 3,500 spectators.

### Can you visit the site before the concert?

Yes: in summer the site is open from 8 am to 7 pm, local time. Arrive in the late afternoon to look around before the show.