Summer festivals in Tunisia: Carthage, Hammamet, Dougga, El Jem and more

Summer in Tunisia comes alive in the evening, in ancient theatres and open-air venues. From early July to late August, seven major festivals follow one another: Tabarka Jazz on the north-west coast, Dougga in its ancient theatre, Hammamet and Carthage near Tunis, El Jem in its amphitheatre, and Sfax and Gabès further south. The oldest celebrated their 60th edition in 2026. This guide gives the summer 2026 dates, what each festival offers and where to stay.

The summer 2026 calendar

As of 20 October 2026, none of these festivals had announced its 2027 dates. In 2026, Tabarka Jazz, Dougga and Hammamet published their programmes in June. Show times are given in local time; in summer, Tunisia is the same time as London.

Carthage, the biggest

The Carthage International Festival is held in the Roman theatre of Carthage, on the site listed as UNESCO World Heritage since 1979. The theatre, extensively remodelled, has hosted performances since 1906 and seats 10,000, according to the AMVPPC, the Tunisian agency that manages heritage sites. The 60th edition ran for 20 evenings from 16 July to 19 August 2026. For the big nights of 2026, including the opening and the concerts by Cheb Khaled and Sami Yusuf, tickets cost TND 100 on the terraces and TND 150 for a chair, about €30 and €45, according to the news site Kapitalis.

The site is a quarter of an hour from Tunis-Carthage airport, and Carthage Hannibal station on the TGM, the Tunis suburban railway, is about 250 m from the Antonine Baths. Among the hotels chosen by Sabaro, Villa Didon stands on Byrsa hill above the site, and The Residence Tunis has its beach on the Côtes de Carthage, open from mid-May to mid-October. The area is covered on our Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and Gammarth page.

Hammamet, in the gardens of a villa

The Hammamet International Festival takes place in the amphitheatre of the International Cultural Centre, housed at Dar Sebastian, the whitewashed villa George Sebastian built in the 1920s south of Hammamet. The 60th edition presented 32 shows from 12 countries, from 11 July to 13 August 2026. Hammamet is about an hour from Tunis-Carthage airport on the A1 motorway. To stay, see La Badira and the Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa Yasmine Hammamet, and our Hammamet and Cap Bon page.

Dougga, in an ancient inland city

The Dougga International Festival uses the ancient theatre of Dougga, a Numidian and then Roman city listed as UNESCO World Heritage since 1997. Its 50th edition, from 10 to 25 July 2026, had ten evenings, seven of them by Tunisian artists. Dougga is 113 km from Tunis-Carthage airport, about 1 hour 45 by road: you go for the evening from Tunis. See our Tunis page.

El Jem, symphonic music in the amphitheatre

The El Jem International Symphonic Music Festival is played in the amphitheatre of Thysdrus, built between 238 and 250 and listed as World Heritage in 1979: 147.90 m by 122.20 m and 36 m high. The 39th edition ran from 11 July to 15 August 2026. El Jem is 43 km from Mahdia, about 50 minutes, and 76 km from Monastir airport; trains on the main Tunis-Sfax line stop there. The Iberostar Selection Royal El Mansour in Mahdia is the closest hotel in our selection. See Mahdia and El Jem.

Tabarka Jazz, back after six years

The Tabarka Jazz Festival returned in 2026 after a six-year gap, for its 20th edition, from 2 to 9 July, at the Théâtre de la Mer. It offered seven evenings and a free Street Jazz stage. Tabarka is about 2 hours 45 by road from Tunis-Carthage airport. La Cigale Tabarka, in the El Morjane tourist zone 2 km from the historic centre, is the selection's hotel in town. See our Tabarka page.

Sfax and Gabès, the festivals of the south

The Sfax International Festival presented 19 shows at the city's open-air theatre, from 21 July to 17 August 2026, for its 46th edition. Sfax is about 2 hours from Monastir airport by motorway and pairs well with El Jem. The Gabès International Festival, 41st edition, ran from 31 July to 24 August 2026. Gabès is about 2 hours 15 by road from Houmt Souk via the Ajim ferry, so the hotels of Djerba make a good base.

In Sousse, the Aoussou Carnival ran from 12 to 26 July 2026, with a grand parade through the city on 24 July.

Weather on a festival night

Average daily highs and lows, World Meteorological Organization normals for 1991-2020; sea temperature averaged over the last ten years. Nights stay above 20 °C, so light clothing is enough for open-air evenings.

For events at other times of year, see our Tunisia page and the museums and culture theme.