Manama Festivals and Events: 5 to Know

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Travel advisory: Bahrain is currently a participant in the active 2026 Iran war, and Manama has been struck directly, including a drone hit on a hotel. Governments are currently advising extra caution or against travel: check your own government’s current advisory (US State Department / UK FCDO) before booking anything below. This is written for whenever it’s safe to go, not a push to book around any of these dates right now.

Important 2026 correction first: no Bahrain Grand Prix here this year

If you’re planning around Formula 1, stop and reread this. The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix was relocated to Sepang, Malaysia, because of the war, so there is no race at the Bahrain International Circuit this year, and no reason to expect the usual March hotel-price spike either. The circuit is still there and still worth a static, historic visit, just not for watching a 2026 race.

5 real Manama festivals and events

  1. Spring of Culture (roughly February-March). An annual arts festival with performances, exhibitions, and workshops from around the world; confirm exact 2026 dates closer to the time, they shift year to year.
  2. Ramadan and Eid (Ramadan roughly 18 February to 19 March 2026). No public eating, drinking, or smoking during daylight for anyone, tourists included, and shops split their hours differently, but hotel rates often dip and the nights get genuinely lively after iftar. Eid al-Fitr follows the fast; expect family gatherings and shorter shop hours around it.
  3. Bahrain National Day (16-17 December). The country’s main patriotic holiday, with public celebrations and closures; book accommodation ahead if your dates overlap.
  4. Bahrain Food Festival. Cited as an annual culinary event, exact 2026 dates and format aren’t solid enough to promise here, so check current listings before building a trip around it.
  5. Ashura (was 25 June 2026, next around mid-June 2027). A solemn Shia mourning observance, not a festival in the tourist sense. Bahrain has a large Shia population, and processions move through areas like the Manama Souq; if your dates overlap, treat it with the same respect you’d give any religious memorial, not a photo opportunity.

If your dates land during Spring of Culture or National Day, check Manama hotel rates on Booking.com early, since rooms near the main venues fill up, and check the current advisory before you pay a deposit. For cultural experiences tied to specific events, search Bahrain culture festival tours on GetYourGuide .

For what else there is to do outside festival season, see the main Manama guide and the things to do guide .

Check VisitBahrain.bh for the current official events calendar, and the US State Department advisory before booking around any date on this list.