Mecca's Sacred Calendar: Hajj and Eid
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Non-Muslims cannot enter Mecca, so there is no local festival calendar here in the ordinary sense. What follows are religious observances, solemn by nature, not events organised for entertainment or spectacle.
Hajj itself is the event. It draws millions of Muslims from around the world during 8 to 13 Dhu al-Hijjah, expected around 25 to 30 May 2026, and it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, obligatory once for every able Muslim. Everything else on this page sits in relation to it.
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the same day pilgrims perform Ramy al-Jamarat and the animal sacrifice at Mina. It commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail, and both in Mecca and across the Muslim world it is marked with the sacrifice of an animal or a voucher standing in for one, the distribution of meat, and communal prayer.
The Kiswa
The Kaaba’s covering, the Kiswa, is replaced annually: a black silk cloth of 47 panels carrying 68 verses in gold-plated thread, weighing around 1,415 kg (verify the exact timing, since sources vary on whether the change falls around Eid al-Adha or 1 Muharram). It is a quiet, dignified ceremony, not a public spectacle, and reflects the same reverence that governs the rest of the sanctuary.
Ramadan Umrah
Ramadan, roughly 17 February to 18 March 2026, brings the second major crowd peak of the year, as Umrah performed during Ramadan, especially the last ten nights, is considered particularly meritorious. It is also the most expensive and most crowded window for Umrah outside Hajj itself, so book accommodation and permits well ahead if this is your target window.
The sacred calendar at a glance
| Observance | When | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| Hajj | 8-13 Dhu al-Hijjah (about 25-30 May 2026, verify) | The obligatory pilgrimage itself |
| Eid al-Adha | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah | The Festival of Sacrifice, commemorating Ibrahim |
| The Kiswa change | Around Eid al-Adha or 1 Muharram | The Kaaba’s black silk covering is replaced |
| Ramadan Umrah | About 17 Feb-18 Mar 2026 | The most meritorious, most crowded Umrah window |
Is any of this something a visitor can just attend?
No, not in the way a festival elsewhere might be attended. Every observance above is tied to being a Muslim performing Hajj or Umrah, requires the appropriate Nusuk permit, and takes place within the Haram or the Hajj ritual sites rather than in a public square open to onlookers.
For the day-by-day sequence of Hajj itself, see the Hajj sites around Mecca , and for the shorter Umrah rites, see Umrah rites in Mecca, step by step .
If Ramadan Umrah is your goal, lock in your Nusuk permit and Haram-area hotel as early as your calendar allows; the last ten nights sell out and fill up faster than any other window of the year.