Marrakech – The National Festival of Popular Arts (NFPA), scheduled to last from June 22 until June 26, 2023 in the red city, opened its 52nd edition with a majestic parade from the Harti garden to the Royal Theatre of Marrakech on Thursday.
Organized by the Grand Atlas Association in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication as well as the Regional Council of Marrakech-Safi, the festival’s theme this year centers around the “Secrets of Dances and Gestures”.
The Harti Garden, the Royal Theatre, the Jemaa el-Fna square and Moulay El Hassan esplanades are all expected to be filled with visitors in the coming days as they explore a program rich in performances by a large range of artists exhibiting diverse folklore arts representing all parts of Morocco, from the North to the Sahara. 
The National Festival of Popular Arts (NFPA)
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As the parade went through three kilometers along Marrakech’s most famous streets, namely the Mohamed V and Moulay El Hassan avenues as well as the Mohammed VI boulevard, horses, camels and popular groups’ artistic creations were displayed under the eye of entertained tourists and locals.
“This parade is an unprecedented opportunity to explore the enchanting history and immortal heritage of Morocco,” the festival’s website states.
To facilitate the smoothness of the event, dozens of police officers were also mobilized to make sure that no cars got in the way of the parade, until all groups arrived at their final destination, the Royal Theatre of Marrakech, to perform for the first show of the festival.
Popular groups came from all over the country such as the Ahidous of Ain Orma, the Ahwach of Imintanoute, the Oulad Sidi Hmad Ou Moussa, and the Hait Tissa of Taounate, among dozens of others.
The participants all seemed driven to represent their origins and spectators, as locals and foreign tourists alike could not help but follow along the harmonious rhythms in what quickly became an enchanting journey through Morocco’s popular chants and dances.
Unsurprisingly, it is the Daqqa of Marrakech group that made all spectators stand as they displayed their famous “Tabala” and encouraged everyone to echo their tuneful moves and phrases such as “Sahra hia bladna”, which translates to “the Sahara is our home country.” 
The National Festival of Popular Arts (NFPA)
To close off the show, all groups united on the front scene to perform for a last time and received a standing ovation from the public.
Soukaina Boussaken, technical supervisor for the festival, pointed to the hardworking people behind the success of the event, specifying to Morocco World News that “hundreds of people worked on this project.”
Between the technical and artistic teams, the administrative body, the security guards and other staff members as well as the police officers guarding the surroundings of the Royal Theatre, such an event surely “takes a village to prepare,” she emphasized. 
The National Festival of Popular Arts (NFPA)
Starting from June 23, visitors wanting to experience a live show from a diverse range of popular groups can go to the Jemaa el-Fna square, the Harti garden, or the Moulay El Hassan esplanade at 8 p.m. for a festive summer night activity in the red city.
