Festival at the Desert
Desert Festival · Essakane / Timbuktu, Mali
The festival
The Desert Festival was created in 2001 in Essakane, near Timbuktu, Mali, by Manny Ansar (EFES agency). Ali Farka Touré was the sponsor of the festival. The festival brings Tuareg and Desert music to life — Tinariwen is associated with it from the beginning.
Its last edition in the desert was held in January 2012. Since then, the festival has continued in exile, with the tours "Festival au Désert in Exile", including an edition in Florence in 2026.
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Key facts
Name: Desert Festival. Place of origin: Essakane, near Timbuktu, Mali. Creation: 2001, by Manny Ansar (EFES agency); sponsor: Ali Farka Touré. Status: in exile since 2012 (edition in Florence in 2026). Official site: https://www.festival-au-desert.org
To see around the festival
Djinguereber Mosque — the historic mosque of Timbuktu. The Timbuktu Old Manuscript Library — the ancient manuscripts of the city. The gates of the Sahara Desert — Timbuktu, at the gates of the Sahara.
The Focus flash — Festival TV
Flash Focus Mali — Festival au Désert
Flash Info Festival TV · voice of Moïse 1er · 30 s