If you are looking for a unique and unforgettable cultural experience, you should mark your calendar for the **Osun-Osogbo Festival**, a two-week long celebration that honors the **goddess of fertility**, Osun, in the sacred Osun Grove in Osogbo, Nigeria. This festival is not only the biggest annual traditional religious event of the Yoruba people, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts thousands of worshippers and tourists from all over the world  . 

The Osun-Osogbo Festival has a rich history that dates back to about 600 years ago, when the founders of Osogbo settled by the river bank and encountered the spirit of Osun, who promised to protect them and bless their women with fruitfulness if they would offer sacrifices to her annually . Ever since then, the people of Osogbo have kept their covenant with the river goddess and preserved the sacred grove as one of the last remaining places where the spirits reveal themselves to bless their devotees. 

The festival is marked with daily performances of people dancing, singing, playing drums and showing off elaborate costumes to appease Osun. The main attraction of the festival is the **Arugba**, a virgin maiden who carries a large calabash containing the sacrifices of the entire community on her head. She leads a procession of devotees to the river, where she offers the sacrifices to Osun and receives her blessings. The Arugba is regarded as a sacred person who helps the people communicate with the deity. 

Another notable figure in the festival is **Susanne Wenger**, an Austrian-born artist who became a Yoruba priestess and devoted her life to restoring and protecting the shrines and sculptures in the grove. She also helped to promote the festival internationally and preserve the Yoruba culture and religion. She died in 2009 and was buried in the grove. 

The Osun-Osogbo Festival is usually held in August every year, but the exact dates may vary depending on the traditional calendar. The festival for 2023 is scheduled for **August 7-18**, while the dates for 2024 and 2025 are yet to be announced. If you want to witness this amazing spectacle of faith, art and culture, you should plan your trip ahead of time and book your accommodation in advance. You will not regret it!