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Donkey race, fruit festivals and saints' days: Lebanese summer traditions you won't want to miss
As the heat settles over Lebanon's hills and valleys, village squares fill with music, laughter and the scent of home-cooked food. Summer here is more than just a season; it's a return to roots. Families gather from cities and abroad, and old traditions come alive once again in festivals tied to land, faith and memory.
The traditions support small economies, encourage the Lebanese diaspora to come home and keep long-standing traditions alive.
Here's how Lebanese villages are keeping these customs alive:
Cherry Picking in Hammana
Each June, the mountain village of Hammana (Baabda district) paints itself in red, black and gold as local cherry trees bloom. Known for the fruit, people from all across the country flock to the town's annual Cherry Festival.
The event celebrates the harvest with a full day of cherry picking, musical performances and cultural exhibitions alongside stalls overflowing with fresh cherries, jams, desserts, juices and more. Local artisans display handicrafts, while children enjoy activities and families take part in folk dances and live music.
Visitors have the opportunity to pick cherries directly from the orchards, with some tours including hiking and discovering the cultural heritage of Hammana.
The Donkey Race in Roum
In the village of Roum, nestled in Jezzine's green mountains, a peculiar and cherished tradition made its comeback after more than 10 years: The Donkey Race.
'After 10 years of not hosting the race due to internal crises within the municipality, including over three years without a municipal head, we tried to revive it as part of my promises as a candidate,' Johnny Haddad, head of the Municipality of Roum, told L'Orient Today. 'The race is part of Roum Festivals, which traditionally took place every summer."
The festival begins on its first day with the agricultural fair, showcasing the village's local products — from clay and grapes to olive oil and olives. The opening also includes plays for children and various activities spread over three days.
The event usually brings locals from several southern districts, including Jezzine, Saida, Nabatieh and even from Beirut. Donkeys in colorful ribbons line up for a 220-meter sprint down the village square, accompanied by 12 horsemen and a cheering crowd.
The donkeys usually have playful names like Neswanje (womanizer), Shayef Halo (showoff), Mkarkab (clumsy), Jahlen (in love in his old age), and Ghannoujet Bayya (daddy's girl).
"After the race, the attendees gathered for a traditional wedding night performance by local artists Charbel Haddad and Jessy Jarjoura," Haddad said.
The Fig Festival in Majdal al-Meoush
Perched in the Chouf district, the village of Majdal al-Meoush is so famous for its figs that sellers across Lebanon often call their own produce 'Meoush figs' to lure customers.
Every summer, the village hosts a fig festival where 'all farmers in the region are invited to share their produce,' Georgina Merhej, an employee at the municipality, told L'Orient Today. 'The figs in Majdal al-Meoush are special and known for their quality.'
The event, supported by the municipality, transforms the village into a local market and cultural gathering space. Vendors line the streets and public squares with tables full of homemade fig-based products — from jams and dried figs to cakes, juices, and traditional Chouf dishes made with local ingredients.
Local women offer home-cooked meals and desserts, while others sell handmade crafts and mouneh, giving the event a distinctly communal and self-sustaining character.
Throughout the day, visitors walk through the market, talk with farmers and taste samples of what the region has to offer.
In the evenings, the focus shifts to the village square. Locals bring out instruments and spontaneous music breaks out.
Saints' Festivals in the Bekaa
Across Lebanon's Christian villages, especially in the Bekaa Valley, summer is marked by religious celebrations that bring together food, prayer and entire communities. These saint festivals often coincide with feast days and revolve around local churches, attracting people from nearby towns as well as Lebanese living abroad who make a point of returning to celebrate.
Eid al-Saydeh (Saint Mary Festival) is one of the country's most important annual gatherings. Locals gather around the church to cook and serve hrisseh — a traditional wheat-and-meat dish — free to all attendees.
In Rashaya, the festival has a rural and homemade feel. Michel Daoud, a local who regularly attends, described the traditions: 'For Eid al-Saydeh, people bring homemade sweets, cakes, stuffed grape leaves, rice with chicken, tabbouleh, kebabs — all traditional food made at home. They sell it to support the church.' He added, 'Grapes and figs are always offered to guests. It's part of our hospitality.'
In Deir al-Ahmar (Baalbeck district), the celebration is a neighborhood affair. 'In front of every house, you'll find food and drinks offered to visitors,' Daoud explained to L'Orient Today. 'It's like one big open street festival in Christian areas.'
Further south, in Kfar Meshki (Rashaya district), the Mar Elias Festival on July 21 includes religious processions, children's games, music and food stands selling traditional preserves and church-related items.
In Beit Lahya (Rashaya district), the celebration features a traditional rural dinner with saj bread, fresh juices, dabke dancing and prayers. In September, the Elevation of the Cross draws crowds to streets lined with stands offering marshmallows, grilled corn, onions, and cotton candy in front of homes and churches.
Beyond their religious significance, these festivals play an important economic role. 'It's a way to support the local economy,' said Daoud. 'A lot of people sell their homemade products, and you see Lebanese from all backgrounds coming together, not only Christians.'
He noted that even locals who run shops selling clothes or accessories set up kiosks during the festivals. 'It's a very local, rural way of marketing their businesses.'
