What to Do in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in October 2026: Festival and Expos
TANZANIA · DAR ES SALAAM · Culture
A national cycling tour leaves the coast this week and free trade fairs fill the expo halls. The 44th Bagamoyo arts festival closes the month.
Key Facts
- —The country Tanzania, on Africa’s east coast, has about 70.5 million people. Its economy, about US$90 billion in 2025, is roughly 2% the size of Britain’s.
- —Why it matters Dar es Salaam is the largest city and main port, though Dodoma is the official capital. Most diplomats, aid workers and foreign firms are based here.
- —Why now October brings a health summit, four trade fairs, a national cycling tour and the country’s best-known arts festival.
- —What happened On Sunday 4 October, 169 riders from 12 countries were set to race 109 kilometres to Bagamoyo. The race opens the Nyerere Cycling Tour.
- —The numbers The Bagamoyo festival runs 28 to 31 October. Organisers report 146 applicant groups, 42 from abroad, and expect more than 6,000 visitors.
- —What it means for you Banks and government offices close on Wednesday 14 October. The energy, solar and mining fairs are free for trade visitors who register.
- —Still open Most ticket prices are unpublished. Deadly unrest followed the October 2025 election, so check your government’s travel advice before you go.
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania: this monthly guide is for expats, remote workers and long-stay visitors in the country’s biggest city. It lists what is worth crossing town for in Dar es Salaam in October 2026, with dates, venues and practical notes.
The month opens with a cycling race up the coast and a national health summit. Trade fairs follow, then a public holiday on 14 October, and the Bagamoyo arts festival closes the month.
This week: the Coastal Classic and the Nyerere Cycling Tour
Sunday 4 October
Vodacom Coastal Classic
Start: Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam; finish: Bagamoyo · Free to watch from the roadside
A 109-kilometre road race organised by the mobile operator Vodacom Tanzania.
A field of 169 cyclists from Tanzania and 11 other countries was set to start. They include riders from Kenya, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands.
Men’s and women’s winners each receive Sh10 million (about US$3,775). Expect support vehicles and spectators on the coast road north to Bagamoyo on race day.
Monday 5 to Wednesday 14 October
Nyerere Cycling Tour
Bagamoyo to Butiama, Mara Region · Free to watch along the route
After the Coastal Classic, the main tour rides more than 1,400 kilometres north through 10 regions, including Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Mwanza. Formerly called Twende Butiama, it ends in Butiama, home and burial place of founding president Julius Nyerere.
5 to 11 October: a summit and trade fairs
Monday 5 to Wednesday 7 October
13th Tanzania Health Summit
Mlimani City Conference Centre, Ubungo · Registration through the summit website
The country’s main annual health-policy forum brings together officials, hospitals, investors and donors. This year’s theme is building health sovereignty and strengthening health systems in a changing global order.
It is useful for anyone working in health, development or public policy.
Wednesday 7 to Friday 9 October, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
10th POWER & ENERGY Tanzania 2026
Diamond Jubilee Expo Centre, Upanga · Free for trade visitors
An international trade exhibition on power generation and energy, run by the exhibition organiser Expogroup.
It is a working event, but worth a visit if you follow infrastructure or industry. Bring business cards for registration at the door.
Wednesday 7 to Friday 9 October, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
10th SOLAREXPO Tanzania 2026
Diamond Jubilee Expo Centre, Upanga · Free for trade visitors
A specialist fair for solar panels, batteries and off-grid power.
It runs alongside the energy fair in the same halls, so one trip covers both. Organisers advise visitors to pre-register online.
Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October
Champion Rise Swimming Development Gala
Shaaban Robert Swimming Pool, Upanga · Contact Champion Rise Swim Club
An annual youth swimming competition run by Champion Rise Swim Club, with about 180 young swimmers expected.
Registration closes on 5 October. Families with children in swimming programmes should ask the club about spectator access.
Mid-October: Nyerere Day
Wednesday 14 October
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Day
Nationwide public holiday
This holiday marks the death in 1999 of Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding president, known as Mwalimu (“teacher”). Government offices, banks and many shops close or run reduced hours.
The Nyerere Cycling Tour is scheduled to finish on this day in Butiama, Nyerere’s home village in Mara Region.
Late October: Made in Tanzania, Minexpo and Bagamoyo
Monday 26 to Saturday 31 October, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Made in Tanzania Expo Conference 2026
Mlimani City Conference Centre, Sam Nujoma Road (as listed by exhibitors) · Free entry, according to exhibitors
A trade and consumer exhibition of locally made goods and services, from food and textiles to furniture. Exhibitors such as the Tanzania Institute of Arbitrators list free entry.
The organiser has not published dates or a programme online, so confirm before going.
Tuesday 27 October, gala; Wednesday 28 to Saturday 31 October, main festival
44th Bagamoyo International Arts and Culture Festival
TaSUBa grounds, Bagamoyo · Price from the organiser
Tanzania’s best-known arts festival is run by TaSUBa, the state Bagamoyo Arts and Culture Institute. Expect traditional dance, acrobatics, music, drama, film, crafts stalls and guided tours of the old town.
A pre-festival gala opens on 27 October. Bagamoyo lies about 70 kilometres north of central Dar, so it works as a day trip or a weekend away.
Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
10th MINEXPO Tanzania 2026
Diamond Jubilee Expo Centre, Upanga · Free for industry visitors
A mining equipment and technology fair with regional and international exhibitors, also run by Expogroup.
It is open to industry professionals only. Pre-register online or bring business cards to register at the venue.
Running all month: Alliance Française programme
The Alliance Française de Dar es Salaam, the French cultural centre on Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, has a full October programme. It has published the titles but not every date, so check its website or social media for times.
Dance opens the month with PEPONI, a Tanzanian dance-theatre piece about paradise by House of Wondar. The Womanmoon Showcase follows later.
Music includes a Marafiki Festival edition of Jumatano Groove with The Birds and Afromob. Veteran musician John Kitime headlines Kalam Salaam #26.
Nasty Nate plays house and amapiano at Tuesday Groove, and the first Usiku wa Hip-Hop brings rap and dance battles. A Singeli Fest Special features Manfongo, Kidewizo and K-Pizo, and Marleen Xplastaz closes the month with Afro-fusion.
Film fans get a screening billed as the ZIFF Opening, set in an imagined Nigeria. Two art programmes, Different and Beyond Awareness, explore autism and disability, and Language Café #14 runs on 31 October.
Planning your month
October is hot and humid, with daytime highs around 30°C and warm nights. It is usually drier than the main rainy season, but the short rains can start late in the month.
Carry water and sun protection for outdoor events such as the cycling tour or a Bagamoyo day trip. Check a current forecast the day before.
Nyerere Day on Wednesday 14 October is the only nationwide public holiday this month. If you need banks or official paperwork, plan around that date.
At night, taxis and ride-hailing apps are the easiest way to get around. For Bagamoyo, allow 90 minutes or more by road and consider staying overnight for several festival days.
Most event prices are not published online. On 2 October 2026, the Tanzanian shilling traded at about 2,649 shillings to the US dollar.
Tanzania’s October 2025 general election was followed by deadly protests and a crackdown. Daily life in Dar es Salaam has continued, but check your government’s travel advice before planning a trip.
For weekly listings, check The Citizen and Daily News entertainment pages, the Alliance Française website and the organisers’ own pages. Event aggregators list many local shows, but confirm details with the organiser before travelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest sporting event in Dar es Salaam this October?
The Vodacom Coastal Classic on Sunday 4 October is a 109-kilometre cycling race to Bagamoyo. It has 169 riders from 12 countries and opens the Nyerere Cycling Tour, which runs to 14 October.
Is there a public holiday in Tanzania in October 2026?
Yes. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Day falls on Wednesday 14 October and is a nationwide public holiday, with government offices and banks closed.
When is the Bagamoyo arts festival in 2026?
The 44th Bagamoyo International Arts and Culture Festival runs from 28 to 31 October at TaSUBa in Bagamoyo. A gala opens it on 27 October, about 70 kilometres north of Dar es Salaam.
Are there free events in Dar es Salaam in October 2026?
The POWER & ENERGY, SOLAREXPO and MINEXPO trade fairs at the Diamond Jubilee Expo Centre are free for registered trade visitors. Roadside viewing of the cycling races is also free.
Sources: The Citizen (Coastal Classic, 2 Oct), The Citizen (Nyerere Cycling Tour), Tanzania Health Summit, Power & Energy Tanzania, Minexpo Tanzania, The Citizen (Champion Rise gala), TaSUBa, Daily News (Bagamoyo festival), Alliance Française de Dar es Salaam, World Bank. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief