Things to Do in Dakar This Weekend: Where to Find Events

To find out what is on in Dakar this weekend, the most reliable approach is to cross three sources: the calendars of the venues you like, their social media and their newsletters. There is no single listing for the whole city. Here is a method, some ideas that work almost any Saturday or Sunday, and the part Ge'eza, open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 10pm in Point E, can play.

A four-step method

1. Check venue calendars. Galleries, cultural centres, restaurants with a programme and performance halls publish their dates. At Ge'eza, the calendar page lists confirmed highlights, with a subscribable calendar and an .ics file. Everything on it is confirmed.

2. Follow venues on social media. Posters and last-minute changes circulate there. Pick five or six places and look at them on Thursday and Friday.

3. Sign up for newsletters. Many organisations send one, which has the advantage of arriving without you remembering to look. The house sends one each month.

4. Ask around. In Dakar, word of mouth is a real tool. A colleague, a neighbour or a driver often knows the right address of the moment.

For a wider view of nights out, see also Dakar evenings out.

Safe ideas for Saturday

These suggestions do not depend on an exceptional event.

• A slow breakfast. It is better to avoid rush hours on the main roads. An Ethiopian breakfast (foul, chechebsa, genfo, enqulal tibs), served from 8am to 11am at Ge'eza, is a good start.
• A gallery or a museum. Art spaces are calmer early in the day. Check opening hours before you set out.
• The coast. The Corniche, the beaches on the north of the peninsula or a crossing to Gorée Island can easily fill half a day. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen.
• A long lunch. At weekends, meals stretch out. Choose somewhere you can linger without feeling rushed.

Safe ideas for Sunday

Sunday is calmer, and several places are closed or open late. We have a whole piece on it: Sunday in Dakar. The gist: a slow morning, a long lunch, a coffee late in the afternoon.

Where Ge'eza fits in a weekend

Ge'eza is an Ethiopian restaurant, a contemporary art gallery, a concept store and an events venue, in a villa with a gallery salon, a glass-roofed room and a terrace under the trees. Over a weekend it can serve several purposes.

For breakfast or brunch. Ethiopian breakfast is served from 8am to 11am: foul at 5,500 F, chechebsa at 4,500 F, genfo at 6,500 F, the breakfast combo at 8,500 F (for two). Beyaynetu, which gathers seven vegan fasting dishes, is 7,000 F for one person and can also be ordered for two or three.

For a long coffee. An Ethiopian macchiato is 2,500 F. The full coffee ceremony, about 45 minutes in three rounds (Abol, Tona, Baraka), is 5,000 F per person. Book it 24 hours ahead if you can, especially for a group, and the house confirms by WhatsApp.

To see art. The gallery salon shows works by several artists, including "Figures (2025)" by Saadio and "Foule", oil on canvas. Prices are given on request.

To find a gift. The concept store offers crafts, design, fine groceries (spices, berbere, Ethiopian coffee) and art editions, on sale in the house during restaurant hours.

The Senegalese dish of the day (5,500 F, with water or a local juice and attaya) is served Tuesday to Friday at lunch, so not at the weekend.

Before you head out

A few simple habits save time.

• Book lunch or dinner at the weekend. Tables can fill up. Do it online on the reservation page or by WhatsApp at +221 78 660 07 07.
• Plan for traffic. Dakar is dense at the end of the day. Allow generous journey times.
• Check the weather. During the rainy season a downpour can change your plans: our article on Dakar in the rainy season offers solutions.
• Carry cash or mobile money. Wave and Orange Money are widely used, but not every venue takes cards.

If you want specifics

The house is open every weekend, that the gallery salon can be visited during restaurant hours, and that confirmed dates are published on the events page.

A weekend with no programme

Sometimes no particular outing stands out, and that is fine. A good weekend in Dakar can come down to a long breakfast, a walk on the coast, a shared lunch, a visit to a gallery and a coffee at the end of the day. If you are hosting relatives or colleagues passing through, this simple frame almost always works, and it leaves room for the unexpected.

It also helps to decide one anchor for each day, a meal or a visit, and let the rest follow. Dakar rewards flexibility more than tight schedules.