On the 28th day of the first Islamic month — usually falling in January — Tamale lights up in a way that has nothing to do with electricity. The Bugum Fire Festival sees thousands of people move through the city's streets carrying bundles of grass tied into torches and set alight. The procession is accompanied by singing and drumming, and the sight of so many flames moving through the darkness is genuinely striking — there is nothing quite like it anywhere else on the regional calendar.
The festival has deep roots in Dagomba tradition and predates the city as it stands today. It is a community event rather than a formal ceremony: families participate together, children carry smaller torches, and the mood is celebratory rather than solemn. Visitors are welcome to watch and, in most cases, to join the procession. If you are in Tamale in January, check whether the date falls during your stay — it is the kind of event that stays with you.