The Voodoo Festival popularly known as the National Voodoo Dayis the major festival in Benin that attracts thousands of followers to Ouidah. The festival is held in January every year at a beach and people in colourful local dress dance, drum and pray while animals are slaughtered in rituals.
Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 1,360 mm (53.5 in), not particularly high for coastal West Africa.
Songs and dances are a part of the social fabric of Benin and celebrate joyous events such as festivals, childbirth, rites of passage, or occasions of sorrow such as mourning of the dead.