Spectators poured into Benin's capital for a new festival celebrating traditional masks over the weekend as the West African country seeks to attract visitors and showcase its cultural heritage.

People in costumes perform in a mask parade during the Porto Novo Mask Festival in Porto Novo, Benin, Aug. 4, 2024. The festival was held here from Friday to Sunday to showcase the art and culture ...

Porto-Novo's streets came alive with a vibrant West African masquerade during the weekend's inaugural Mask Festival, where colorful figures, including straw-clad characters and stilt dancers ...

Benin has struggled to resolve its legacy of complicity. For over 200 years, ... learned about Benin’s citizenship law while visiting for the Porto Novo mask festival.