Next: about 15 Oct to 28 Nov 2026
Olive Harvest in the Levant
Families gather under ancient trees in October and November to pick, press and share the year's oil.
When is Olive Harvest in the Levant in 2026?
Olive Harvest in the Levant 2026 runs from 15 October to 28 November 2026. The date follows the moon or a local calendar, so it can move by a day. Other years: 2027, 15 October to 28 November 2027; 2028, 15 October to 28 November 2028.
About Olive Harvest in the Levant
From mid-October to late November, villages across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Cyprus begin the olive harvest. Families, with relatives and neighbours who return from the cities, spread nets under the trees and pick the fruit by hand, with rakes and sticks, singing as they work and eating from a picnic of bread, za'atar, labneh and olives in the middle of the day. Some groves are a thousand years old. The fruit is taken to the press, where the first cold-pressed oil, bright green and peppery, is tasted on fresh bread. In Palestine, the season is also a matter of community, as families and volunteers help one another, and the oil is a staple gift and a mark of belonging to the land.
Olive Harvest in the Levant dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Olive Harvest in the Levant date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 October to 28 November 2026 |
| 2027 | 15 October to 28 November 2027 |
| 2028 | 15 October to 28 November 2028 |
This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.
What is eaten
- olive oil with za'atar and bread
- musakhan
- olives
Also part of it, and being written: Olive oil (The product of the harvest.), Palestinian olive harvest (The village tradition.), Za'atar (The herb blend eaten with fresh oil.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Olive harvest" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.