Day of the Dead Festival, Mexico 2026
Many people associate the Day of the Dead Festival with Mexico, but actually it is an equally important part of the culture of Guatemala (on 1 November) and El Salvador…
Diwali 2026 (Deewali), Festival of Lights, India
What do you do when you return home after having been exiled for 14 years? You heave a sigh of relief and celebrate. That’s what happens during Diwali (also called Deepavali)…
Deauville Beach, Calvados and Oysters
The attractions of Normandy are much and varied, from Deauville beach, its racecourse and casino, to calvados and wonderful seafood, Mark Bibby Jackson discovers there is so much to tempt…
Edinburgh Festival 2025 (Edinburgh International Festival)
The Edinburgh Festival, or Edinburgh International Festival, kicks off on 1 August, 2025. This year’s programme features some of the best and emerging contemporary artists from around the world. This…
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025
One of the largest arts festivals in the world, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe takes place in the Scottish capital from 2 to 26 August, 2024. The world’s oldest fringe festival runs alongside the…
Ventnor Fringe, Isle of Wight 2025
This year’s Ventnor Fringe will feature performances outdoor cinema and improv events. As always the Fringe will feature emerging talent and future stars in a line-up of the most exciting…
Icons of the Sky, Longleat Sky Safari 2025, Wiltshire, UK
The UK’s biggest air balloon bonanza, Icons of the Sky, the Longleat Sky Safari, will take place this 12 to 14 September at the the nation’s premier safari park in Wiltshire. Numerous balloons…
World Nomad Games 2020, Turkey
Dubbed the “Olympics for nomads”, the biennial World Nomad Games is an extraordinary and chaotic spectacle of dozens of traditional nomad sports. After being held in Kyrgyzstan three times in…
Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2025
The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (often called the Ubud Writers Festival), one of the best literary festivals in the world, is held in the central Bali town of Ubud in October and will celebrate …
Fringe by the Sea 2025, Scotland
Forget the Edinburgh Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival, Fringe by the Sea returns to the East Lothian town of North Berwick in August for ten days of music, literature, film…
Ganesh Chaturthi Festival 2026, India
The spectacular Hindu Ganesh Chaturthi festival involves colourful festivities, involving singing, dancing and theatre honouring the birth of the elephant-headed deity. The start of the festival sees huge, colourful statues…
Cambridge Folk Festival 2024, UK
Sadly the Cambridge Folk Festival has been cancelled for 2025 just like WOMAD. Despite making a loss in 2024, organisers say they will channel their resources in planning a bounce…
Notting Hill Carnival 2026, London, UK
The August Bank Holiday weekend can really only mean one thing in London – the Notting Hill Carnival. The largest free street festival in Europe runs from the Saturday to Monday of the long weekend…
Cook250 Festival, Whitby UK
July 6 – 8: Famed for its amazing fish and chips and spectacular abbey (see cover photo) , the Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby, birthplace of Captain James Cook, will…
Taiwan International Balloon Festival 2025
Not quite yet reaching the 99 Luftballons of Nena’s 1980s hit, some 40 participating balloons will be taking off during the Taiwan International Balloon Festival in Taitung…
Wang Yeh Boat Burning Festival, Taiwan
Happening only every three years – in the Chinese years of the Ox, Dragon, Goat and Dog – 2021 is your chance again to witness one of Taiwan’s top festivals…
Sapporo Summer Festival 2019
Lasting a whole month from mid-July to mid-August, the Sapporo Summer Festival 2019 is packed with a variety of cultural, musical, gastronomical and fireworks events attracting…
Buenos Aires Tango Festival, Argentina
August 9 – 22: For those who enjoy watching dance, the beauty of the tango is a great draw. The World tango dance tournament or Campeonato Mundial de Baile …
Rainforest Fringe Festival 2019
During a period of eight days in July, the best of Sarawak’s art, music, culture, craft, photography, film, food and heritage will be showcased in the heart of Kuching, the…
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2025
One of the most dramatic festivals in Asia, the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, this year in June, celebrates an event from some 2,000 years ago when Qu Yuan, a Chinese official, threw…
George Town Festival 2025, Penang
Art and heritage will take over Penang’s capital during the George Town Festival from 2 to 10 August 2025. Drawing in tens of thousands of visitors from across the world…
Boryeong Mud Festival 2025, South Korea
At the Boryeong Mud Festival 2025 in South Korea, everything revolves around one and one thing only: mud. During the festival the beach of Boryeong transforms itself into a mud…
The Dancing Devils of Yare, Venezuela
One of the most spectacular and colourful festivals in Venezuela, the Dancing Devils of Yare dates back to 1749, and in 2022 it will be held on 8 June. Every Corpus Christi – the date that celebrates…
Bali Arts Festival 2022, Indonesia
Bali’s cultural event of the year, the month-long Bali Arts Festival, will once again turn the tropical island into a festive and performing arts mecca for the 41st time this…
