From Glastonbury to a Spanish tomato fight — the definitive, accurate guide to the world's festivals. Discover, plan, and never miss the ones worth crossing the planet for.
The festivals we’d cross the planet for.

“A whole city turns to mud โ wrestling pits, mud slides and body-painting on Daecheon Beach. Gloriously, joyfully messy.”

“Race an obstacle course carrying a partner over hurdles and through water. The prize? Her weight in beer. Absurd and unforgettable.”

“Thousands of glowing lanterns carry handwritten wishes into the night sky โ one of Asiaโs most beautiful and moving sights.”
50 festivals · every corner of the world

A week-long 'Island of Freedom' on the Danube.

Europe's biggest street festival, a Caribbean explosion.

A lavish feast laid out for thousands of temple monkeys.

A temporary city of radical art that vanishes without a trace.

Vikings, torches and a burning longship in the depths of winter.

A whole city of illuminated ice palaces in deep winter.

Desert music-and-arts festival where line-ups and fashion compete for headlines.

Bali's Day of Silence โ the whole island stops.

Lion dances, lanterns and fireworks welcome the lunar year.

Thousands of glowing sky lanterns released into the night.

The world's largest folk festival โ six million people and oceans of beer.

The Inca festival of the sun, re-enacted at Sacsayhuamรกn.

A city (and a planet) turns green for a day.

Afan festival is a festival held in Nigeria.

The festival of lights โ millions of lamps, fireworks and family.

Ethiopian Orthodox Epiphany, a dazzling water celebration.

Two weeks of gloriously messy mud pools and wrestling by the sea.

The running of the bulls through the old town at dawn.

The world's largest winter carnival, led by Bonhomme.

Samba schools, sequins and the biggest street party on earth.

G! Festival is a festival held in Denmark.

Chase a 4kg wheel of cheese down a near-vertical hill. Injuries expected.

Japan's biggest festival, set in stunning mountain forest.

Experience Florence's vibrant pulse as the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino unfolds, a celebration of classical music where world-class orchestras and vocalists fill historic venues with captivating perform

Sky lanterns carrying wishes over the mountains.

50,000 camels, traders and pilgrims in the desert.

White Ravens is a festival held in Germany.

Northern Europe's largest music festival, non-profit and gloriously muddy.

The home of pizza throws a giant seaside celebration of it.

Hundreds of hot-air balloons fill the dawn sky over New Mexico.

Colossal, breathtaking snow and ice sculptures.

Dreamfields Festival is a festival held in Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Marigolds, sugar skulls and joyful parades honouring the departed.

Race an obstacle course carrying a partner. Prize: her weight in beer.

Legendary lakeside jazz (and far beyond) since 1967.

The world's largest arts festival โ thousands of shows across a whole city.

Sacred and spiritual music from every faith and continent.

Hypnotic Gnaoua trance music on the Atlantic coast.

The harbour and Opera House transformed by light and projection.

The world's most spectacular electronic-music festival.

Elaborate masks and Baroque costume along the canals.

The whole town divides into teams and pelts each other with oranges.

Burg-Herzberg-Festival is a festival held in Germany.

One hour. 150,000 tomatoes. The world's largest food fight.

Thai New Year, celebrated as a nationwide, days-long water fight.

The world's oldest oyster festival, shucking since 1954.

Kyoto's grand month-long festival of towering floats.

Cult indie and electronic line-ups by the Mediterranean.

The festival of colours โ pigment thrown in joy at the arrival of spring.


Africa's grandest gathering of jazz.

The most glamorous week in world cinema.

Four days of headliners in Grant Park.

The 'three manly games': wrestling, horse racing and archery.

Costumed 'devils' leap over rows of babies. Yes, really.

Beads, brass bands and float parades before Lent.

Five days of music and mud on Worthy Farm โ the home of the British festival.

Ivrea, Italy, celebrates its rich heritage through the Historical Carnival of Ivrea, a cultural festival that brings the city's past to life with traditional performances and community engagement.

Feel the electric tension of Siena's ancient streets as the Palio di Siena unfolds in Piazza del Campo, a vibrant cultural spectacle where centuries of history collide with raw community spirit.

Berlin's Prix Europa festival transforms the city into a vibrant stage for global creative expression, where diverse artistic voices converge in lively performances and intimate exhibitions.

Alicante, Spain, hosts the Bonfires of Saint John, a deeply rooted cultural festival where the city's streets pulse with the warm glow of ancient bonfires lit in honor of Saint John.

Experience the vibrant energy of Cairo's cultural heart at the Cairo International Film Festival, where the historic Cairo Opera House becomes a stage for global storytelling.

Lyon's streets glow with the warm embrace of cultural celebration as this cherished festival illuminates the city with vibrant light displays and traditional performances.

Barcelona, Spain, hosts the International Erotic Film Festival, a distinctive arts event that showcases films exploring intimate human experiences with artistic vision.

The Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, is a globally renowned celebration of cinematic art that draws film enthusiasts and industry leaders from across the world.

Sรฃo Paulo's Municipal Theater pulses with creative energy during Modern Art Week, a vibrant celebration of contemporary art that transforms the city's cultural heart.

Morelia, Mexico, pulses with the electric spirit of the Morelia International Film Festival, a renowned event that showcases the art of cinema from around the world.

Discover the captivating world of international cinema at Tokyo's renowned film festival, where the city's vibrant streets come alive with the art of moving images.

Experience South Korea's vibrant mud festival where families gather on sunny shores for playful immersion in the earthy delights of this unique cultural tradition.

San Sebastiรกn, Spain's vibrant coastal city, hosts a captivating jazz celebration where the city's lively energy meets the soulful sounds of live performance.

Each summer, Donaueschingen hosts a renowned cultural festival where world-class performances of classical music and opera create an unforgettable atmosphere.

Harbin transforms its winter landscape into a breathtaking canvas of light and ice, showcasing extraordinary sculptures that tell stories through frozen art.
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