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Burning Man, USA

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Winterlude, Canada


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Explore can take you hundreds of colourful destinations and festivals. Visit Explore Tours, Request a Brochure or check their new Festival Holidays list.

Festivals in English Speaking Countries sound dull but aren't - if you pick the right place. Forget the average county show, the festivals listed here are superb, fascinating events that will keep you talking for weeks. And you'll be able to understand every word - with the possible exception of Scotland and French Canada!

Maps: USA | Canada | UK | Ireland | South Africa | Australia | New Zealand

Dates are sometimes unconfirmed and occasionally unreliable, so check before booking.
TBC [A] = to be confirmed [announced]

2008 Festival dates and information: Feb | March | April | May | June | July | August | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec

January 2008

30 Dec - 1 January [Same days every year] 2008 SCOTLAND, Edinburgh Hogmanay - a truly wild and wooly underwear occasion, with a torchlight procession, a Fire Festival, fireworks, concerts and much insobriety, in a city dark yet strangely light...Edinburgh Travel | Edinburgh Photos
30 Dec - 1 January
[Same days every year]
2008
ENGLAND, London [New Year's Eve Fireworks] New Year's Day Parade - at 12 noon. Sadly the best part of the parade is the non-English marching bands and floats! London Guide | London Photos
1 January 2008
[Same day every year]
USA, Los Angeles, California Rose Parade - in Pasadena, an immense, floaty, flowery spectacle of floats and bands. LA Travel
1 January 2008
[Same day every year]
USA, Philadelphia Mummers Parade, Pennsylvania - the biggest, wildest event of the year, incredible outfits and lots of comedy. If the weather's bad the event moves to the following Saturday. From 9am. USA Travel
January and much of February SOUTH AFRICA, Cape Town Minstrel Carnival - a brilliant collection of parades and parties harking back to slave days, with singing, dancing and competitions. Cape Town Pictures and Information
6 January 2008
[Same day every year]
USA, New York City Three Kings Day Parade - a colourful Latin-influenced parade of Nativity animals, costumed people and kids. NYC Travel | New York Pictures
5 - 26 January 2008 AUSTRALIA, Sydney Sydney Festival - the biggest cultural event in the country, covering all the arts from drama to music, in fine international style though sadly lacking a lunatic Fringe. Sydney Travel | Sydney Photos
8 Jan - 3 February USA, Fort Worth, Texas Southwestern Stock Show and Rodeo. Texas Travel
18 - 20 January 2008 USA, Miami, Florida Art Deco Weekend - in the Miami Beach Historic Art Deco District with 1920's-30's style music and parades. A colourful blast from the past. Miami Travel
19 January - 9 February 2008 AUSTRALIA, Mebourne Midsumma - another wild and exciting gay/lesbian festival to compete with Sydney. Melbourne Travel | Melbourne Pictures
26 January - 10 Feb, weekends mainly 2008 CANADA, Montreal La Fete des Neiges [Snow Festival] - dominated by a monstrous and labyrinthine snow castle, ice sculpting, dog sledding and more icy fun. Canada Travel | Canada Pictures
26 January
[Same day every year]
AUSTRALIA, Sydney Australia Day - nationwide but lively in Sydney. Sydney Travel | Sydney Pictures

February 2008

1 - 17 February '08
Jan 30-Feb 15 '09
Jan 29-Feb 14 '10

CANADA, Quebec City Winter Carnival - a vigorous 10 day celebration of parades, themed parties, ice sculptures and - bien sur - winter sports of every description in a stunning Francophile city. Canada Travel | Canada Photos
1 - 17 February '08weekends mainly

CANADA, Ottawa Winterlude Festival - parades, dances, snow races, ice sculptures, sleigh rides and more, and especially skating, BUT MAINLY WEEKENDS. Canada Travel | Canada Pictures

7 February '08
Jan 26 '09

ENGLAND, London Chinese New Year - Parade and festivities. London Travel Guide | London Pictures

25 Jan - 5 February 2008

USA, Galveston, Texas Mardi Gras - live bands, parades, balls and costumes. Texas Travel

5 February 2008 USA, New Orleans, Louisiana Mardis Gras - locals start celebrating up to 2 weeks before, dressed bizarrely, intent on mayhem and well oiled good times. An outrageous must-see. New Orleans Travel
9 February - 1 March Parade & Party 1st March 2008 AUSTRALIA, Sydney Sydney Mardi Gras - a huge and world famous celebration of gaiety in all artistic spheres, with a stunning parade, shows and parties. The parade is on the last day, as is the amazing final party [that needs booking well ahead]. Sydney Guide | Sydney Pictures
10 February TBC USA, New York City Chinese New Year - Chinatown Parade and Festival, with floats, bands, dragon dancers, musicians, acrobats etc etc. Parade 1-3pm, 3pm- Bayard Street performances. New York Travel | New York Photos
17 February 2008 USA, Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona 500 - big, noisy cars going round and round. Florida Travel

March 2008

1 March [start] '08 USA, Anchorage, Alaska Iditarod Dog Sled Race - 1131 miles from Anchorage to Nome in doggy style...it's the white stuff. The start is the best bit. Alaska Travel
29 Feb - 9 March '08 USA, Daytona, Florida Bike Week - Daytona Beach, the biggest bike fest of all with events of all kinds. 2 wheels god, four wheels baaad. Florida Travel
3 - 22 March '08 USA, Houston, Texas Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the world's biggest animal and cowboy event, but also includes laser shows and music. Texas Travel

Most of March 2008

SOUTH AFRICA Cape Town Festival - international talent in an eclectic mix of art events all over town. Cape Town Pictures and Information

29 Feb - 16 March 2008

AUSTRALIA Adelaide Festival and Fringe - the country's primo arts festival mixes it with the unruly fringe. A huge, colourful event - Edinburgh in the sun. 1 month every 2 years [even numbers]. Adelaide Pictures and Information

13 - 17 March 2008

IRELAND, Dublin St Patrick's Day - a wild, green four days, ending in a huge parade, fireworks, dance and the mother of all hangovers. Ireland Travel

17 March 2008
[same day every year]

USA St Patrick's Day Parade - especially good in Chicago, Boston, New York and San Fransisco. Aaargh, everything is green! USA Travel

April 2008

11 - 20 April 2008 CANADA, Whistler, British Columbia Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival - snow and music combined! Canada Guide | Canada Photos
18 - 27 April 2008 USA, San Antonio, Texas Fiesta San Antonio. Over 150 different events ranging from masked balls to the Pooch Parade; the biggest party in Texas! Texas Travel
25 April - 4 May
2008
USA, New Orleans, Lousiana New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival - forget Mardi Gras if you just want to relax and enjoy some of the best live music in the country. New Orleans Travel
29 April - 5 May '08 ENGLAND, Gloucestershire Cheltenham International Jazz Festival - the UK's top jazz fest in a lovely rural Cotswold location. UK Travel

english festivals in april

May 2008
english festivals in may

2 - 9 May 2008 CANADA, Ottawa, Hull Tulip Festival - a five day city-wide street party for all ages surrounded by 100,000's of tulips. Quebec Travel
20 - 24 May 2008 ENGLAND, London Chelsea Flower Show - 11 acres of the UK's best flowers and gardens event, with plenty of original, wacky ideas. London Photos
24 - 30 May [Practice]
31 May- 7 June [Racing] 2008
ENGLAND, Isle of Man TT Races. The ultimate event for bikers. Watch racers on 37 miles of narrow, winding, stone walled roads travelling at way over 150mph, then get out there yourself. Death is no stranger to this event. UK Sports
31 May
[Same days every year]
2008
ENGLAND, Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling in Brockworth, near Gloucester - dozens of mad men fling themselves down a precipitous hill attempting to catch huge rounds of cheese. It's illegal and bones get broken but a remarkable sight in this nanny state. England Guide

June 2008

5 - 8 June 2008 USA, Chicago, Illinois Chicago Blues Festival. Six stages and admission free! Chicago Travel
6-8 June 2008 USA, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma  Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival. Over 100 tribes pow-wow and celebrate their heritage with song and dance. USA Travel
21 June
[Same days every year]
ENGLAND, Wiltshire Stonehenge Summer Solstice - midsummer night ritual with all sorts of druids, hippies and new age wackos. Fascinating, especially if the weather is OK! Stonehenge Pictures And Information
23 June - 6 July
2008 
ENGLAND, London Wimbledon Tennis Tournament - the most prestigious tennis event in the world. UK Sports
25 - 29 June and
2 - 6 July 2008
USA, Washington DC Smithsonian Folklife Festival - Smithsonian Institute, National Mall. Music, song, dance, crafts, cooking, storytelling, discussions. Washington Travel
26 June - 6 July '08 CANADA, Montreal International Jazz Festival. Free outdoor Megashows as well as indoor perfomances. Montreal Travel | Canada Photos
27 June - 5 July
2008 
NEW ZEALAND, Queenstown Lindauer Winter Festival - 10 days of silly outdoor competitions, serious indoor culture, parties, parades and fireworks in a winterful environment. New Zealand Travel | New Zealand Photos
27 - 29 June 2008 ENGLAND, Glastonbury Glastonbury Music Festival - the biggest and best in Europe, with all sorts of wacky, new age happenings, but VERY difficult to get tickets. South England Photos
27 June - 23 August
2008
USA, Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe Opera - a brilliant series of shows in a superb new opera house. USA Travel | SW USA Photos

July 2008

4 July every year USA Independence Day - major celebration of the stars and stripes, especially good in Washington DC, New York City and Boston [Harborfest]. USA Travel | New York Photos
4 - 13 July '08 CANADA Calgary Stampede in Alberta - a 10 day world-class rodeo riot, a wild yet comradely festival enjoyed by the whole of 'Cowtown'. Events include Chuck Wagon racing, rodeos, a spectacular parade, country music performances and free pancake breakfasts! Canada Travel | Canada Photos
14 - 27 July '08 IRELAND, Galway Galway Arts Festival - Ireland's biggest arts jamboree, with all kinds of entertainment, street, theatre, music, kid's, exhibitiions, concerts... Ireland Travel
18 - 27 July '08 USA, Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne Frontier Days - wild west festivities of every kind at the world's largest rodeo. USA Travel
17 - 26 July '08
17 - 26 July '09
CANADA, Edmonton Klondike Days - 10 days of concerts, racing pigs, racing bath tubs, racing rafts and probably racing prices, though the pancakes are free. Canada Travel
25 - 27 July   '08 ENGLAND, Charlton Park, Wiltshire WOMAD - [World of Music Arts and Dance] impressive world music festival, with 70 artists from 30 countries on 7 stages. Family friendly.
26 July - 10 August   '08 USA, Abingdon Virginia Highlands Festival. USA Travel
27 July - 3 August '08 CANADA, Montreal Pride - a huge performing arts festival, gay, but not exclusively so. Free concerts, shows, parties conferences and more. Montreal Travel | Canada Pictures
31 July - 3 Aug   '08 ENGLAND, Cambridge Cambridge Folk Festival - the real deal for the folks who like the music. 'A festival with a prestigious reputation for quality music in intimate surroundings.' England Travel Guide

english festivals in april

August 2008

31 July - 9 August     '08 CANADA, Saskatoon International Fringe Festival - lively mixed theatre offerings. Canada Travel
8 - 10 August Jazz     '08
1 - 3 August Folk
USA, Newport, Rhode Island, Newport Folk Festival and Jazz Festival. USA Travel
1 - 3 August 2008 IRELAND, Waterford Waterford Spraoi Street Festival - 3 days of free music, street theatre, parade and fireworks in the biggest street party. Ireland Travel
4 - 10 August 2008 USA, Sturgis, South Dakota Sturgis Rally and Races - Hog Heaven as tens of thousands of big bikers make a terrible, colourfully obese noise. USA Travel
8 - 31 Aug [International]
3 - 25 Aug [Fringe]

2008
SCOTLAND Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe Festival in Scotland - over a thousand shows of all kinds, ranging from opera to stand-up comedy, from near porn to mere corn. A monster art attack in a spectacular city. Not to be missed. Festival Photos | Edinburgh Guide | International Festival | Festival Fringe
8 - 17 August 2008 IRELAND, Kilkenny Kilkenny Arts Festival - music, thatre, dance, exhibitions set in superb surroundings. Ireland Travel
10 - 12 August 2008 IRELAND Puck Fair in Killorglin, County Kerry. A large and loony street fair with plenty of singing, dancing and horse shows, and all overseen by King Puck - a goat. Ireland Guide
10 - 19 August 2008 CANADA, Edmonton Edmonton Fringe Festival - wacky theatre of all kinds from over 1,000 performers in the city's historic heart. Alberta Travel | Canada Pictures
22 - 26 August 2008 IRELAND, Tralee Rose of Tralee International Festival - a massive party celebrating romance! Ireland Travel
17 - 24 August '08 IRELAND Fleadh Ceoil - a huge celebration of Irish music, dance and arts, with over 10,000 musicians roaming and playing all over the place. Hosted by a different town every year; 2006 in Tullamore in County Offalyl. Ireland Guide
24 - 25 August '08 ENGLAND, London Notting Hill Carnival - fiesta with music, dance, and parade by London's Caribbean community; sponsored by London Pickpocket Support Group. UK Travel
25 Aug - 1 Sept [Labor Day] '08 USA, Nevada The Burning Man in the Black Rock desert near Reno - a week of unique, liberal, communal artistic madness, culminating in the torching of structures. Good organisation will be required [almost nothing is for sale there], but this could be a genuinely life changing experience. Pictures and Information
28 August - 31 Sept '08 USA, Chicago, Illinois, Chicago Jazz Festival - a free event on the picturesque shore of Lake Michigan. USA Guide

September 2008

6 September '08 [1st Saturday in Sept] SCOTLAND, Braemar Highland Games - traditionally odd Scottish sporting events and massed pipers in a scenic setting. Scotland Travel
29 August - 1 Sept '08 USA, Seattle, Washinton State, Bumbershoot - over 2,000 artists, many world famous, perform art of every kind from top flight rock to comedy, drama and poetry to bizarre sculptures. USA Travel
5 - 28 September '08 USA, California Los Angeles County Fair - the largest fair in the USA features everything from pig racing to rodeos and big name bands. LA Travel
13 September '08 USA, Hawaii Aloha Festival Floral Parade - a hugely colourful and smelly occasion in Oahu starts a series of events all over the islands. Hawaii Travel | Pictures
25-28 Sept, 1-5 Oct '08 NEW ZEALAND, Nelson Montana World of Wearable Art Awards - a unique, bizarre and fascinating occasion for both artists and fashionists. NZ Travel | NZ Pictures
25 - 28 September '08 IRELAND, Galway International Oyster Festival - with fun events of all sorts. Ireland Travel
26 - 28 September '08 USA, San Francisco, California San Francisco Blues Festival. San Fransisco Travel
24-28 '08 SOUTH AFRICA Hermanus Whale Festival - Hermanus [Western Cape] various events but much of the time will be spent lounging on cliffs watching as whales cruise by. Cape Pictures
28 September '08 USA, San Francisco, California Folsom St Fair - wacky S & M, leather fair. San Fransisco Travel
September, 1 week, TBC CANADA, Vancouver Vancouver International Comedy Festival. Vancouver Travel | Canada Pictures


october festivals

October 2008
october festivals

3 - 12 October '08 USA, Albuquerque, New Mexico International Balloon Festival - a lot of hot air about. New Mexico Travel
12 October '08 USA, Florida Miami Carnival - a huge citywide rave, with much Latin influence, especially dancing. The last Sunday in Calle Ocho culminating in a parade to the Orange Bowl is the highlight of the week. Miami Travel
16 Oct - 2 Nov 2008
booking from May '08
IRELAND, Wexford Wexford Opera Festival - a small but perfectly formed and highly regarded event in a new opera house and a new month. Ireland Guide
31 October - 9 Nov '08
[from 4th Fri of every Oct. but not Mon/Tu/Wed]
USA, Las Vegas Professional Bull Riders Finals - the 45 toughest hombres in the west ride the baddest bulls in one of the world's most colourful cities. Las Vegas Travel | Las Vegas Pictures | SW USA Photos
31 October USA, New York City Village Halloween Parade - a colourful and spooky occasion with over 20,000 scary monsters on the prowl among the bands, puppets and assorted weirdos. From 7pm New York Travel

November 2008

2 November [1st Sunday every year] USA, New York City New York Marathon - the biggest in the world. NYC Travel | NYC Photos
5 November
[same day every year]
ENGLAND, Devon Ottery St. Mary Tar Barrels - huge flaming barrels are carried around this little rural town. Devon Travel
27 November 2008 USA, New York City Macy's Thanksgiving Parade - specialising in monster helium baloon figures. 9am-noon.NY Guide | NY Photos

December 2008

1 - 23 December '08 USA, Seattle, Christmas Ship Festival - not only a fleet of brightly lit boats, but they play carols as they cruise. USA Travel
30 Dec - 1 Jan
[Same days every year]
SCOTLAND Edinburgh Hogmanay - a truly wild and wooly underwear occasion, with a torchlight procession, a Fire Festival, fireworks, concerts and much insobriety, in a city dark yet strangely light... Edinburgh Travel | Pictures
31 December ENGLAND, London + AUSTRALIA, Sydney New Year's Eve Fireworks and general carousing. London Guide | Pictures | Sydney Guide | Pictures

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