World Festivals and Events
2012 Calendar Dates

Burning Man, explosive pyrocussion music, Nevada desert, USA

Music Festivals | Arts Festivals | World Festivals | English Speaking Events | European Festivals

Festivals and indigenous culture events are a superb time to visit interesting destinations as the extra colour added by historic or peculiar costumes, portable shrines, fireworks, angry bulls, local music, excitable locals and more can't fail to add a new dimension to an already fascinating location. Think Italy's Venice Carnival, Japan's Takayama Spring Festival, America's Burning Man and consider basing your next vacation on not just a place, but a place blazing with kaleidoscopic colour, traditional activities and marginal insanity.

These are the busiest times of the year for these locations unless it happens to be the monsoon season, so book accommodation well in advance of dates.
Ask permission before taking pictures or videos if possible, festival participants are human too, well, most of them. That being said it's easier to take photos of locals going loco at these times than normally.
Festivals tend to be crowded and pickpockets may well be lurking, so keep valuables to a minimum and money in a zipped or buttoned pocket. Read the Travel Safety section.

The Best Festivals and Events in the World:

Edinburgh, Scotland.

Best Art Festivals Calendar - events that focus on music, dance, drama and other art-oriented activities, usually set in pretty, interesting locations, often in Europe. These festivals can be expensive; accommodation and even tickets will need to be booked well beforehand. Similar to European festivals (see below), but focusing on the most outstanding events worldwide.

Venice, Italy.

Best European Festivals Calendar - happenings in Europe that tend to be of the Art and Music Festival variety, though exotic flourishes of colourful expression still exist, especially around Carnival time February/March.

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Takayama, Japan.

Best World Festivals Calendar - outstanding, colourful events in superb locations, often exotic heritage events that usually include a variety of activities, but mostly focus on local people in local dress doing traditionally loco things to the amazement and delight of visitors.

Glastonbury, England. Photo by Brian Marks

Best English Speaking Festivals Calendar - world class festivals and events in English Speaking Countries; these may be art-oriented, colourfully odd happenings or extraordinary sporting occasions.