The world's great events, on a calendar

Oktoberfest

Munich, Germany

Mid September to the first Sunday of October, roughly 16 to 18 days, mostly in September despite the name

New England Fall Foliage

Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine

Late September through mid October, with peak color sweeping from north to south and high elevations downward

Northern Lights Season

Iceland, Norway & Finnish and Swedish Lapland

September through March, whenever nights are dark; the equinox months and deep winter each have their own case

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Nine days in early October, spanning two weekends, with dawn mass ascensions as the signature spectacle

Dia de Muertos in Oaxaca

Oaxaca, Mexico

Builds through late October and peaks on November 1 and 2, with celebrations spanning roughly the last week of October into early November

Diwali in India

India nationwide

October or November, on the new moon of the Hindu month of Kartika; the date moves with the lunar calendar

Austin City Limits Music Festival

Austin, Texas

Two consecutive three-day weekends in early to mid October, typically the first two weekends of the month, with the same lineup both weekends

Day of the Dead in Mexico City

Mexico City, Mexico

November 1 and 2 every year, with parades, altars, and events building through the second half of October

Pushkar Camel Fair (Pushkar Mela)

Pushkar, Rajasthan, India

About a week in the Hindu month of Kartik, ending on the Kartik Purnima full moon, which usually falls in November and occasionally in late October

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

New York City

Thanksgiving morning, the fourth Thursday of November, with the balloon inflation viewable the afternoon before

Monarch Butterfly Migration in Mexico

Michoacan, Mexico

November through March, with the butterflies arriving around early November and the liveliest viewing in the warming weeks of late January and February

Christmas Markets in Europe

Germany, Austria & France, multi-city

Late November through Christmas Eve for most markets, with some running into early January

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

New York City, New York

Lit on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving and on display into January, usually until about the middle of the month

Yi Peng and Loy Krathong

Chiang Mai, Thailand

The full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, usually in November and occasionally in late October, with celebrations over about three days

Sydney New Year's Eve

Sydney, Australia

December 31, with a family fireworks show at 9pm and the main midnight display over the Harbour Bridge

New Year's Eve in Times Square

New York City, New York

December 31 every year, with the ball drop at midnight and viewing areas filling from the early afternoon

Hogmanay in Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland

December 30 to January 1 every year, with the main street party and castle fireworks at midnight on December 31

Chinese New Year

China, plus Singapore, Hong Kong & Taipei

Late January or February, on the new moon that begins the lunar year; the date moves with the lunar calendar, and festivities run about 15 days to the Lantern Festival

Venice Carnival

Venice, Italy

Roughly two weeks ending on Shrove Tuesday, so usually within late January and February; the dates move with Easter

Rose Parade (Tournament of Roses)

Pasadena, California

New Year's Day morning, January 1, unless January 1 falls on a Sunday, in which case it moves to Monday, January 2

Sundance Film Festival

Boulder, Colorado (Park City, Utah through 2026)

About ten days in late January every year

Humpback Whale Season in Maui

Maui, Hawaii

Roughly December to April, with the peak from January to March

The Great Migration

Serengeti, Tanzania and Masai Mara, Kenya

Year-round, with calving in the southern Serengeti from roughly late January to March and river crossings from about July to October

Up Helly Aa

Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland

The last Tuesday of January every year in Lerwick, with smaller fire festivals in other Shetland communities from January into March

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

Harbin, Heilongjiang, China

Officially opens January 5 every year, with the main ice park often opening in late December and running into February while the cold holds

Holi in India

India nationwide, best known in Mathura, Vrindavan & Jaipur

Late February or March, on the full moon of the Hindu month of Phalguna; the date moves with the lunar calendar

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The week before Ash Wednesday, usually in February and sometimes early March; the dates move with Easter

Mardi Gras in New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

Fat Tuesday falls in February or early March, moving with Easter; the parade season builds for weeks before, peaking in the final two weekends

Sapporo Snow Festival

Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

About one week in early February every year, with exact dates announced by the city in advance

Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC

Washington, DC

Late March into early April, with peak bloom varying a week or two year to year

Cherry Blossom Season in Japan

Japan nationwide, sweeping south to north

Late March through April, moving south to north across the country

Tulip Season in the Netherlands

Lisse & Amsterdam, Netherlands

Mid March through mid May, with the fields at their boldest in mid-to-late April

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

Anchorage to Nome, Alaska

Starts on the first Saturday of March in Anchorage, with the winners reaching Nome roughly eight to ten days later

SXSW (South by Southwest)

Austin, Texas

About a week in mid March every year, typically overlapping many college and school spring breaks

Las Fallas

Valencia, Spain

March 15 to 19 every year for the main days, with daily firecracker shows from March 1 and the burning on the night of March 19

St. Patrick's Day in Dublin

Dublin, Ireland

March 17 every year, with the St. Patrick's Festival running for several days around it

Semana Santa in Seville

Seville, Spain

Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, so it moves with Easter and falls between mid March and late April

Songkran in Thailand

Thailand nationwide, biggest in Chiang Mai & Bangkok

Mid April, traditionally April 13 to 15, with celebrations stretching longer in Chiang Mai and some cities

Fiesta San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas

About ten to eleven days in mid to late April most years, traditionally tied to San Jacinto Day on April 21; when Easter falls late it can run into early May

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

Indio, California

Two consecutive Friday to Sunday weekends in mid April, with the same lineup both weekends

King's Day (Koningsdag)

Amsterdam, Netherlands

April 27 every year, moved to April 26 when the 27th falls on a Sunday, with King's Night parties the evening before

Feria de Abril

Seville, Spain

About one week in spring, usually two weeks after Easter, so it lands in April most years and slips into early May when Easter is late

Kentucky Derby

Louisville, Kentucky

The first Saturday of May, every year, capping a week of racing and citywide festivities

Indianapolis 500

Speedway, Indiana (Indianapolis)

The Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, capping a full month of practice, qualifying, and festival events in May

Wimbledon

London, United Kingdom

Two weeks from late June into mid July, finishing with the finals on the second weekend

Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun)

Cusco, Peru

June 24 every year, the climax of a month of festivities in Cusco

Midsummer in Sweden (Midsommar)

Sweden (Stockholm, Dalarna, and nationwide)

Midsummer Eve falls on the Friday between June 19 and 25 every year, with Midsummer Day on the Saturday after

Glastonbury Festival

Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, England

Five days in late June, Wednesday to Sunday, in the years it runs; the festival takes a regular fallow year off, and it did not run in 2026

Running of the Bulls (San Fermin)

Pamplona, Spain

July 6 to 14 every year, with a bull run each morning from July 7 through July 14

Calgary Stampede

Calgary, Alberta

Ten days in early-to-mid July, opening with a parade on the first Friday

Bastille Day (Fete Nationale)

Paris, France

July 14 every year, with firefighters' balls on the nights of July 13 and 14

Tour de France

Across France (and a different start region each year)

Three weeks in July, usually starting in the first days of July (occasionally the last days of June) and finishing in the second half of the month

Gion Matsuri

Kyoto, Japan

The whole month of July every year, with the grand float processions on July 17 and July 24 and the busiest street evenings on the three nights before each

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Edinburgh, Scotland

Most of August, roughly three and a half weeks from early August to the end of the month

La Tomatina

Bunol, Spain

The last Wednesday of August, every year, with the tomato fight itself lasting about an hour

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Sturgis, South Dakota

Ten days in early August every year, running from a Friday through the Sunday of the following weekend

Burning Man

Black Rock Desert, Nevada

About nine days from the last Sunday of August through Labor Day, the first Monday of September

Notting Hill Carnival

London, England

The Sunday and Monday of the August bank holiday weekend every year, ending on the last Monday of August