Festivals and Events
Find out about the best festivals and events around the world, and the different tour options for you to experience them for yourself.
Popular Festivals & Events You Can't Miss
Don’t miss your chance to experience the great events happening around the world! Whether you want to catch dance fever in Rio or explore all the beer tents in Munich, you'll have time of your life!
Raise a stein in Munich this year by joining an Oktoberfest tour in Europe. Head to Germany and enjoy the world’s biggest party with your new travel companions and see everything that this legendary festival has to offer.See more- Prepare yourself for the experience of a lifetime with a Rio Carnival tour in Brazil. There will be dancing (Samba, anyone?) colourful costumes, night-long parties and more. This festival should be at the top of every traveller's bucket list, so don’t miss your chance to go!See more
- ANZAC Day is a day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey. An ANZAC Day tour is the best way for travellers to understand the importance of the events that occurred during the First World War.See more
- Don’t let the cold weather discourage you -- Winter is the perfect time to explore Europe! If your favourite childhood memories take place around the arrival of Santa Claus, then you owe it to yourself to visit the most spectacular Christmas markets spread across Europe.See more
Experience the Spirit of Asia
Have a taste of how the festive spirit in Asia. Join the celebration of Diwali in India to understand why it’s called the Festival of Lights, or ring in Thai New Year with a playful water fight.
- Diwali is a traditional Hindu celebration hosted in India, and a Festival of Lights tour creates the perfect opportunity for travellers to participate or observe this inherently spiritual celebration while travelling with a tour leader and group.See more
- For travellers planning to visit Thailand, don’t miss the chance to join a Songkran Festival tour, Thailand’s biggest water festival, that marks the celebration of the Thai New Year. This event is a wet and wild cultural experience like no other.See more
European Events You Didn't Know About
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
A military tattoo is a carefully-choreographed performance by the military, dating back to the early 17th century, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is possibly the most famous! Each August, as part of the Edinburgh Festival, the British Armed Forces and Commonwealth and international military bands perform on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. Nearly 220,000 people watch the tattoo every year!Oberammergau Passion Play
Every ten years since 1634, the residents of Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany, have put on a remarkable live performance. The Oberammergau Passion Play, a performance of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, is performed from May to October every decade in rememberance of those lost to the Plague. The next performance of the Oberammergau Passion Play is set for May 16th to October 4th, 2020. You’ll find several performances around Oberammergau, from the officially-sanctioned to the more underground.Stuttgart Beer Festival
In 1818, King Wilhelm I sponsored a festival in celebration of the end of a period of great hunger. Today, the Stuttgart Beer Festival is the second-largest beer festival in Germany (just behind Oktoberfest in Munich), and draws thousands of visitors every year! The main festival takes place for about two weeks at the end of September, but if you can’t make it then, the slightly-smaller spring festival takes place in mid April. You’ll find both at the Cannstatter Wasen in Bad Cannstatt!
Popular Festivals in Spain
- During a Tomatina tour, things are bound to get messy – but that’s half the fun, isn’t it? Experience the atmosphere and festivities of the annual tomato-throwing event hosted in Buñol with the company of your new tour buddies and tour leader.See more
- Join the annual celebrations of the infamous Running of the Bulls event in San Fermin (Pamplona) with a tour during this wild week. To the locals, this is more than just a race; it’s a traditional festival filled with tradition and folkloric events.See more
- One of the strangest festivals in the world, a Las Fallas tour transports you right onto the streets of Valencia in Spain where the streets are set abalze during this annual event. Attracting visitors from all across the globe, this event should not be missed.See more
- This unique festival is hosted in the town of Haro in the La Rioja region of Spain and involves a friendly battle where participants pour wine all over each other. Consider this festival similar to La Tomatina, but with wine.See more
Celebrate New Year on a Tour
- The celebration of the New Year is a tradition eagerly enjoyed by people from all over the world. Although many have their own traditions for New Year's, the theme of “new beginnings” rings true no matter where you find yourself celebrating.See more
- Join the festive celebrations in Edinburgh over New Year’s Eve with a Hogmanay tour. Watch the streets come alive with the annual Torchlight Procession, join the famous Hogmanay street party and dance the night away with your tour group while making new friends from around the world.See more
Popular Music Tours
Feel the rhythm on a music tour that will take you on a journey of mind and spirit.
Bucket List Festivals
Create an ultimate bucket list of festivals and events happening around the globe.
A TRAVEL MAGAZINE BY TOURRADAR
