Top 10 Cultural Festivals Around the World (Updated 2025)

Some people travel for a view, others travel for meaning. Around the entire world, people gather in the streets with music, celebration and culture to tell the stories of their heritage. If you want to find your way into connection, colour and magic, we've gathered the ultimate cultural bucket list for you.

You could step into the rainbow in India, become a beer connoisseur in Germany,  dance with heart away in the streets of Brazil or light up a new beginning in China. Save this list for later; these experiences are worth the distance and memories. 

1. Carnival 

A Dream of Expression, Freedom and Heart

Where: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

When: Begins on the Friday before Shrove Tuesday and ends on Ash Wednesday annually

Visited by millions of people from all over the world each year, it's also known as "The Great Show On Earth", and you'll be welcomed to the most dazzling, spectacular dance party of your life. Carnival is initially tied to Christianity; you could think of it as the final grand indulgence before the 40 days of spiritual restraint. Now, it has evolved into a mixing pot of cultures, transcending social norms and gender roles, celebrating pure and free expression. Put on your costume and samba shoes, grab some glitter, and dance in the Brazilian Revolution! 

2. Holi

Step into the Rainbow

Where: Celebrated throughout India, but the best places are Delhi, Jaipur and Agra.

When: March (varies year to year)

Holi is a time of pure joy! It is celebrated as the festival of colour, spring and love. It happens at the end of winter and welcomes a new season of renewal, inviting everyone to celebrate that energy through music, food, dance, colour and come together. The powered colours represent the bright hues of flowers and playfully colour us together to find equality between race, gender and class so we can live in belonging and love. You don't just watch Holi; you'll become drenched in it, and amidst the beautiful chaos, you'll be invited to remember who you are. 

         3. Oktoberfest

A Cultural Rite of Passage

Where: Munich, Germany

When: Starts the second last week of September and ends on the first Sunday in October. 

A festival where the beer will spill into the streets! Oktoberfest is truly a time for gathering; with each clink, it will echo the warmth of belonging and history. What began as a Royal Wedding celebration in 1810 has now evolved into an annual ode of joy and celebration of the Bavarian spirit. It is at the end of harvest season, marking a time of abundance. Each day is filled with the preservation of culture through century-old tales, music, traditional dress, and hearty cuisine to fill you up with more than just laughs and stories to share. 

          4. Inti Raymi

A Ceremony That Shines With Spirit

Where: Cusco, Pero

When: Held annually on June 14

Held in the heart of the Andes, this is the Festival of the Sun. Attracting thousands of visitors each year, this is a go-to destination for mystics and lovers of ancient history. The grandest of celebrations for the Incan Empire, honouring the spiritual connection to the land, is held on the Winter Solstice. It marks the return of light and honours the sun as a god, a guide, and a giver of life. This festival was banned during colonisation and has returned as a remembrance and celebration of culture, featuring traditional Inca rituals, dance, music, and ceremonial offerings.

        5. Día de los Muertos

Celebrate Life through Death

Where: Oaxaca, Mexico

When: October 31st - November 2nd

This is Mexican culture in full bloom; the Day of the Dead festival marks a celebration where everyone is invited to the table. Believed to be at a time where the veils of the spirit world are the thinnest, it is a festival of remembrance, where death does not walk beside us with fear but with love, joy and laughter. Every painted face, every flower petal is a reminder to honour lineage, to pass on the stories and carry on the memories and love that remain with us after someone is gone. There are candlelight ceremonies, feasts and parades to take over the city with love. 

        6. Mardi Gras

Where Everybody is in Costume

Where: New Orleans, USA

When: Between January and March 

A festival where the culture parades! Soaked in jazz music, beads and feathers. Mardi Gras is more than a party; it's a living expression born out of Creole Pride, Black joy, queer expression, and ancestral roots. The season spans three months each year, starting in January with festivities that culminate in a spectacular crescendo on 'Fat Tuesday'. Families, neighbours, and krewes spend months preparing floats, costumes, and passing down traditions for an extravaganza of history, identity, and celebration where everyone is invited to dance. 

         7. Chinese New Year

A Time Full of Good Fortune

Where: Hong Kong, China

When: Start of Lunar Calendar, usually falls between January and February

Unlike the Western world's Calendar, the Chinese New Year follows the rhythm of the moon, honouring the cycles of nature and renewal. It is one of the largest migrations on earth, millions travel home (and to China) to reunite, share meals and honour tradition. From red lanterns, dancing dragons, and fireworks to fresh dumplings, every gesture is filled with meaning, calling in luck, love, and prosperity for the year ahead. This isn't just a celebration but a homecoming for so many and a ritual of remembrance and new beginnings. 

                                                   8. La Tomatina

The World's Biggest Food Fight

Where: Bunol, Spain

When: Late August

What began in 1945 as a spontaneous food fight between friends during a local festival has evolved into the most significant food fights in the world. Each year, thousands of people from around the world come to a small town in Valencia, where over one hundred metric tons of tomatoes are thrown into the streets. The entire week becomes a celebration, featuring parades, music, and the opportunity to indulge in local Spanish cuisine. It offers both the blend of rich culture and high-spirited fun, making it a must-do experience for adventurous travellers. 

                                       9. Edinburgh Fringe Festival 

Where the Streets Become a Stage

Where: Edinburgh, Scotland

When: First 3 Weeks of August

For almost the entire month of August, the city of Edinburgh becomes a theatre. Every street, pub and person is filled with stories, laughter and lots of imagination. This is for the ones whose hearts live for the art of it all. Just about anything creative under the sun you’ll be able at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from theatre of all kinds, cabaret, comedy, dance and poetry - calling in all the misfits and magic makers from all corners of the world for a time of no rules, spontaneity and raw creative talent. 

10. Songkran Water Festival

A Country Wide Water Fight

Where: Throughout Thailand, but best to go to major cities like Chiang Mai or Bangkok

When: 13-15 April Annually 

This is a national holiday in Thailand that is also known as the Thai (or Buddhist) New Year. For three days, what seems like the world's biggest water fight is a very rooted cultural tradition of cleansing, renewal and blessings. It is welcoming, wild and unforgettable because it has the perfect mix of the sacred and playfulness. Think of being sprayed by elephants in the streets, little kids with water guns, temple visits and parades that fill the streets with joy. This is one of the happiest festivals in the world.