English Speaking Festivals
2009 Calendar

Arts Festivals | European Festivals

Exotic World Festivals | UK Music Festivals

Explore, winner of three major travel awards in 2008 can take you to hundreds of colourful destinations and festivals. See Family Adventures | Low Budget Tours or check their new Festival Holidays list.

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

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

USA, Los Angeles, California Rose Parade - in Pasadena, an immense, floaty, flowery spectacle of floats and bands. LA Travel

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

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

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

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

USA, Fort Worth, Texas Southwestern Stock Show and Rodeo. Texas Travel

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

AUSTRALIA, Melbourne Midsumma - another wild and exciting gay/lesbian festival to compete with Sydney. Melbourne Travel | Melbourne Pictures

AUSTRALIA, Sydney Australia Day - nationwide but lively in Sydney. Sydney Travel | Sydney Pictures

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

Jan 30-Feb 15 2009
Jan 29-Feb 14 2010

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.

ENGLAND, London Chinese New Year - Parade and festivities.

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

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

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

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 Pictures

USA, Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona 500 - big, hairy motors going round and round. Florida Travel

22 Feb - 22 March 2009

AUSTRALIA Adelaide Fringe Festival - the country's largest and possibly wackiest festival. A huge, colourful and unhinged event - Edinburgh in the sun. Adelaide Pictures and Information. The formal Adelaide Festival happens every other year on even numbers, i.e. 2010 is the next.

USA, New Orleans, Louisiana Mardi 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

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

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

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

Most of March 2009

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

12 - 17 March 2009
[Parade the 17th]

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 2009
[same day every year]

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

CANADA, Whistler, British Columbia Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival - snow and music combined!

USA, San Antonio, Texas Fiesta San Antonio. Over 150 different events ranging from masked balls to the Pooch Parade; the biggest party in Texas!

USA, New Orleans, Louisiana 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.

ENGLAND, Gloucestershire Cheltenham International Jazz Festival - the UK's top jazz fest in a lovely rural Cotswold location. UK Travel

ENGLAND, London Chelsea Flower Show - 11 acres of the UK's best flowers and gardens event, with plenty of original, wacky ideas.

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

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 Travel Guide

USA, Chicago, Illinois Chicago Blues Festival. Six stages and admission free! Chicago Travel

USA, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival. Over 100 tribes pow-wow and celebrate their heritage with song and dance.

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

ENGLAND, London Wimbledon Tennis Championships - the most prestigious tennis event in the world. UK Sports

USA, Washington DC Smithsonian Folklife Festival - Smithsonian Institute, National Mall. Music, song, dance, crafts, cooking, storytelling, discussions. Washington Travel Guide

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

ENGLAND Glastonbury Festival, Somerset - a massive, multiple music event, with different stages featuring different music, but heavy on soft/hard rock variations. The closest to Woodstock most of us will ever get. Tickets are VERY difficult to acquire. Glastonbury Festival Information

CANADA, Montreal International Jazz Festival. Free outdoor megashows as well as indoor performances. Montreal Travel

USA, Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe Opera - a brilliant series of shows in a superb new opera house.

USA Independence Day - major celebration of the stars and stripes, especially good in Washington DC, New York City and Boston [Harborfest]. USA Travel

3 - 12 July 2009

CANADA Calgary Stampede in Calgary, 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!
More info: Stampede Home | Stampede vs Italy's Il Palio!

IRELAND, Galway Galway Arts Festival - Ireland's biggest arts jamboree, with all kinds of entertainment, street, theatre, music, kid's, exhibitions, concerts... Ireland Travel

USA, Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne Frontier Days - wild west festivities of every kind at the world's largest rodeo.

CANADA, Edmonton Klondike Days - 10 days of concerts, racing pigs, racing bath tubs, racing rafts and probably racing prices, though the pancakes are free.

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.

USA, Abingdon Virginia Highlands Festival. A huge arts and crafts show.

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.'

CANADA, Saskatoon International Fringe Festival - lively mixed theatre offerings.

USA, Newport, Rhode Island, Newport Folk Festival and Jazz Festival [the world's longest-running jazz festival.]

IRELAND, Waterford Spraoi Street Festival - 3 days of free music, street theatre, parade and fireworks in the biggest street party in Ireland.

USA, Sturgis, South Dakota Sturgis Rally and Races - Hog Heaven as tens of thousands of big bikers make a terrible, colourfully obese noise.

IRELAND, Kilkenny Arts Festival- music, theatre, dance, exhibitions set in superb surroundings.

IRELAND Puck Fair in Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland. A large and loony street fair with plenty of singing, dancing and horse shows, and all overseen by King Puck - a goat.

CANADA, Edmonton Edmonton Fringe Festival in Alberta - wacky theatre of all kinds from over 1,000 performers in the city's historic heart.

CANADA, Montreal Pride - a huge performing arts festival, gay, but not exclusively so. Free concerts, shows, parties conferences and more in attractive Montreal.

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 the spectacular city of Edinburgh. Not to be missed.

IRELAND Fleadh Cheoil - 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; 2009 in Tullamore in County Offaly, Ireland.

ENGLAND, London Notting Hill Carnival - fiesta with music, dance, and parade by London's Caribbean community; sponsored by London Pickpocket Support Group.

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. Renting an RV and filling it with water, food and mad gear is highly recommended!

USA, Chicago, Illinois, Chicago Jazz Festival - a free event on the picturesque shore of Lake Michigan. Chicago Guide

SCOTLAND, Braemar Gathering Highland Games - traditionally odd Scottish sporting events and massed pipers in a scenic setting. Scotland Guide

USA, Seattle, Washington 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. Seattle Guide

USA, California Los Angeles County Fair - the largest fair in the USA features everything from pig racing to rodeos and big name bands. LA Guide

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 | Hawaii Pictures

USA Monterey Jazz Festival in California. This, the oldest and longest running jazz festival in the world, always hosts some big names but also has workshops, exhibitions and other appropriate entertainment. California Guide

NEW ZEALAND, Nelson Montana World of Wearable Art Awards - a unique, bizarre and fascinating occasion for both artists and fashionists. NZ Travel | New Zealand Pictures

IRELAND, Galway International Oyster Festival - with fun events of all sorts.

USA, San Francisco, California San Francisco Blues Festival. San Francisco Guide

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

USA, San Francisco, California Folsom St Fair - wacky S & M, leather fair.

CANADA, Vancouver Vancouver International Comedy Festival. Vancouver Guide

USA, Albuquerque, New Mexico International Balloon Festival - a lot of hot air about. New Mexico Travel

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 Guide

IRELAND, Wexford Wexford Opera Festival - a small but perfectly formed and highly regarded event in a new opera house and a new month.

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 Guide | Las Vegas Pictures | SW USA Photos

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

USA, New York City New York Marathon - the biggest in the world. NYC Guide | NYC Photos

ENGLAND, Devon Ottery St. Mary Tar Barrels - huge flaming barrels are carried around this little rural town. Devon Travel

USA, New York City Macy's Thanksgiving Parade - specialising in monster helium balloon figures. 9am-noon.

USA, Seattle, Christmas Ship Festival - not only a fleet of brightly lit boats, but they play carols as they cruise.

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

ENGLAND, London + AUSTRALIA, Sydney + USA, New York. New Year's Eve Fireworks and general carousing.