FESTIVALS

1

UP HELLY AA

The largest fire festival in Europe, they celebrate their own community's tradition of Viking heritage. A torchlight parades by local people with traditional costumes and they burn a Viking boat as a symbolic meaning.

Location : Lerwick, Scotland

Date : January 29th, 2019

2

THREE KINGS DAY

It is a Christian feast day for the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In France, they celebrate as Fête des Rois and in Spain as Los Reyes Magos. On this Epiphany Day, in France, children can eat the special King Cake named GALETTE DES ROIS and the child that finds the jelly or toy inside of the cake is declared as a King for the day.

Location :  France / Spain

Date : January 6th, 2019

1

LEMON FESTIVAL

The lemons festival is organized with processions of floats, gardens of lights, and giant exhibitions. The organizers use 120 tons of lemon to decorate the city and it is the second largest event of France Riviera region. Each year, the theme of the festival changes; the theme for this year is 'Fantastic Worlds'.

Location : Menton, France

Date : February 16th - March 3rd, 2019

2

NICE CARNIVAL

Imagine the amazing and colorful parades and spectacular fireworks at the end of the winter. The theme of the carnival changes every year and the theme for 2019 is 'King of Cinema'. On the final night of the carnival, the sculpture of the king is put out on the sea on a little boat and burned out with the fireworks. As Nice is 30 minutes away ride from Menton, we would recommend that you visit both festivals because they are held during approximately the same period.

Location : Nice, France

Date : February 16th - March 2nd, 2019

3

CARNIVAL OF VENICE

The whole city is transformed into a masked ball. The Carnival of Venice is like fairy tales and fantastic worlds with their valleys, bridges, and boats. You can enjoy a candlelit parade of boats, concerts, and street performances. And if you purchase specific ticket, you can be one of those who dances in the luxurious masquerade balls. Many other places in Italy celebrate carnivals with parades and balls before Ash Wednesday.

Location : Venice, Italy

Date : February 16th - March 5th, 2019

1

FESTIVAL OF FIRE

During Festival of Fire of Valencia, Las Fallas, the artistic statues made by craftsmen and artists are displayed on the street in the city. Those figures depict main political issues as satire or pop-cultural characters such as Disney scenes. During the last few days of the festival, the statues are burnt down and the huge and spectacular fireworks decorates the sky.

Location : Valencia, Spain

Date : March 1st - 19th, 2019

2

MARDI GRAS

 A pagan festival to celebrate Easter. Especially the French way of celebration is all about wearing beautiful and huge masks, eating delicious pancakes, waffles and crepes days and nights. Carnival parades take place in many cities. 

Location : France

Date : March 5th, 2019

3

ANNECY VENETIAN CARNIVAL

If you missed, the world-famous carnival in Venice you can try to visit this one in France. For two and a half days, the town is full of people wearing masks and splendid and mysterious costumes. You can dress in eye-catching costumes or you can take a photo with the colorfully dressed people.

Location : Annecy, France

Date : March 15th -16th, 2019 

4

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

It is an official Irish holiday to celebrate the death of Saint Patrick, but the main theme of the festival is to celebrate Irish culture. The city is full of parades, music, dancing, and concerts. The green color that everyone is wearing during this festival is the symbolic color of Irish state funerals.

Location : Ireland

Date : March 17th, 2019

1

TULIP FESTIVAL

You can see bloomings tulips at 85 locations all over Amsterdam. There is a worldwide famous tulip festival held at Keukenhof where you can enjoy millions of multi-colored flowers blooming in this park. Additionally, there is a parade from Noordwijk to Haarlem (42 km) that will stage giant dolls made of flowers. In 2019, the Dutch Flower Parade will run on April 13th.

Location : Amsterdam, Netherlands

Date : March 21st - May 19th, 2019

2

HOLY WEEK

In Spanish, it's Semana Santa. As a Catholic country, Spain has a traditional festival to celebrate their religious days. The citizens carry the statue of their church's patron saint and take a tour around the city. Portugal also celebrates Semana Santa in a similar way so we recommend watching their ceremony once in either country. 

Location : Spain, Portugal

Date : April 14th - 20th, 2019

3

EASTER CELEBRATION

It is a Christian celebration which is also well-known for kids' activities of searching for hidden chocolate eggs in their gardens or houses. Starting at the end of March, in several locations in each city, there are events to celebrate Easter such as games, egg workshops, egg hunts, etc. And on Easter Sunday you may hear church bells for a longer period of time which is a sign of religious celebration.

Location : France

Date : Easter Sunday on April 21st, 2019 

 4

KING'S DAY

Street parties, flea markets, fun fairs, and crazy activities. A majority of people dress up in orange and celebrate King Willem Alexander's birthday. The king travels through the country with his family each year in celebration. The five most active cities during this day are Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Eindhoven.

Location : Netherlands

Date : April 27th, 2019

1

SEVILLE FAIR

One of the Spain's most traditional and cultural festivals where you can experience the lifestyle of Andalucia, Spain. The locals dress up in traditional clothes and have horse carriages ride down the streets. You can also enjoy the spontaneous flamenco performances on the streets.

Location : Los Remedios, Seville, Spain

Date : May 4th - 11th, 2019

2

VIENNA FESTIVAL

 5 weeks musical events are held in the city of classical music, Vienna. 30 productions from the areas of music, dance, theater, and performance take place in the magnificent buildings of Austria. You will easily become absorbed by this classical and luxurious atmosphere.

Location : Vienna, Austria

Date : May 10th, 2019

3

MARRIAGE OF THE SEA

You can enjoy an exciting show of folklore and tradition in this town. An ancient ceremony that was established around 1000 A.D. is displayed during the day. Venice shows their nautical talents with a huge procession of rowboats. There is a boat race from St. Mark's to St. Nicolo during which a golden ring is thrown into the waves at the peak. 

Location : Venice, Italy

Date : May 12th - 13th, 2019

4

EUROPEAN MUSEUM NIGHT

Over 1000 French museums will be open all night and some of them will even host numerous events like treasure hunts, concerts, light shows, and more. Most of them will offer free entrance from 6 p.m. Loads of other museums throughout Europe participate in this event as well. Check online to see if the coutry you are visiting is participating. 

Location : Europe, mainly in France 

Date : May 18th, 2019

5

TRANSHUMANCE FESTIVAL

Herds of sheep begin their long journey toward the high mountain pastures accompanied by goats, donkeys, sheepdogs and their shepherds. During this event you will be able to see all these animals up close! In the afternoon, you can enjoy a sheepdog training demonstration. Traditional costumes, folk music, and local cheese takes part in the festival. In Madrid, there is a parade of sheep that comes down from the mountains. 

Location : Saint-Remy de Provence, France / Madrid, Spain

Date : End of May / October

1

THE JOAN OF ARC FESTIVAL

It is a historical and religious event to commemorate the coronation of Charles VII in Reims Cathedral. The town turns into a medieval village during the festival with their decorations, medieval costumes, etc. Many family activities are also organized.

Location : Reims, France

Date : June 1st - 2nd, 2019

2

COSTUME FESTIVAL

The residents of the Provence region dress up in traditional costumes. Especially the Arlesian costumes are delicate, elegant and original. Arlesians are usually very proud of their own traditions and to protect them when electing someone who represents their local culture as their Queen of Arles every three years. 

Location : Arles, France

Date : First Sunday of July

3

MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL

It is the biggest medieval festival in France, where a lot of locals and visitors dress in medieval costumes to fully enjoy the experience. By going, you can enjoy seeing everyone's costumes which are alike with the appearance of medieval French people. The village is also decorated with medieval weapons, carriages, tents, etc. There are several spectacles, plays, shows, and entertainment that you can enjoy with your couples, friends, and kids. 

Location : Provins, France

Date : June 15th - 16th, 2019

4

INFIORATA

The word 'infiorata' means 'decorated with flowers'. Italian towns are decorated with beautiful flower petal mosaics. If you visit some villages during the Infiorata period, you will be surrounded by beautiful flowers. 

Location : Italy

Date : June 15th - 27th, 2019

5

MUSIC FESTIVAL

All over the city's streets, music takes place during the whole day. Live bands, singers, amateur musicians, drummers join together and enjoy the play surrounded by a crowd. As it is open to all musicians, you are welcome to participate. It is free for the public to enjoy their performances.

Location : France

Date : June 21st, 2019

6

SAINT JOHN'S EVE FIRES

It is a Catholic festivity to celebrate the birth of Saint John. Many countries celebrate the day in their own way. In certain towns of France, the locals build a tall bonfire.

Location : Europe

Date : June 23rd, 2019

7

WINE BATTLE OF HARO

People gather in the main square of Haro region for the wine battle. People who participate in the battle usually wear the traditional clothes of La Rioja; a white shirt with a red handkerchief tied around the neck.

Location : Haro, Spain

Date : June 29th, 2019

8

FETE DES TUILERIES

There will be traditional funfair at the Tuileries Gardens in Paris, next to the Louvre. They host several attractions such as bumper cars, hall of mirrors, ghost trains, giant slides, and more. You can enjoy this event with your friends, boyfriend or girlfriend, family and kids. The entry is free of charge but there is a charge for the rides. 

Location : Paris, France

Date : June - August

1

AVIGNON FESTIVAL

It is one of the biggest international contemporary live performance events which was founded in 1947. For many years, it has been loved by global performers from the field of dance, theatre, music, and cinema. They gather each day, perform, and share their experiences with other artists and the audience.

Location : Avignon, France

Date : July 4th - 23rd, 2019

2

LAVENDER FESTIVALS

The annual lavender festival in Provence, France attracts a lot of visitors. During the festivals, there are a lot of locally produced lavender products to sample and to buy such as lavender soap. While you are there, you can also enjoy local traditions, food, music, and crafts. 

Location : Provence, France

Date : early July - early August

3

SAN FERMIN FESTIVAL

The most brave-hearted and adventurous people are welcomed to the bull running ENCIERRO and bullfighting festival in Pamplona. If you don't want to join the run, you can just book a room from which you can see the people running in front of bulls. While you are there, there are many places that you need to visit in the city such as the university, cathedral, and museums. There is also the monument of the Encierro which is a sculpture designed to symbolizing bull running. 

Location : Pamplona, Spain

Date : July 6th - 14th, 2019

4

WHITE NIGHTS

It is an annual international arts festival, including classical ballet, opera, and music events. Tickets to the performances are usually sold out one to two months before the shows. If you plan on going, buy your tickets in advance. Saint Petersburg's Palace Square becomes a stage for international popular music stars and carnivals also take place in several places in Peterhof. 

Location : Saint Petersburg, Russia

Date : July 11th -14th, 2019

5

BRITISH SUMMER TIME

At London's Hyde Park, one of the tourist sites and locals' shelter, there will be a music and entertainment event series during the summer. The legendary headliners support the festival and famous rising stars such as James Talyor, Bruno Mars, Michael Buble will perform on the stage. 

Location : London, England

Date : July 12th -14th, 2019

6

BASTILLE DAY

It is a French national day which is considered the symbolic day of the French Revolution. In 1789, the storming of Bastille signaled the first victory of the public against the old regime. On July 14th, 1790 they celebrated the first anniversary of the revolt. As it is a significant day for French people that coincides with their national identity, there will be magnificent military parades and fireworks.

Location : France

Date : July 14th, 2019

7

DOUAI GIANTS FESTIVAL

It is a festival with a long history that has origins traced back to the 16th century which makes it a 500-year-old tradition. You may see the crafts and giant dolls during the highlight of the celebration. The main event is the parade of the Gayant (giant) family including the father, mother and their three children.

Location : Douai, France

Date : July 18th - 19th, 2019, 2019

8

LIGHT FESTIVAL

In several cities in France, there will be an light show against the main cathedral in town accompanied by music. . 

Location : Chartres, Rouen, Tours, Reims, Amiens in France

Date : July 19th - 28th, 2019

9

TOMORROWLAND

One of the world's largest and most notable music festivals, Tomorrowland. It is an electronic dance music festival with the atmosphere of a fantastic world. During the past two years, 400,000 people attended the music festival. There are also Tomorrowland events in other countries such as Germany, Spain, Lebanon, Malta, South Korea, and Taiwan. If you are interested, you have to get tickets on the opening day because the tickets sell out really quickly.

Location : Boom, Belgium

Date : July 19th - 28th, 2019

10

PARIS BEACH

Enjoy the beach in the middle of the capital city of France, Paris, where an artificial beach is created along the Seine river. This way you can enjoy the sun right next to the Seine river and other attractive sites in Paris. Also, there will be playgrounds, bars, swimming pools in which you can have as much fun as you want. 

Location : Paris, France

Date : July - September

1

INTER-CELTIC FESTIVAL

The main theme of the festival is to celebrate the cultural traditions of the Celtic nations such as Celtic music, dance, arts, gastronomy, etc. Generally, on Sunday morning the spectacular parade takes place with over 3,500 musicians and dancers who are wearing traditional costumes. 

Location : Lorient, France

Date : August 2nd - August 11th, 2019

2

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE

There are almost 55,000 performances presented in the field of theatre, dance, cabaret, opera, music, and exhibitions. Not only professionals but also anyone who wants to perform can take part in the performance. The founding principle is that it's open access to non-professionals and their freedom of expression. There is also the Princes Street Gardens Festival with peaceful and interesting activities.

Location : Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Date : August 2nd - 26th, 2019.

3

SCHEVENINGEN INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS FESTIVAL

Fireworks producers from all around the world participate in this contest exhibition for four days, therefore you can enjoy fun and colorful nights on the Scheveningen beach. There you cou can also see fire eaters, jugglers, and dancers on the street. There are also some sport attractions and sites for the kids too.

Location : Netherlands

Date: August 9th, 2019

 4

ROMAN FESTIVAL ARELATE

In Arles, the ancient heritage of Rome is still so intensely present and with its precious heritage, they celebrate the pleasure of discovery and sharing their old history. Every night during the festival, you are invited to the unimaginable setting of the ancient theater. The professional actors will perform in the theater and on the streets. The whole experience will be extremly educational and cultural. 

Location : Arles, France

Date : August 17th - August 25th, 2019

5

INTERNATIONAL BEATLES WEEK FESTIVAL

The worldwide famous band, the Beatles is commemorated during this festival. There will be a lot of live music and Beatles cover bands. If you are a Beatles fan, you cannot miss this festival! There will also be a massive flea market filled with Beatles paraphenelia.

Location : Liverpool, United Kingdom

Date : August 21st - 27th, 2019 

6

LA TOMATINA

Worldwide known festival for the crazy street tomato fights. Tons of tomatoes are used in the streets to be smashed and thrown against all participants. As the number of people visiting this fight has increased dramatically, in 2013 the organizers have created an official ticketing system to limit the number of participants and to deal with the security problems. 

Location : Bunol, Spain

Date : Last Wednesday of August

1

EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS

During European Heritage Days (EHD), countries offer the chance to visit buildings, monuments, and cultural sites that are not usually accessible to the public. It was started in France with the aim of widening access to the cultural and historical sites. Therefore, look out for the list of places that are open near you which could give you a special experience.

Location : Europe

Date : September 13th - 15th, 2019

2

LA MERCE

The largest festival in Barcelona and the Catalonia region. Feasts, concerts, parades, human towers, fireworks and fire runs are shown for five days. Many events of La Merce are held at various locations. The fire run CARREFOC and human towers CASTELLERS are a great spectacle that you should not miss during this festival. 

Location : Barcelona, Spain

Date : September 21st - 24th, 2019

1

OKTOBERFEST

The big and small tents are established to celebrate a traditional beer festival. Its origins go back to the year 1810 when the main activity was a horse-race. In today's Oktoberfest is now known as a festival for drinking beers and enjoying other fun rides. The traditional costumes worn by participants in parades and restaurants are also the main attraction of this festival.

Location : Munich, Germany

Date : September 21st - October 6th, 2019

2

CONCURS DE CASTELLS

A town near Barcelona, Tarragona holds the amazing festival of building human towers which is listed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The human towers are built by standing on the shoulders of one another in a succession of stages. There is also a competition for how fast and how strongly they form the tower. You may see this performance that will amaze you but at the same time will make you anxious regarding their safety. 

Location : Tarragona, Spain

Date : October 5th - 6th, 2019

3

MONTMARTRE GRAPE HARVEST FESTIVAL

The only remaining vineyard in Paris is located in Montmartre. Every October, the festival is held for the harvest season of grapes to make wine. The parade is the main part of the festival in which people from other regions of France, and from other countries of Europe join together. If you get hungry or thirsty, walk over to the Sacracle Cathedral where local producers are selling French snacks, food, and wine.

Location : Paris, France

Date : October 9th - 13th, 2019

4

DAME DE COEUR

There is a magnificent light show that projects onto the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. Each year the organizers perform a different show with a unique story. The show gives the allusion that the Cathedral has come to life. It is free of charge but if you want to be closer, you will have to reserve a ticket on their official website. Be sure not to miss it!

Location : Paris, France

Date : October  

1

ALL SAINT'S DAY

It is a Pagan festival that has turned into a Christian festival where people celebrate in honor of all the saints. Each country in Europe spends the day differently based on their culture and religious beliefs. In France, the tradition is to bring flowers to the cemeteries on All Saint's Day called Toussiant. The chrysanthemum flowers symbolize happiness in the afterlife. This is a day for families to commemorate the members of family members and friends who have passed away. 

Location : Europe

Date : November 1st, 2019

2

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY

The region of France, Beaujolais, celebrates the end of the harvest by electing a 'wine of the year'. From the third Thursday of November, you might easily find the year's new vintage wine at bars, restaurants, and cafes. 

Location : France

Date : November 21st, 2019

3

CHRISTMAS MARKET

From late November, Christmas markets in Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and more will open at the cities main square. There you can drink hot chocolate, hot wine, and beer and eat some cheesy bread and the countrie's own traditional Chrismas treats. You can also buy small souvenirs from the market to commemorate your evening. 

Location : Europe

Date : Mid of November - Christmas eve

1

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

The whole city of Lyon illuminates itself with candles and lights with Christmas decorations. Almost 80 light projection shows are shown and almost 4 million people visit the city during the festival. You can enjoy the great combination of artistic performance and technical prowess.

Location : Lyon, France

Date : December 5th - 8th, 2019

2

NEW YEARS COUNT-DOWN

All around the world, we all celebrate the last day of the year. If you are traveling Europe around the last days of the year, you might be interested in the special ceremony of each country. In Spain, they ring a bell 10 times while you have to eat grapes for each bell  and make 10 wishes. In Paris, there will be a firework show at the Arc de Triomphe. Also, in London, there is a firework show as well to welcome the new year. 

Location : Europe  

Date : December 31st