Man and woman standing under illuminated white umbrella at night ()
GERMANY
Hot-Air Balloon Festival | Lake Tegernsee | Jan. 28- Feb. 4
Fasching/Karneval/ Fastnacht | Throughout Germany | Feb.-Mar. 2024
Take your partner to this annual event occurring all over Germany which seems like a combination of Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day and Halloween all in one. In preparation for Lent, it’s a religious holiday based on the tenets of fasting, repentance and introspection, Germans (and other Europeans) let loose in the season before Ash Wednesday. Four of the biggest Fasching celebrations take place in Munich, Cologne, Mainz and Düsseldorf.
Cologne Pride 2024 | Cologne | July 6-21
Celebrate all types of love at Cologne Pride 2024. Through July, take part in Pride rides, parades, stage shows, presentations and more. Can’t make it to Cologne in July? Pride events, sometimes referred to as “Christopher Street Day” events take place across Germany from April through September.
Dürkheim Sausage Market (World’s largest wine festival) | Bad Dürkheim | Sept. 6-10 and Sept. 13-16
Berlin Beer Week | Berlin | Sept. (TBD)
AUSTRIA
Snowbombing | Mayrhofen | Apr. 8-13
Lovers across Europe will want to escape to this 18+ immersive “luxury ski holiday at the very heart of a music festival.” The music fest features over 100 artists across 15 venues. If skiing and snowboarding are not for you, this event also features comedy shows, Snolympic Games and more.
Genuss Festival (Austria’s single largest food festival) | Vienna | May (TBD)
Long Night of the Stages | Linz | June 22
Salzburg Festival (Theater and Opera Festival) | Salzburg | July 19- Aug. 31
World Body Painting Festival | Klagenfurt | Sept. 17-21
FRANCE
“Fête du Citron®” (Lemon Festival) | Ville de Menton | Feb. 17- Mar. 3
Cerfs Volants (International Kite Festival) | Berck Sur Mer | Apr. 20-28
Make your way to the beach and celebrate spring with the kite festival. See kites of every color and shape from all over the world. Cheer on your favorite team, learn how to make and fly a kite from professionals, enjoy the kites lit up at night and take in the fireworks show.
International Garden Festival | Chaumont-sur-Loire | Apr.-Nov. (TBD)
Le Nouveau Printemps (The New Spring) | Toulouse | May 30-June 30
Chorégies d’Orange (Oldest Festival in France) | Orange | June 14-July 22
Festival Photo La Gacilly | Brittany | June- Oct. (TBD)
Festival d’Avignon | Locations across Avignon | July (TBD)
Habits de Lumière | Epernay | Dec. (TBD)
Festival of Lights | Lyon | Dec. (TBD)
La Grande Odyssée (Dog Sled Event) | 20 Location across Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | Jan. 2025 (TBD)
ITALY
Venice Carnival | Venice | Feb. 3-13
Ivrea Carnival: The Orange Fights | Ivrea | Feb. 10-13
At one of the oldest carnivals in Italy, you can witness the culminating event: pelting oranges at one another. The event dates back to the end of World War II. Today, nine teams donning tunics in their team colors throw oranges from their designated areas. Don’t worry, there are safe spaces where you can stay orange-free throughout the city.
Palio di Siena | Siena | July 2 and Aug. 16
BELGIUM
Binche Carnival | Binche | Feb. 11-13
Brussels International Animation Film Festival | Brussels | Feb. 27- Mar. 3
Carnival of Bears | Benelux | Mar. 10
46th Cat Parade | Ypres | May 12
Brussels Pride | Brussels | May
Zinneke Parade ( “Europe’s craziest festival”) | Brussels | June 1
Brussels Carpet of Flowers | Brussels | Aug. 15-18 (TBD)
CROATIA
Karneval | Rijeka | Jan.-Mar.
Animafest Zagreb: World Animated Film Festival | Zagreb | June 3-8
Korkyra Baroque Festival | Venues across Korkyra | Sept. (TBD)
CZECHIA
Masopust Prague – Prague Bohemian Carnival | Prague | Feb. 8-14
Prague Beer Festival | Prague | Apr. 12-13
Znojmo Historic Vintage | Znojmo | Sept. (TBD)
DENMARK
Copenhagen Light Festival | Copenhagen | Feb. 2-25 FINLAND
Midnight Sun Film Festival |Sodankylä Lapland | June 12-16
Juhannus, the Midsummer Festival | Throughout Finland | June 22
Helsinki Pride | Helsinki | June/July (tentatively)
Seinäjoki Tango Market | Seinäjoki | July 10-14
Helsinki Festival | Helsinki | Aug. 15-19
Baltic Circle: International Theater Festival | Helsinki | Nov. 15-23
GREECE
Athens Epidaurus Festival (Theater, music and dance festival)| Athens | May-Oct. (TBD)
Ifestia Festival | Santorini | Sept. (TBD)
Athens Marathon | Athens | Nov. (TBD)
IRELAND and the U.K.
Dark Skies Festival | North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales | Feb. 9-25
Jorvik Viking Festival (Europe’s Largest Viking Festival) | York | Feb. 12-18
Glascow International Comedy Festival | Glascow | Mar. 13-31
St. Patrick’s Festival | Dublin | Mar. 17
Gemini Boat Race | London | Mar. 30
Spirit of Speyside Whiskey Festival | Speyside | May 1-6
Galway International Arts Festival | Galway | July 15-28
The Galway Races Summer Festival | Galway | July 29- Aug. 4
Puck Fair (Ireland’s Oldest Fair) | Killorglin | Aug. 10-12
Rose of Tralee International Festival | Tralee | Aug. 16-20
LUXEMBOURG
Wine Lights Enjoy | Bech-Kleinmacher | Feb. 2
Winter Lights | Luxembourg City | Nov. 2024- Jan. 2025 (TBD)
THE NETHERLANDS
Chinese New Year | Amsterdam | Feb. 10
Keukenhof Flower Parade | Keukenhof | Apr. 24
“Koningsdag” (King’s Day) | Amsterdam | Apr. 27
Summer Carnival | Rotterdam | July 26-27
Pride Amsterdam | Amsterdam | July 27- Aug. 4
Redhead Days Festival | Spoorpark and city center Tilburg | Aug. 23-25
GLOW Festival (Light Art Fest) | Eindhoven | Nov. 9-16
Amsterdam Light Festival | Amsterdam | Nov. 2024- Jan. 2025 (TBD)
POLAND Juwenalia (University Student Games/Fest) | Cities throughout Poland | May
Copernicus Festival | Krakow | May (TBD)
Malta Festival Poznań | Poznań | June 28- July 7
International Chopin and His Europe Festival | Warsaw | Aug.-Sept.
Winobranie Wine Festival | Zielona Góra | Sept. (TBD)
PORTUGAL
Carnival | Cities throughout Portugal | Feb.
SPAIN
The Lights of Sant Pau Christmas Garden | Barcelona | Dec. (TBD)
SWEDEN
Gothenburg Culture Festival | Gothenburg | Aug. 29- Sept. 1
Gothenburg Book Fair | Gothenburg | Sept. 26-29
Affordable Art Fair | Stockholm | Oct. (TBD)
Kiruna Snow Festival | Kiruna | Jan. 2025 (TBD)
SWITZERLAND
Carnival | Basel | Feb. 19-21
Sechseläuten: Spring Festival | Zurich | Apr. 12-15
Central Switzerland Yodeling Festival | Sempach | June 28-30
