A list of major festivals and events held around the world.
Overview
Major World Festivals and Events
Major world festivals and events are diverse celebrations that reflect the culture, history, and religion of each country. They include globally representative festivals in terms of scale and recognition, such as Carnival, Oktoberfest, and Diwali. These festivals preserve regional traditions while also serving as important tourism resources, attracting visitors from around the world.
festival
celebration
culture
tourism
traditional event
world heritage
| code | slug | name | description | category | location | period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | rio-carnival | Rio Carnival | The world's largest carnival held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. | Carnival | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | February to March (before Lent) |
| 02 | venice-carnival | Venice Carnival | A carnival in Venice, Italy, famous for its elaborate masks. | Carnival | Venice, Italy | February to March |
| 03 | trinidad-carnival | Trinidad and Tobago Carnival | The largest carnival in the Caribbean, held in Trinidad and Tobago. | Carnival | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | February to March (around Shrove Tuesday) |
| 04 | oktoberfest | Oktoberfest | The world's largest beer festival held in Munich, Germany. | Food Culture / Beer Festival | Munich, Germany | Late September to early October |
| 05 | diwali | Diwali (Festival of Lights) | The 'Festival of Lights' celebrated primarily in India. | Religious Event / Festival of Lights | India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and others | Late October to early November |
| 06 | gion-matsuri | Gion Matsuri | One of Japan's Three Great Festivals held in Kyoto. | One of Japan's Three Great Festivals | Kyoto, Japan | July 1-31 |
| 07 | day-of-the-dead | Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) | A colorful Mexican festival to remember deceased loved ones. | Ancestral Worship / Cultural Festival | Mexico (Oaxaca and others) | November 1-2 |
| 08 | songkran | Songkran (Water Festival) | The world's largest water festival celebrating Thai New Year. | New Year Celebration / Water Festival | Throughout Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, etc.) | April 13-15 |
| 09 | la-tomatina | La Tomatina (Tomato Festival) | A unique Spanish festival where participants throw tomatoes at each other. | Food Culture / Entertainment Festival | Buñol, Spain | Last Wednesday of August |
| 10 | yi-peng | Yi Peng Lantern Festival | A magical festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where lanterns are released into the night sky. | Lantern Festival / Festival of Lights | Chiang Mai, Thailand | November (full moon night) |
| 11 | holi | Holi Festival | A spring festival in India where participants throw colored powders at each other. | Spring Festival / Color Festival | Throughout India | Around March |
| 12 | chinese-new-year | Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) | The New Year celebration in Chinese character cultural sphere. | New Year Celebration | China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and others | Late January to February |
| 13 | christmas-markets | Christmas Markets | Traditional Christmas markets originating from Germany. | Christmas / Winter Festival | Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and throughout Europe | Late November to December 24 |
| 14 | burning-man | Burning Man | An art and self-expression festival held in the American desert. | Art / Counterculture | Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA | Late August to early September |
| 15 | halloween | Halloween | A costume and candy festival with ancient Celtic origins. | Costume / Autumn Festival | USA, Canada, UK, and countries worldwide | October 31 |