11 International Festivals Worth Planning a Trip Around

If your travel plans revolve around unforgettable experiences, there’s no better reason to pack your bags than a great festival. These global celebrations are rich in culture, energy, and meaning each offering something you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re tossing colored powder in India, floating lanterns in Thailand, or dancing through the streets of Rio, these 11 international festivals go beyond entertainment. They invite you to be part of something magical immersive moments that stay with you long after the confetti settles.

Holi, India

Held every spring, Holi is a joyful, technicolor explosion of music, color, and connection. Across India, you’ll throw bright powders into the air, dance alongside locals to pulsing drumbeats, and laugh with strangers who quickly become friends. The festival symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, but it also celebrates joy, renewal, and togetherness. It’s gloriously messy, full of life, and unforgettable perfect for travelers who want to dive headfirst into something wild, colorful and genuinely human.

Rio Carnival, Brazil

If you crave spectacle, Rio Carnival is the pinnacle of celebration. For five unforgettable days, Rio pulses with samba rhythms, glittering costumes, and nonstop street energy. You’ll join blocos massive, open-air dance parties where strangers become dance partners, and the city becomes your stage. At night, the Sambadrome comes alive with dazzling parades that blur the line between theater and fantasy. Set against Rio’s sun-soaked beaches and lush hills, this is more than a party, it’s a full-body, full-heart immersion into joy.

Cherry Blossom Festival, Japan

Cherry blossom season in Japan is more than just a pretty view, it’s a poetic celebration of life’s fleeting beauty. In cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, locals and travelers gather under soft pink canopies for hanami, or flower viewing, with picnic blankets, bento boxes, and bottles of sake in tow. As the petals float down like gentle confetti, even the busiest parks take on a dreamlike calm. The season is short, making each moment feel precious. It’s quiet, romantic, and deeply moving an experience that stays with you long after the blooms fade.

La Tomatina, Spain

Once a year, the quiet town of Buñol transforms into a joyful, red-splattered battlefield during La Tomatina the world’s largest food fight. Thousands of people flood the streets, tossing squashed tomatoes in a wild, laughter-filled frenzy that’s equal parts ridiculous and liberating. There are no teams, no winners just pure, carefree chaos. It’s an unforgettable hour of fun where you let go of rules, get gloriously messy, and laugh harder than you have in ages. Just don’t forget your goggles and a good rinse afterward.

Venice Carnival, Italy

Step into a living painting during Venice Carnival, where the entire city transforms into a vision of old-world glamour. Ornate masks, flowing capes, and powdered wigs fill the cobbled streets and candlelit palazzos. Whether you’re gliding down quiet canals in costume or attending a lavish masquerade ball, the atmosphere feels suspended in time. Street performers, classical music, and centuries-old traditions create an mood that’s both surreal and romantic. During Carnival, Venice doesn’t just charm, it completely captivates.

Day of the Dead, Mexico

This colorful tradition, known as Día de los Muertos, honors loved ones who’ve passed with altars adorned in marigolds, candles, food, and personal mementos. Across Mexico, you’ll witness candlelit cemeteries glowing with warmth, faces painted like elegant skulls, and joyful processions that blur the line between the living and the dead. It’s not a somber occasion, it’s a powerful celebration of memory, family, and spiritual connection. Whether you’re in Oaxaca or Mexico City, the experience is moving, colorful, and filled with heart.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland

For three unforgettable weeks each August, Edinburgh becomes the world’s largest and most electric arts festival. The cobbled streets, historic theaters, and even tiny pubs come alive with thousands of performances stand-up comedy, experimental plays, live music, street acts, and everything in between. You might catch a future star in an unassuming venue or stumble upon a show that surprises you in the best way. It’s spontaneous, immersive, and wildly entertaining, a cultural playground where creativity knows no bounds.

Gion Matsuri, Japan

Held every July in Kyoto, Gion Matsuri is Japan’s most iconic and elegant festival, a month-long celebration that blends grandeur with deep cultural heritage. The highlight is the Yamaboko Junko parade, where towering, hand-pulled floats glide through the streets like moving sculptures. Locals in yukata (summer kimono) fill the city, while the air buzzes with traditional music, sizzling street food, and the soft glow of lanterns. It’s a feast for the senses and a beautiful window into Kyoto’s timeless spirit.

Pushkar Camel Fair, India

Set in the golden sands of Rajasthan, the Pushkar Camel Fair is a surreal fusion of tradition, trade, and celebration. What begins as one of the world’s largest livestock markets quickly transforms into a colorful cultural carnival. Amid thousands of camels and traders, you’ll witness fire dancers twirling under desert skies, mustache competitions, folk performances, and hot air balloons rising with the sun. It’s colorful, chaotic, and wildly photogenic where every corner offers a glimpse of rural India at its most dazzling.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, USA

Each October, the skies above Albuquerque transform into a floating rainbow as hundreds of hot air balloons lift off in one of the most magical spectacles on Earth. Against the backdrop of the Sandia Mountains, dawn mass ascensions paint the sky in colorful hues, while balloon glows at night light up the desert in soft, flickering warmth. You can wander among the balloons, join photography tours, or even take a ride for a sky-high view. It’s peaceful, whimsical, and deeply romantic—a festival that truly feels like stepping into a dream.

Yi Peng Lantern Festival, Thailand

Each November in Chiang Mai, the night sky fills with thousands of glowing lanterns during Yi Peng, a festival that feels almost otherworldly. Locals and visitors gather to release lanterns, symbolizing the letting go of past misfortunes and the welcoming of new hopes. As the lights rise in unison, the air is thick with emotion, reflection, and quiet awe. Temples hum with prayers, streets glow with candles, and the entire city feels wrapped in peace. It’s one of the most visually stunning and spiritually moving festivals on Earth.