A World Tour Of The Best Festivals In 2017: Part II
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The year is halfway over and we’ve seen the best festivals from January-June, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! Where are the best festivals for the remainder of 2017?
The Best Festivals In 2017: July—December
July: Carnaval of Santiago de Cuba
When: Annually, the last week of July.
Where: Santiago, Cuba.
Why: With Cuba being a hotspot as of late, it seems as if everyone is flocking to Havana. Take a trip outside the capital to experience one of the country’s most authentic and well-known festivals.
August: La Tomatina
You’d better bring your goggles!
When: Annually, the last week of August.
Where: The Valencian town of Buñol, Spain.
Why: A free food fight! Need I say more?!? Join thousands of other festival goers from countries all over the globe for the world’s largest food fight. Wasteful? Perhaps. Fun? Most Definitely!!
September: Goroka Show
When: Annually, mid-September, usually centered around the nation’s Independence Day (September 16th).
Where: The town of Goroka, the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province (Papua New Guinea).
Why: A far off land featuring one of the world’s last remaining tribal gathering celebrations. Throw on a mask and become a part of the festival or just sit back and spectate.
October: Oktoberfest
It’s always a party inside the Oktoberfest tents…
When: Annually, mid-September until early October.
Where: Munich, Germany.
Why: Lions and tigers and beers—oh my! As any beer drinker knows, October is a month of celebrations all across the globe. And what better place to be than in Bavaria where the Oktoberfest tradition first began!
Just make sure you drink in moderation so you don’t end up on the “lawn of shame”
November: Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead)
When: November 1-2.
Where: Michoacán, Mexico.
Why: With Halloween getting all of the late October hoopla, don’t sleep on this festival. Embrace the local culture high in the mountains of Michoacán, while witnessing a celebration that dates back as far as the indigenous.
December: Al Dhafra festival
When: Annually, mid-late December.
Where: Madinat Zayed, Al Dhafra (United Arab Emirates near Dubai).
Why: Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of Dubai, but it’s high on a lot of people’s bucket list. With that said, if you’re planning a trip to the region, then December is the perfect month. Check out one of the gulf’s best festivals and experience Dubai without the sweltering temperatures of the summer months.
Here are my picks for the best festivals remaining this year. If you are planning to go to any of these festivals, or others not listed, comment below and share!
44 Comments
Festivals are so much fun! I live for celebration and festive occasions all year round!
Wow, those festivals look really fun to go to! I wish I had the free time to go to festivals here in the Philippines as well. Oktoberfest looks like something I’d love to attend to! We have Oktoberfest here too, I wish I could attend this year! 🙂
I actually went to an Oktoberfest celebration in Manila last October and it was AWESOME. Not quite the same as its German counterpoint, but still great nonetheless. You should definitely check it out this year if you get the chance!
I love festivals! Your list is awesom and it just reminds me that I need to start traveling. My life is lacking in the travel department.
Well, the good thing is that as long as you’re still breathing it’s never too late!
I haven’t been to a lot of countries and I rarely attend festivals in my country. Now I feel like I’m missing a lot, lol. Your list is good, can you add more? By far my fave is Oktoberfest. We have this version in our country and it’s fun. 🙂
The festivals in both Spain and Germany is right up my alley, although I don’t plan to participate in the free food fight or get drunk with too much beer haha. All in moderation.
I’m a huge fan of festivals, it brings you closer to the county’s culture and history and you get to meet a lot of people. Some festivals here are familiar to me and some are not so if I get to travel the world soon, I might travel these places on a particular date just so I could experience the festivals. 🙂 But to me, one of bucket list is to experience the day of the dead. I would see those costumes and their makeups, I know it will be amazing.
i have been to the la tomatina festival – it was brutal – i thought i was prepared …and i wasnt haha …but it was super fun
Can I just say that this topic is unique! Very beneficial in the blogging world. I love it.
Thank you…festivals stumbled upon are always fun. I’ve had my share of a few…so I thought it would be cool to really look into some of the best of the best! 🙂
Finally info in one spot to know when the best times to catch festivals. I believe thay is truly a great time to experience the culture.
What a great list of festivals. That day of the dead festival is a little scary sounding.
I just missed the festival in Cuba, I was there in July. I don’t think I would be interested in La Tomitina ( No food throwing for me). I think the Goroka festival would be interesting. and i loved Mexico city but not sure If I want to go for the festival.
I sooo want to attend a tomato festival one day. ONE DAY!!!!
I would LOVE to do Oktoberfest. I do celebrations in NYC, but there’s nothing like being in the atmosphere of its origin.
A great list and wouldn’t it be great to go to each one every month. I have been to Oktoberfest many many times. Surprised though that it is listed here as from mid-September to October. Never heard of that. Odd.
A great list and wouldn’t it be great to go to each one every month. I have been to Oktoberfest many many times. Surprised though that it is listed here as from mid-September to October. Never heard of that.
Lantern Festival, Dragon boat Festival, Moon Festival, and Ghost Festival are the biggest festivals in Taiwan. I’ll be excited to see them covered in your blog!
Thanks for compiling this schedule of festivals! I’m intrigued by the Goroka Show; we’ve always wanted to plan a South Pacific Island tour and now I something to plan around…
Wow!! I love this post, I’ve never known much about festivals in other cultures, now I want to put them on my calendars to make a trip!
Wow these places look amazing and your photos are bright and colourful. I am not sure I will get the chance to do this with having small children and the expense of it. Thanks for sharing!!
Cuba has def been on my bucket list. But Dubai may be the first option I would choose
These are some interesting festivals! Who’d ever thought there’d be a food fight festival.. and the lawn of shame… funny
I need to copyright “lawn of shame” I know that’s not the official title…but that’s the first thing that came to mind after I saw all the drunk people passed out there.
OMG! that tomato fight would be everything! Can I ask why you don’t like Dubai? Heading there in November…..just curious
It’s not that I don’t like it completely, but, for me (and this is purely opinion), it doesn’t give the true gulf experience. It’s like the equivalent of a first time visitor to America only visiting Las Vegas or Miami, but feeling like they got the complete US adventure.
Interesting. Thanks for posting.
I would love to see La Tomatina (from a distance – lol) and Oktoberfest! Really, I’d love to experience them all. Great roundup!
Oktoberfest is awesome, but the one thing I’d do differently if I make it back is to actually dress up in the local apparel…then it’s full on official!
I would love to go to Goroka Show and La Tomatina! The lawn of shame is so awesome! I’m also curious, why are you not a big fan of Dubai?
Well, it’s a cool place and all…I just think there’s no real culture and history remaining. As opposed to neighboring Oman, for example.
That makes sense. I’ve heard it being referred to as the “Miami” of the UAB.
Definitely..that’s a pretty accurate description.
I sos wish to be part of La Tomatina… great post. We all just need reason to celebrate..rather there should never be a reason to celebrate.
I agree, just being alive and enjoying each new day is reason enough to celebrate!
I’ll be happy to try everything except the tomato:) plus they are so expensive those days that i can hardly believe someone still throwing them away, we used to have egg throwing horroble tradition in one holiday as kids but as food prices went up it stopped.
That’s a very good point. Maybe they’ll eventually progress to a less wasteful version of the festival someday.
La Tomatina and Octoberfest seems very fun. I love seeing colorful festivities. The people are having fun, sharing laughs with the people even with those unknown to them. We do have different kinds of festivals all year round too.
It’s always a beautiful thing when complete strangers can come together and simply enjoy each other’s company in the spirit of festival.
La Tomatina looks exciting! Bggest Food Fight Ever! Definitely fun and will satisfy your cravings too!
Yup, just be prepared to get dirty!!!
I don’t really get to go to festivals with my small herd of children. I would love to go to the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico it must be amazing to see.
I agree…it would be quite a unique environment to be a part of just to see the costumes alone.