Europe’s calendar is full with festivals and events every month of the year. Europe has some of the oldest and most memorable festivals and events in the world, from the renown Oktoberfest in Munich to the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. There are events that recreate famous events or ceremonies of their remembrance. Festivals to celebrate what cities or regions are famously known. Food festivals for beer to olives to cheese to tomatoes. Events celebrating industry, engineering, mining and technology. Music, film and art festivals that remember those great artists who left us so much to appreciate and enjoy. Whether it be a Wagner opera, attending a film festival  or taking in a special exhibition, you will never be bored or out of something to do.

These occur during the ushering in of Avent, the 4 weeks prior to Christmas,  by many European towns in their city centers and open markets.  Origins seem to have started in German speaking areas of central Europe and Vienna’s Christmas Market dates back to 1294. Open air markets sell a range of consumer goods for gift giving and unique Christmas decorations. Serving of foods as gingerbread, cookies and hot alcoholic beverages are also sold. Many towns are decorated with lights outlining the old gabled medieval buildings and are a must to view in the evenings. Performances of Christmas music and carol singing are done regularly. The markets can also have rides, fireworks and light shows. Today markets occur from eastern Europe to the British Isles and Iberia to Scandinavia. Some of the best know Christmas markets are in Nuremberg, Strasbourg, Cologne, Dresden, Augsburg, Frankfurt, Dortmund, Stuttgart and the famous Esslingen.

Not what we in the US normally call carnivals but, these are the origins of our Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Rio’s Carnival. Originally a celebration fixed to the liturgical calendars of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox church, prior to the Lenten season. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday six weeks before Easter. It is a time in which fasting and the refraining from eating rich foods, meat, drink, parties and celebrations was prohibited by the church. Carnival is a time for many to indulge prior to the six weeks of pius behavior dictated by the church. Historians believe many of the carnival rituals actually have pagan influences that may have started before the church itself. There are records that show some cities in Europe had carnivals as early as the 12th century. Cities like Venice, Cadiz,  Cologne, Nice and Düsseldorf are known for their carnivals. With the influx of immigration from the Caribbean, communities like London’s Notting Hill now celebrate a carnival in the summer.

For most of the centuries throughout Europe the influence and dominance of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church there developed many holidays, events and festivals held in recognition of religious events or commemorating Saints. In addition to Christmas and Easter, Pentecost Sunday, Assumption Day, Epiphany, Ascension Day and the Immaculate Conception are national holidays in many countries. St. Stephan’s Day the day after Christmas, the Monday after Easter and the Monday after Pentecost are observed with many business’s and services closed.

May Day

May Day is celebrated in most European country’s and its their equivalent of our Labor Day. You can also expect special events and closures on this holiday. For legal holidays by country go to the the country’s page and its holidays are listed on the very bottom of the page.

The following list consists of the most famous and well known festivals and events. There are so many more and you may locate them at the web site links at the bottom of this page.

May Day is celebrated in most European country’s and its their equivalent of our Labor Day. You can also expect special events and closures on this holiday. For legal holidays by country go to the the country’s page and its holidays are listed on the very bottom of the page.

The following list consists of the most famous and well known festivals and events. There are so many more and you may locate them at the web site links at the bottom of this page.

January
London New Years Day Parade	London, England	New Years
Grand Parade	Paris, France	New Years
Up Helly Aa	Lerwick, Shetland Island, UK	Cultural
San Anton Festival	Canillas de Albaida, Spain	Religious
Kiruna Snow Festival	Kiruna, Sweden	Winter Festival
Hogmanay	Edinburgh, Scotland, UK	New Year’s Festival
Vienna’s Glorious Ball Season	Vienna, Austria	Music & Dance
La Tamborrada	San Sebastian, Spain	Cultural
February
Carnival of Venice	Venice, Italy	Cultural
Lemon Festival	Menton, France	Cultural
Nice Carnival	Nice, France	Cultural
Copenhagen Winter Jazz Fest	Copenhagen, Denmark	Music
Chinese New Year	London, England	Cultural
Cologne Carnival	Cologne, Germany	Cultural
Stiges Carnival	Barcelona, Spain	Cultural
Düsseldorf Carnival	Düsseldorf, Germany	Cultural
Cadiz Carnaval	Cadiz, Spain	Cultural
Virago Carnevale	Virago, Italy	Cultural
March
Carnival of Ivera	Ivera, Italy	Battle of Oranges
Binche Carnival	Bunch, Belgium	Cultural
St. Patrick’s Festival	Dublin, Ireland	Cultural
Fallas de Valencia	Valencia, Spain	Cultural
Starkbeirzeit Strong Beer Festival	Munich, Germany	Cultural
Hamburger DOM Spring	Hamburg, Germany	Cultural -Fair
Rouketopolemos	Chios Island, Vrontados, Greece	Cultural
April
Easter Pläerrer	Augsburg, Germany	Cultural- Beer
Snowbombing Festival	Maxyrhofen, Austria	Music
Semana Santa	Seville, Spain	Cultural
Budapest Spring Music Festival	Budapest, Hungary	Music
Scorpio del Carro	Florence, Italy	Cultural
Natale di Roma	Rome, Italy	Cultural
Chaumont Intl. Garden Festival	Loire Valley, France	Horticultural
Baumblütenfest	Werder, Germany	Cultural-Volkfest
Koningsdag Kings Day	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Cultural
Beltane Fire Festival	Edinburgh, Scotland, UK	Cultural
Walpurgisnacht	Throughout N. Europe	Cultural
May
Cheltenham Intl. Jazz Festival	Gloucestershire, England	Music
Rhine in Flames	Linz to Bonn,Germany	Cultural
La Feria de Abril	Seville, Spain	Cultural
Brighton Festival	Brighton, England	Arts
Combat des Reines	Martigny, Switzerland	Cultural
Prague Spring Intl Music Festival	Prague, Czech Rep.	Music
Festival de Cannes	Cannes, France	Film
White Nights Festival	St. Petersburg, Russia	Arts & Music
Constitution Day	Oslo, Norway	National Holiday
RHS Chelsea Flower Show	London, England	Horticultural
The Bath Festival	Bath, England	Music
Ages Salisbury Intl. Festival	Salisbury, England	Arts
Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling	Brockworth, England	Cultural
Le Doudou, Ducasse Ritual de Mons	Mons, Belgium	Battle of Lumecon
Primavera Sound	Barcelona, Spain	Music
June
Hay Festival	Hay-On-Wye, Wales, UK	Cultural
Bergkirchweih	Erlangen, Germany	Cultural
Salzburg Whitsun Festival	Salzburg, Austria	Cultural
Isle of Man TT Races	Isle of Man, UK	Motorcycle Race
El Colacho	Castillo de Murcia, Spain	Cultural
Roskilde Festival	Roskilde, Denmark	Music
Isle of Wight Festival	Isle of Wight, England	Music
Donauinselfest	Vienna, Austria	Music
Download Festival	Donington Park, Derby, England	Music
Festa de Sao Joao	Porto, Portugal	Cutlutral
Fusion Festival	Mecklenburg-Vorpommen, Germany	Cultural
Glastonbury	Glastonbury, England	Music
Haro Wine Festival	Haro, Spain	Cultural
Infiorata di Genzano	Genzano, Italy	Cultural
Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival	Edina, Turkey	Cultural
Oerol	Terschelling, Netherlands	Cultural
Stonehenge Summer Solstice	Wiltshire, England	Cultural
Kieler Woche	Kiel, Germany	Cultural
Goodwood Festival of Speed	Chichester, England, UK	Auto Show and Race
Arena Opera Festival	Verona, Italy	Music
Biberacher Schützenfest	Biberach an der Riss, Germany	Cultural-Volkfest
July
Grec Festival	Barcelona, Spain	Arts & Music
Zuerifaescht	Zurich, Switzerland	Music & Dance
Il Palio	Siena, Italy	Horse Race
Wife Carrying World Championships	Sonkajarvi, Finland	Cultural
Schützenfest	Hannover, Germany	Cultural-Volkfest
Manchester Intl. Festival	Manchester, England	Cultural
Henley Royal Regatta	Henley-On-Thames, England
Rock Wercher	Wrecker, Belgium	Music
Copenhagen Jazz Festival	Copenhagen, Denmark	Music
Savonlinna Opera Festival	Savonlinna, Finland	Music
Montreux Jazz Festival	Montreux, Switzerland	Music
Festival Aix en Provence	Aix-en-Provence, France	Music
Festival d’Avignon	Avignon, France	Arts
Tour de France	France	Bicycle Race
Los Sanfermines	Pamplona, Spain	Bull Running
Festival of Giants	Douai, France	Cultural
Exit Festival	Novi Sad, Serbia	Music
North Sea Jazz Festival	Rotterdam, Netherlands	Music
T in the Park	Gelneagles, Scotland, UK	Music
Galway Intl. Arts Festival	Galway, Ireland	Arts
Bastille Day	Anywhere in France but, especially in Paris	French Independence
Luminary e Palio di San Ranieri	Pisa, Italy	Religious & Cultural
Latitude	Southward, England	Arts & Music
ImPulsTanz	Vienna, Austria	Dance & Arts
Kinderzeche	Dinkelsbühl, Germany	Cultural
Festa del Redentore	Venice, Italy	Cultural
Salzburg Festival	Salzburg, Austria	Music
Proms	London, England, UK
Paléo Festival Nyon	Nyon, Switzerland	Music
WOMAD Charlton Park	Malmesbury, England	Music
Santa Marta de Ribarteme	As Neves, Spain	Cultural
Pflasterpektakel	Linz, Austria	Cultural & Arts
Wickerman Festival	Dundrennan, Scotland, UK	Music
Rutenfest	Ravensburg, Germany	Cultural-Volkfest
Hamburger DOM Summer	Hamburg, Germany	Cultural-Fair
Puccini Festival	Luca, Italy	Music
Bayreuther Festspiele	Bayreuth, Germany	Music
Marciac Jazz Festival	Marciac, France	Music
Hamburg DOM	Hamburg, Germany	Cultural-Fair
Cambridge Folk Festival	Cambridge, England	Music
August
Guča Trumpet Festival	Guča, Serbia	Music
Gäubodenvolksfest	Straubing, Germany	Cultural
Creamfileds	Daresbury, England	Music
Edinburgh Festival Fringe	Edinburgh, Scotland, UK	Cultural
Frequency	Vienna, Austria	Music
Bad Kreuznacher Jahrmarkt	Bad Kreuznach, Germany	Cultural-Beer
Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival	Lisdoonvarna, Ireland	Cultural
Notting Hill Carnival	London, England	Cultural
Sziget	Budapest, Hungary	Cultural
World Bog Snorkeling Championships	Llanwrtwd, UK	Cultural
Air Guitar Championships	Oulu, Finland	Music
Autumn Pläerrer	Augsburg, Germany	Cultural-Beer
Barthelmarkt	Ingolstadt, Germany	Cultural – Music
September
Bestival	Isle of Wight, England	Music
Electric Picnic	Laois, Ireland	Music & Arts
Festival Number 6	Portmeirion, Wakes, UK	Music & Arts
Braemar Gathering	Braemar, Scotland, UK	Highland Games
Regata Storica	Venice, Italy	Cultural
Weinfest der Welt–Wurstmarkt	Bad Dürkheim, Germany	Cultural-Volkfest
Oktoberfest	Munich, Germany	Cultural
Mercé	Barcelona, Spain	Cultural
Galway Intl. Oyster Festival	Galway, Ireland	Cultural
London Design Festival	London, England	Cultural
Oktoberfest  Hannover	Hannover, Germany	Cultural-Beer
Cannstatter Volksfest	Stuttgart, Germany	Cultural-Volkfest
Kramermarkt	Oldenburg, Germany	Cultural-Volkfest
October
Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival	Budapest, Hungary	Cultural
Alba White Truffle Fair	Alba, Italy	Cultural & Food
Wexford Opera Festival	Wexford, Ireland	Music
Salon Du Chocolat	Paris, France	Food
Festival of  La Salute	Venice, Italy	Cultural
Brussels Light Festival	Brussels, Belgium	Cultural
November
Ottery Tar Barrels	Devon, England	Cultural
Veteran Car Run-LBVCR	London to Brighton, England	Vintage Auto Race
Lewes Bonfire	Lewes, England	Cultural
Krampusnacht Festival	Various towns in Austria & Germany	Cultural
December
German Christmas Markets	Multiple Cities	Seasonal Culture
Christmas Celebrations	Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen , Denmark	Seasonal Culture
St. Thomas Christmas Market	Helsinki, Finland	Seasonal Culture
Fete des Lumieres	Lyon, France	Seasonal Culture
Melvana Whirling Dervishes	Konya, Turkey	Cultural
Burning the Clocks	Brighton, England	Cultural
Kaiserball	Vienna, Austria	Seasonal Culture
Budapest Christmas Fair	Budapest, Hungary	Cultural