Top 10 Famous Festivals Around the World to Experience in 2025
Festivals are where culture comes alive. Whether you’re dancing in the streets of Rio, throwing colors in India, or watching giant kites soar in Bali, festivals pull you deep into the heart of a place, mixing tradition, art, food, and local energy into one memorable burst. In this guide we spotlight ten of the biggest, brightest events planned for 2025, sharing travel tips, insider stories, and key details so you can plan smarter and enjoy every minute.
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Experience Culture & Celebration: The World’s Most Famous Festivals
Rio Carnival 2025 – Brazil
Started: Early 18th century (around 1723).
Origin: A Portuguese-style pre-Lenten bash, Carnival gradually grew into a sprawling street party that lifts Afro-Brazilian samba music and dance to center stage.
Dates:February 28 – March 5, 2025.
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
With jaw-dropping samba parades, kaleidoscopic costumes, and round-the-clock street parties called blocos, Rio turns into a giant outdoor stage where joy is the only language.
Why You Should Go
Watch as the famous samba schools compete at the Sambadrome.
Dance alongside locals in free street parties across the city.
Embrace the vibrant rhythms of Afro-Brazilian culture, from percussion-heavy street parades and capoeira shows to mouth-watering acarajé and feijoada. São Paulo and Salvador both hum with life, but Rio’s Carnival is the moment the world watches.
Crowds fill the Sambadrome, dancers spin sequined costumes, and electric Afrobeats merge with samba.
Travel Tip: Lock in your hotel and parade seat months ahead. Lapa’s nightlife and Copacabana’s beach vibe keep first-time visitors close to the action.
Diwali Festival 2025 – India
Started: Ten of Santos
Origin: In Hindu traditions about Rama, the Festival of Lights symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
Date: October 21, 2025
Home Location: Everywhere, with Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi topping the wish list.
Why You Should Go:
See rivers and streets glow with millions of flickering lamps.
Taste melt-in-your-mouth sweets like laddu, barfi, and kaju katli.
Join candle-lit prayers, street fairs, and crackling fireworks.
Notable Highlight: Google honored the festival with a playful homepage Doodle, showing how the world now shares in the joy.
Travel Tip: Dress modestly and respectfully, and take part in a home puja if invited-it s a powerful cultural experience.
Oktoberfest 2025-Germany
Started: 1810
Origin: Oktoberfest began as a royal wedding celebration for Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in Munich. It quickly turned into an annual beer festival beloved around the globe.
Dates: September 20-October 5, 2025
Location: Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Watch as the famous samba schools compete at the Sambadrome. Guests wander through sprawling tents filled with oompah bands, hearty platters, and, of course, endless steins of beer.
Why You Should Go:
Raise a glass in classic tents like Hofbrau, Augustiner, and Schottenhamel.
Enjoy large pretzels, crispy roasted chicken, and sausages.
Watch locals twirl in dirndls and snap photos in lederhosen.
Notable Highlight: In 1980, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter toasted a mug at the fest, giving global tourism a tasty nudge.
Travel Tip: For most large tents, reservations are required for tables. Rent Bavarian clothing from stores all across the city to get dressed.
Holi Festival 2025-India & Nepal
Started: Ancient Hindu times, over 2,000 years ago
Origin: Holi, which represents the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring, has its roots in the story of youthful Prahlad and the demon Holika.
Holi 2025 Experiential Overview
Date: March 14, 2025
Location: Northern India (Delhi, Mathura, Vrindavan) & Nepal
Every spring, Holi invites everyone, young and old, to fill the air with brightly colored powders, sway to drum beats, and honor the themes of love and community.
Why You Should Go:
Join color-splashing street parties with locals.
To learn about the spiritual side of things, visit the temples in Mathura and Vrindavan.
Try bhang thandai and gujiya, two festival delicacies.
Notable Highlight: Bollywood actors like Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt often share Holi celebrations on social media, adding to its global pop-culture buzz.
Travel Tip: Choose plant-based powders, seal your phone in waterproof pouches, and wear old white clothes for the full rainbow drama.
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La Tomatina 2025 Experiential Overview
Started: 1945
Origin: A friendly food battle at a local fiesta veered out of hand and soon blossomed into the now-famous tomato-launching spectacle.
Date: August 27, 2025
Location: Buñol, Spain (near Valencia)
La Tomatina has grown into the world’s largest tomato fight, turning the sleepy town of Buñol into an enormous, squelching playground for a single day. Crowd energy, loud music, and endless volleys of overripe tomatoes transform the chaos into an oddly winning mix of laughter and teamwork.
La Tomatina 2024 – Buñol, Spain
Started: 1945
Origin: The now-famous tomato-launching extravaganza began as a pleasant food fight at a local fiesta that quickly got out of control.
Date: August 28, 2024
Location: Buñol, a sleepy town 38 km from Valencia.
La Tomatina still draws tens of thousands every year hoping to trade shy selfies for a splashy red cover.
Why You Should Go:
Experience a wild hour-long tomato battle.
Celebrate shoulder-to-shoulder with locals, backpackers, and camera-wielding tourists.
Enjoy live music, fireworks, and paella cook-offs the night before.
Notable Highlight: National Geographic dubbed it one of the World’s Best Food Fights in 2011, giving the event extra buzz.
Travel Tip: wear ragged clothes, sturdy shoes, and cheap goggles.
Most people take a short trip to Bunol after making their beds in Valencia.
Chinese New Year 2025 – China
Began: More than 3,000 years ago
Origin: marks the lunar calendar’s beginning, honouring family, fresh starts, and driving off evil with time-tested customs.
Date: 29 January 12 February, 2025
Location: Chinatowns everywhere, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing
The Spring Festival transforms China into a giant, colorful reunion, filled with drums, fireworks, banquets, and late-night chats with family.
Why You Should Go:
Observe dragon and lion dances in busy plazas.
Witness sky fireworks that illuminate entire cities.
Explore temple fairs and nibble on endless seasonal snacks.
Highlight: Actress Fan Bingbing was the star of CCTV’s 2023 gala, which is one of the most watched TV programs on the planet.
It’s the busiest time of year for domestic travel in China, so make plans in advance. Keep in consideration regional traditions, such as exchanging and receiving red envelopes.
Mardi Gras 2025-New Orleans, USA
Began: Early 18th century (1700s)
Origin: Introduced by French colonists, Mardi Gras developed from a Catholic pre-Lenten festival to a colorful mix of French, Spanish, and Creole culture involving parades and music.
Date: March 4, 2025
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
The postcard of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras is turning into a kaleidoscope. The city thunders with jazz, street percussion, and the howls of masked crowds hurling beads like confetti.
Why You Should Go:
Get caught in beads and baubles from sparkling floats.
Live brass bands and Creole food.
Masquerade balls and street celebrations.
Notable Highlight: In 2022, singer Lizzo organized a surprise performance at the Krewe of Muses parade and the video became viral for weeks.
Travel Tip: Stay in French Quarter or Garden District, have your phone handy, and avoid alleys that appear to be too crowded after 1 a.m.
Glastonbury Festival 2025-UK
Began: 1970
Origin: Born out of the hippie culture and neighborhood community festivals, Glastonbury evolved into one of the globe’s largest music and arts festivals, welcoming all from rock icons to yoga enthusiasts.
Glastonbury Festival 2025
Dates: June 25-29, 2025 (TBC)
Location: Worthy Farm, Somerset, England
More than a music festival, Glastonbury is a five-day cultural village where sound, art, and activism intersect. Pilgrims from all genres converge on fields reborn by gigantic sculptures, yoga tents, and underground late-night raves.
Why You Should Go:
Witness world headliners and under-the-radar indie discoveries.
Visit art tents, healing fields, and after-hours raves.
Camp with fellow like-minded festival folks.
Standout Moment: Icon Beyoncé broke history in 2011 as the first African American female solo headliner, a milestone achievement still being discussed now.
Travel Tip: Seats get snatched up quickly. Pack waterproof boots and layers-British weather is capricious.
Songkran Festival 2025
Began: Ancient times, more than 700 years ago.
Origin: Songkran is the celebration of the Thai New Year and originated as a Buddhist ritual cleansing to cleanse bad luck and begin anew.
Dates: April 13-15, 2025.
Location: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket.
Songkran is the celebration of the Thai New Year, which is famous for its huge public water battles. It started out as a Buddhist cleansing ritual but has since become Thailand’s most playful national holiday.
Why You Should Attend:
Participate in the massive water fights along city roads.
Sample temple ceremonies and ceremonial blessings.
Take a mango sticky rice or spicy sausage from the street before the splashing begins.
Exceptional Sight: Travel vlogger Mark Wiens covered Songkran in Chiang Mai, and his video earned more than 10 million views, making the festival a worldwide must-watch.
Travel Tip: Stick phones and money into waterproof neck bags, and then soak up the fun. Chiang Mais parade route is the nation’s most family-focused.
Bali Kite Festival 2025 Indonesia
Began: 1980s (current festival)
Origin: Based on Balinese Hindu ceremonies, the kite festival honors the winds as a blessing for rice crops and village prosperity.
Dates: July August 2025 (dates vary based on wind conditions)
Where: Sanur Beach, Indonesia’s Bali
The Bali Kite Festival is a colourful celebration of art, spirituality, and competition. Teams from local villages launch traditional kites in unique shapes birds, dragons, and even gods into the skies.
Why You Should Go:
Witness majestic handcrafted kites up close.
Relish Gamelan music and Balinese cuisine.
Discover the history of how kites are related to rice harvests and Hindu ceremonies.
Special Highlight: Seen in Netflix’s Street Food: Asia, the festival is one of the island’s sacred season festivals.
Travel Tip: Combine this festival with Balinese temple days in July, then rise early to reserve a beach-front seat.
1. When is Rio Carnival 2025 and how do I get tickets?
The Rio Carnival rolls through February 28 to March 5, 2025, in vibrant Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To secure a spot at the famed Sambadrome parades, purchase tickets online only from LIESAs official site or from trusted travel partners. Because demand soars, aim to book your pass three to six months before the festivities begin.
2. What is the best place to celebrate Diwali in India in 2025?
If you want the most memorable Diwali experience on October 21, 2025, travel to Varanasi, Jaipur, or Delhi. In Varanasi twinkling diyas float past during the Ganga Aarti, Jaipur enchants with lights covering its hill-top forts, and Delhi bursts with markets, firecrackers, and grand Lakshmi Puja rituals.
3. How to attend Oktoberfest 2025 in Munich without a reservation?
Oktoberfest runs from September 20 to October 5, 2025, and you can still join without a reservation if you arrive early, before 10 a.m. on weekdays. Focus on the Augustiner or Löwenbräu tents, which set aside some space for walk-ins. Even if all seats are taken, keep an eye out for standing areas or beer gardens that usually welcome visitors straight off the street.
4. What dates do India and Nepal have set for the 2025 Holi Festival?
The date of Holi in 2025 is March 14 across the majority of India and Nepal. The fun kicks off with Holika Dahan the night before, and the daytime splash of colors is at its liveliest the next morning. Travelers often flock to Mathura, Vrindavan, Delhi, and Kathmandu for unforgettable festivities.
5. How can I buy tickets for La Tomatina 2025 in Spain?
Tickets for La Tomatina on August 27, 2025, are sold through the official Bu?ol tourist site and selected third-party sellers. Guests can choose a basic entry pass, a package that includes shuttle service from Valencia, or a VIP upgrade that offers extras. Because crowd limits are strict, early booking is strongly advised.
6. Where will 2025's largest Chinese New Year celebration take place?
In 2025 the biggest Lunar New Year events are in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Abroad, San Francisco, London, and Singapore also hold grand parades, fireworks, and street fairs that draw huge audiences. The official festival period runs from January 29 to February 12, giving revelers two weeks of festivities.
7. What is the Mardi Gras 2025 parade schedule in New Orleans?
Mardi Gras Day falls on March 4, 2025, but the parades actually begin weeks earlier, kicking off in early February. Carnival season builds through neighborhood throws before the major krewes-Endymion, Bacchus, and Zulu-roll their spectacular night parades on the weekend right before Fat Tuesday. For precise route maps, start times, and any last-minute changes, the official Mardi Gras New Orleans website is the best source.
8. Who is performing at Glastonbury Festival 2025?
As of now the full artist lineup for Glastonbury 2025-June 26 to June 30, 2025-has not been revealed, though festival organizers say they are already busy locking in options. Recent years have seen icons from Beyoncé to Stormzy share the Pyramid Stage, and fans hope to see big surprises again. Expect the first major reveal in early March 2025; until then the official Glastonbury social media pages will drop teasers and the line-up document when the time comes.
9. Will Bangkok or Chiang Mai host the Songkran Festival in 2025?
Songkran will flow through both cities from April 13 to April 15, 2025. In sleepy Chiang Maifamilies line the streets with talcum powder, float parades, and merit-making at gilded temples under the watchful mountains. In lively Bangkok the atmosphere heats up, especially along Silom Road. Hotel rooftops, canals, and laneways turn into nonstop water battles-so bring a waterproof phone case and a sense of humor.
10. When is the Bali Kite Festival 2025 and how do I get there?
The Bali Kite Festival is usually timed for the windy months of July and August, but exact dates are published only weeks in advance because nature calls the shots. Over dozens of teams from across the island gather at Sanur Beach, where giant gambang, ki jang, and bulang-bulang kites dance high above the Indian Ocean. To join the fun, fly into Ngurah Rai Airport and grab a taxi or shuttle for about thirty minutes, bearing in mind Jakarta, Sydney, and other hubs also share those skies.