Seasonal discoveries
Events & Festivals
Discover travel events, festivals, and cultural celebrations around the world.13 events
Cultural experiences
2 events
All months
Hoi An Lantern Festival
Hoi An Lantern Festival is a monthly cultural tradition held on the 14th day of the lunar month in Hoi An’s UNESCO-listed Old Town. As electric lights are switched off, the streets and historic trading-port setting are illuminated by colorful silk lanterns, while floating water lanterns add a gentle glow along the Thu Bon River. The tradition reflects Hoi An’s long history of cultural exchange and the wider Vietnamese use of lanterns in festive life. Visitors can experience the atmospheric old town and observe lantern-lit scenes, though specific arrangements may vary. Check current official dates and arrangements before visiting.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
September – October
Mid-Autumn Festival China
China’s Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a harvest celebration rooted in more than 3,000 years of Chinese culture. Held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, it is associated with the brightest full moon of autumn and the legend of Chang’e, the Moon goddess. Visitors may see lanterns displayed or carried, share mooncakes filled with sweet-bean or lotus-seed paste, and enjoy moon watching with family or friends. The festival is a major holiday in China; check current official dates and arrangements before travelling.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn moreFestivals
8 events
September – October
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
In Vietnam, Mid-Autumn Moon Festival—known locally as Tết Trung Thu—is a harvest-moon celebration especially associated with children. Visitors may encounter colorful lantern processions, including star-shaped lanterns, and lion or dragon dances performed in the streets. Mooncakes are a traditional seasonal food, shared at family gatherings and among friends; they are typically rich pastries with fillings such as sweet bean or lotus-seed paste. The celebration reflects wider East and Southeast Asian traditions centered on the bright autumn moon and the harvest. Experiences and arrangements can vary, so check current official dates and local arrangements before visiting.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
September – October
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is Munich’s annual Volksfest, combining a major beer celebration with a lively fair at the Theresienwiese. Held from mid-September to the first Sunday in October, it grew from an 1810 celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Visitors can experience amusement rides, games, food stalls, traditional Bavarian dishes and beer, including the Märzen traditionally associated with the event. Its atmosphere blends local history, food and entertainment. Dates and arrangements can change, so check current official information before planning your visit.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
October
Busan Film Festival
The Busan International Film Festival is an annual celebration of cinema in Busan, South Korea, held in the Haeundae District. Its main focus is introducing new films and first-time directors, particularly from Asia, while also nurturing young filmmaking talent. Visitors can experience a youthful film culture through festival screenings and the wider atmosphere surrounding a major international cinema event. Since 2011, the festival’s permanent home has been the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City. The festival is associated with October in the event calendar, but dates and arrangements can change, so check the official festival information before planning your visit.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
October
Dashain Festival
Dashain is Nepal’s major Hindu festival, a 15-day celebration held in September or October according to the lunar calendar. Dedicated to the goddess Durga, it brings families together, including people returning from across the country or abroad. Visitors may encounter tika blessings from elders, festive markets, kite flying, and traditional Linge Ping swings, sometimes alongside wooden Ferris wheels at local fairs. Religious observances vary by place; animal sacrifice is part of worship at some temples, including Dakshinkali. Pilgrims also visit shrines and hilltop sites during the season. Check current official dates and local arrangements before planning your visit.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
October – November
Deepavali (Malaysia)
Deepavali, Malaysia’s Hindu festival of lights, celebrates the spiritual triumph of dharma over adharma, light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Known widely as Diwali, it is observed in Hindu traditions and has related forms in Jainism and Sikhism. The festival falls during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin and Kartika, usually from around mid-October to mid-November, and celebrations generally continue for five or six days. Visitors can experience the atmosphere of a significant religious and cultural holiday in Malaysia, while respecting local observances. Dates and public-holiday arrangements can vary, so check current official dates and arrangements before travelling.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
October – November
Deepavali (Singapore)
Deepavali, Singapore’s celebration of the Hindu Festival of Lights, reflects a tradition whose name and customs vary across Indian religions and communities. Diwali symbolises the spiritual victory of dharma over adharma, light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is generally observed over five or six days between around mid-October and mid-November, according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar. In Singapore’s diverse cultural setting, visitors can use the occasion to explore the festival’s religious meaning and its associations with figures such as Rama, Lakshmi and Ganesha. Local activities and arrangements may vary, so check current official dates and details before visiting.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
October – November
Diwali Festival of Lights
Diwali, naturally known as the Festival of Lights, is one of India’s major celebrations. Primarily Hindu, it is also observed in Jain and Sikh traditions, and symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Celebrations generally last five or six days between around mid-October and mid-November. Depending on the region, traditions may recall Rama’s return to Ayodhya or honor Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity. Visitors may see homes illuminated with clay lamps, colorful rangoli designs, fireworks, shared sweets, and family worship. Check current official dates and local arrangements before planning your visit.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
October – November
Tihar Festival of Lights
Tihar, Nepal’s five-day Festival of Lights, is a Hindu celebration honoring crows, dogs, cows, and oxen on successive days before turning to Laxmi puja. Homes and streets glow with oil lamps, creating a warm atmosphere of devotion and welcome. Visitors may encounter Deusi and Bhailo, traditional singing customs in which groups go door to door performing songs in exchange for blessings and gifts. The festival is commonly held between October and November, though the timing follows the lunar calendar. Check current official dates and local arrangements before planning your visit.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn morePublic holidays
2 events
October 1 – 7
National Day Golden Week
National Day Golden Week is China’s extended public holiday beginning around October 1, the country’s National Day. It commemorates the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Usually lasting seven consecutive days, it can extend to eight when the Mid-Autumn Festival falls nearby, with surrounding weekends adjusted to create the break. The period was designed partly to support domestic tourism and long-distance family visits. Visitors can expect greatly heightened travel activity, including busy journeys to destinations across the country. Check current official dates and local travel arrangements before planning, as the holiday calendar may vary.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn more
October 29
Turkish Republic Day
Turkish Republic Day, known locally as Cumhuriyet Bayramı, is Turkey’s public holiday commemorating the proclamation of the Republic on 29 October 1923. Celebrations begin at 1:00 pm on 28 October and continue for 35 hours, creating an extended period of national remembrance and public festivity. Visitors may encounter solemn commemorations honoring Atatürk alongside grand ceremonies, military parades, cultural events, and fireworks in cities across Turkey. Public spaces can feel especially lively and patriotic. Because schedules and arrangements may vary, check current official dates, local programs, transport information, and access details before travelling.
Data updated: 2026-07-08Learn moreSeasonal experiences
1 events
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