Planning Ahead for 2019

JANUARY

Jan 5 - End of Feb

Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival | Harbin, Heilongjiang, China

A winter wonderland like no other with four theme parks showcasing ice/ snow sculptures and illuminated ice buildings.

Jan 16 - 20

Cayman Cookout | Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Join top chefs and wine experts for the 11th annual Cayman Cookout featuring demonstrations, tours, tastings and dinners sure to entice your taste buds.

Jan 24 - 27

The Arctic Light Festival | Tromsø, Norway

A great way to see the Northern Lights and become acquainted with Norwegian culture through dance performances and concerts!

FEBRUARY

Feb 1 - 2

Extreme Beer Fest | Boston, Massachusetts, USA

120 brewers with 400- plus beers on tap will leave beer connoisseurs thirsty for more. But there’s a catch – the beer is exclusive to the event and available for one day only.

Feb 16 – Mar 5

Carnavale Di Venezia | Venice, Italy

Three million visitors partake, and you won’t be able to tell who’s who since Venetians and tourists alike hide behind elaborate costumes and masks.

Feb 26

Grand Canyon National Park Celebration | Grand Canyon National Park, USA

The park is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, hosts nearly six million visitors each year, and celebrates its 100th birthday in 2019!

MARCH

Mar 2 - 5

Battle of the Oranges | Ivrea, Italy

When life gives you 500,000 pounds of oranges, use them to reenact a 12th century battle between commoners and a tyrant ruler. (Spoiler: the commoners won.)

Mar 2

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race | Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, USA

Mushers with a team of 16 dogs compete in this long-distance race which lasts 8-15 days (or longer) through blizzard conditions, subzero temperatures and powerful winds.

Mar 21

Elephant Festival | Jaipur, India

Held on the day of Holi, the festival features elephant polo, elephant dance, and processions of elephants embellished in vibrant colors, jhools (saddle cloth) and extravagant jewelry.

APRIL

Apr 13 - 16

Songkran Festival | Chaing Mai or Bangkok, Thailand

Celebrate the Thai New Year by taking part in a country-wide water gun fight. The main party in Bangkok, called Silom, takes place along one street, four kilometers in length.

Apr 28 - May 1

National Cheese Festival | Trujillo, Spain

At the largest cheese fair in the world, festivalgoers won’t have to roam far to find their favorite gouda, brie, and everything in between.

MAY

May 21 - 29

Chelsea Flower Show | London, England

The perfect getaway for anyone with a green thumb! If lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the Royal Family.

May 27

Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling | Brockworth, England

Considered one of the world’s seven most bizarre ‘Feats of Strength’ events where 40 contestants race downhill after a ninepound rolling wheel of cheese.

JUNE

Jun 22 - 30

Napoli Pizza Village | Naples, Italy

If you consider cheese, dough and tomato sauce a food group of its own, then look no further. Along with witnessing the 2019 World Pizza- Making Championship, you can join Naples in celebrating its 300th pie-loving year.

Jun 24

Inti Raymi | Cusco, Peru

Also known as The Festival of Sun, Inti Raymi is a 600-year-old Inca celebration with a week’s worth of music, dancing, street fairs, colorful processions and feasts fit for the gods.

Jun 29 - 30

Haro Wine Festival | Haro, Spain

Not a wine drinker? Not to worry. The Haro Wine Festival includes a water gun fight … but instead of water, they shoot wine.

JULY

Jul 10 - 28

Just For Laughs | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The largest international comedy festival in the world with a simple mission to “make people happy.”

Jul 26 - 28

Gilroy Garlic Festival | Gilroy, California, USA

As if your mouth wasn’t watering already, the festival’s claim to fame is their “Pyro Chef” flame-up show where garlic-laced calamari and scampi is prepared in massive iron skillets.

Jul 26 - Aug 11

2019 Pan American Games | Lima, Peru

As the second-largest multi-sport event after The Olympics, this year’s games will bring together 41 countries and approximately 6,700 athletes.

AUGUST

Aug 25 - Sep 2

Burning Man | Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA

Participants join to cocreate Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to community and art.

Aug 31 - Sep 1

Braderie De Lille Flea Market | Lille, France

Dating back to the 12th century, the annual street/flea market hosts over 10,000 sellers and several million visitors.

SEPTEMBER

Sep 1 - 30

Totally Thames | Thames River, London, England

See London’s famous river brought to life with free vibrant programs of river-inspired art, live performances, boat races and more.

Sep 13 - 22

Jane Austen Festival | Bath, England

Whether literature buffs or Austen enthusiasts, visitors will feel as though they’ve stepped back in time to the 18th Century.

Sep 21

Rhine in Flames | St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, Germany

More than ten thousand visitors gather to celebrate the annual wine festival highlighted by a spectacle of light – a firework display along the Rhine River banks.

OCTOBER

Oct 5 - 13

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta | Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

As the largest hot air balloon festival in the world, it’s the perfect destination for kids of all ages.

Oct 7 - 13

Nuuk Nordic Kulterfestival | Nuuk, Greenland

The biennial culture festival includes more than 200 artists and musicians along with workshops, seminars and debates aimed at inspiring attendees and artists alike.

Oct 16 - 20

Frankfurt Book Fair | Frankfurt, Germany

Publishing experts, writers, and cultural enthusiasts join for ground-breaking agreements, innovative presentations, and literature discoveries.

NOVEMBER

Nov 6 - 9

Iceland Airwaves | Reykjavik, Iceland

This eclectic mix of musical showcases began in an airplane hangar in 1999 and has since evolved into a five-day festival held throughout various intimate venues.

Nov 10 - 12

Bon Om Touk | Tonle Sap River, Cambodia

Celebrate the return of the Tonle Sap River to its normal direction after reversing during the rainy season. Festivities include moon salutations, fireworks and boat races.

DECEMBER

December 1 - 31

Ljubljana Christmas Market | Ljubljana, Slovenia

Festive decorations, lighting displays, boat cruises, events, food, wine, and shopping markets make the historic city center perfect for ringing in the holiday season.

Dec 31

Sydney New Year's Eve | Sydney, Australia

The internationally known firework display is synchronized to popular music from the past and present bringing both a feeling of nostalgia and hope for the year that lies ahead.

Dec 31

Niagara Falls New Year's Eve | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Fireworks can be seen from both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, but the true party takes place in Queen Victoria Park with an all-night concert and firework displays lighting up the Niagara Gorge.