10 of the best festivals

10 of the best festivals.

Schedule a little fun and festivity into your 2019 travel plans.

Rio de Janeiro carnival

Brazil. 2-9 March. Some of Rio’s famed street parties start at 7 am, so pack your stamina. The Sambadrome is where the dancers prance, while in the streets, revellers wear costumes.

Holi Festival of Colours

India. 20-21 March. Join residents in throwing a rainbow of coloured flour across their suburbs. Come spring, Holi is the Hindu celebration of colour, friendship and love, with ‘colour bombs’ bought in advance.

Coachella Music & Arts Festival

California, USA.12-14 and 19-21 April. The holy grail of music festivals, 2019 marks the event’s 20-year anniversary. 40˚C heat, dry desert and world-class sets pull in the A-list celebrities.

Scoppio del carro (Burning of the cart), Italy.

On Easter Sunday a nine metre antique cart is hauled to Florence’s Piazza del Duomo. Heaved by white oxen and accompanied by musicians and locals dressed in 15th century costume. An enormous firework display ensues and the bells of Giotto’s campanile ring out.

The International Isle of Man TT races

UK. 25 May-7 June. Dubbed one of the world’s most exciting racing events, every May motorcyclists navigate the Isle of Man’s tiny roads, reaching hairraising speeds of 331kmph.

Oberammergau Passion Play

Germany. May throughOctober 2020. Only occurring in the last year of each decade, this open-air production has been performed by the inhabitants of Oberammergau village since 1634. It’s over five hours long but everyone gets a dinner break at 5pm.

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

Tennessee, USA. June. An annual four-day music festival with 150 performances across more than 10 stages.

Secret Solstice

Iceland. June. Making the most of a sun that never sets, and home to the world’s first live performance inside a glacier, other venues include 5200 year old lava tunnels and geothermal pools.

Lisbon Sardine Festival

Portugal. June. The celebration of St. Anthony, also known as the Lisbon Sardine Festival, fills the streets with garlands, barbecues and pop-up bars. Visitors wander the laneways drinking beer, eating sardines and partying with the locals.

Burning Man

Nevada, USA. 26 August-3 September. The strict novendors policy means no money changes hands and everything must be shared or given away. Exploring community and selfexpression, the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy (“the Man”) draws huge crowds, and plenty of personalities. ■

HOT TIP

By SARA BALDWIN, House of Travel Orewa

“Queensland’s most stylish beach town, Noosa, hosts the annual Noosa Food and Wine Festival from 16-19 May. From beach barbies to street markets, join diehard foodies from all over for a three-day culinary event. You can even dine in seafronting tipis.”