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August is a month full of colorful festivals that bring people together through culture, music, art, and tradition. Festivals in August offer lively street parties to spiritual gatherings, and there are many memorable celebrations. You can enjoy dancing at a carnival, watching festivals illuminated by the moon, or being part of a global art movement. August has something special for every traveler. As we move into September, even more exciting festivals keep the fun going. With everything from food fights to film screenings, these events celebrate the joy and diversity of our world. Here are some of the most amazing festivals in August and September that make this time of year truly magical.
Top 10 Festivals In August Around The World
Festivals in August bring together people from different cultures to celebrate music, art, tradition, and joy. From vibrant carnivals to spiritual gatherings.
1. Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland
Photo: Festival Fringe Society / Wikimedia Commons
In the month of August, the entire city of Edinburgh comes to life as a center of culture for theatre, dance, comedy, and music. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world. It is filled with street performers and world nomads who make everyone laugh, thus making it exciting for art enthusiasts. From stand-up to experimental theatre, it has something for everyone. Since thousands of people attend the festival annually, this cultural event simply can’t be avoided when one is residing in Edinburgh city.
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Highlight: World’s largest arts festival
2. La Tomatina, Spain
Photo: flydime / Wikimedia Commons
Gone is the best part of the most thrilling August festival-a huge celebration on the penultimate Wednesday of the month. The tomato fight, in extremely exceptional situations, has turned into a huge tourist celebration now, is being remembered at Buñol in Spain. In the game of hitting one another with extremely juicy tomatoes during this celebratory activity, the streets of the town turn red. This festival is no longer to be enjoyed as simply fun, and it is a tourist attraction to be visited by everyone from the entire world.
Location: Buñol, Spain
Highlight: World’s biggest food fight
3. Notting Hill Carnival, England
Photo: robertsharp / Wikimedia Commons
The Notting Hill Carnival is Europe’s biggest street festival, which occurs annually in August as an affirmation and celebration of Caribbean culture in London. The parades that glisten, the steel bands, and the vibrantly colored costumes are now frequently utilized during the August Bank Holiday weekend. Reggae, calypso, and soca music accordingly fill the streets of Notting Hill as a consequence. Plantains are some of the traditional foods consumed on the day. Millions of onlookers attend this street party that cannot be avoided in August.
Location: London, England
Highlight: Largest Caribbean festival in Europe
4. Burning Man, USA
Photo: Tom Herck Erik Jamar / Wikimedia Commons
For that matter, as far as August, and even September, are concerned, the festival can be comfortably labeled as the precursor to other festivals of a similar nature. It is held in the Black Rock Desert of the state of Nevada and is all about art, music, and self-expression. Gigantic sculptures are constructed, and a temporary community based on such principles as inclusiveness and autonomy is established. The climax is when a giant wooden man is burned. It is the Burning Man’s sole explanation for transformation.
Location: Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
Highlight: Unique desert art festival
5. Oktoberfest, Germany
Photo: Richard Bartz / Wikimedia Commons
The Oktoberfest is a world-renowned beer fest; many love it as one of the biggest and most anticipated in the world. Ironically, however, it begins in late September. It runs 16 to 18 days long, with Bavarian music, cuisine, and, naturally, beer. Typical lederhosen-clad and dirndl-wearing visitors have enormous beer tents with a lot of gadgets and ornaments. Oktoberfest was celebrated so honorably because it was joyful in nature and so, gradually over the years, it became one of the finest world-famous cultural festivals with millions of tourists.
Location: Munich, Germany
Highlight: World’s largest beer festival
6. Mid-Autumn Festival, China & East Asia
Photo: Shizhao / Wikimedia Commons
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important three festivals of East Asia, together with that of China, which is held annually in September. The festival revolves around moon worship, mooncakes, and lantern lighting. The people also come together to enjoy the full moon, which is the icon of harmony and bliss. The cities are filled with colorful lanterns, and a Dragon dance is staged. Because the festival is focused around the mythical story of the moon goddess Chang,’ the festival is both mythic and significant.
Location: China
Highlight: Moon Worship
7. Obon Festival, Japan
Photo: Noelle Gillies / Wikimedia Commons
Obon Festival is a Japanese Buddhist tradition, honoring spirits of the dead. Lanterns are illuminated by families, folk dances known as Bon Odori are performed, and cemeteries are visited to show respect. The climax is in the form of floating lanterns released into rivers, symbolizing spirits returning to the world beyond. Grand festivals with fireworks and street entertainment occur in urban places like Kyoto and Tokyo. This deeply religious mid-August celebration unites remembrance with joy, and thus it is a unique cultural experience.
Location: Japan
Highlight: Lantern floating and Bon Odori dances
8. Ganesh Chaturthi, India
Photo: 03Ani03 / Wikimedia Commons
Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the important religious festivals in August-September celebrating Lord Ganesha. Beautifully ornamental idols of Ganesha are brought home by the devotees, worshipped, and immersed in water. The festivities are characterized by grand processions, music, and prayers. The festival may last up to ten days, and some of the most grand celebrations are seen in Mumbai. Devotion, camaraderie, and cultural recognitions are part and parcel of this festival, marked by bonding among people all over India.
Location: India
Highlight: Submersion of Lord Ganesha idols
9. Kandy Esala Perahera, Sri Lanka
Photo: Sachin Kaveesha Fernando / Wikimedia Commons
One of the largest Buddhist events in Sri Lanka in August, the Kandy Esala Perahera is a holy procession to worship the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. It is celebrated in Kandy in magnificent processions of lavishly dressed elephants, fire dancers, drummers, and traditional artistes. Colors and rhythm sweep the city as the faithful and tourists alike get to see the glamorous procession. The festival brings together religious enthusiasm and cultural spectacle, and it is a festival not to be missed during a visit to Sri Lanka.
Location: Kandy, Sri Lanka
Highlight: Grand elephant processions and fire dances
10. Feria De Málaga, Spain
Photo: Itelchan / Wikimedia Commons
Feria de Málaga in the city of Málaga, Spain, is Spain’s hot summer festival that honors the history and culture of Málaga. The fiestas have their origins dating back to the 15th century when Málaga was unified into Castile. Flamenco dancers walk around on streets accompanied and followed by horse parades, flamenco beats, and fireworks. Individuals conduct street performances by the day but night-lit dances by the evenings within the fairgrounds. Mid-August festival is one day never to be forgotten and filled with music, tradition, and joy.
Location: Málaga, Spain
Highlight: Flamenco shows and fireworks
Festivals in August are some of the most exciting and culturally vibrant experiences worldwide. Whether the artistic excellence of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the electricity of Notting Hill Carnival, or the religious meaning of Ganesh Chaturthi, these festivals unite people. As August becomes September, festivals like Burning Man and Mid-Autumn Festival keep the spirit going. From food battles to film festivals, each one of them has something special to offer. Book your travels, indulge in these fantastic celebrations, and make memories to last a lifetime. Find the best festivals with TripXL and make your travel experience memorable.
Cover Photo: Rod Ramsell / Unsplash
