Festivals, races, and once-a-year moments from around the world that I want to see, join, or survive. Starred ones are already on The Roam Ahead. Dates move every year, so always check the official site before booking.
Legend: ★ = already on The Roam Ahead list. 📍 = ties to a place on Roman’s “Places I Want To Go” list. Timing is the usual pattern; confirm the exact year’s dates on the official site.
January
Event Where When Why Link Up Helly Aa Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland Last Tuesday of January A Viking fire festival: a torch-lit march ends with a full-size longship set on fire. https://www.uphellyaa.org
February
Event Where When Why Link Sapporo Snow Festival 📍 Sapporo, Japan Early February, about one week Giant snow and ice sculptures, some the size of buildings. https://www.snowfes.com/en/ Carnival of Venice 📍 Venice, Italy The two weeks or so before Lent (Feb, sometimes early Mar) Masks, costumes, and canals. https://www.carnevale.venezia.it/en/ Rio Carnival ★📍 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The days before Lent. 2027: Sambadrome parades Feb 7 to 9, champions parade Feb 13 The biggest party on earth: samba school parades plus street parties all over the city. https://www.liesa.com.br/carnaval/ Mardi Gras ★📍 New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Parade season builds to Fat Tuesday (2027: Feb 9) Parades, beads, brass bands, and costumes all over the city. https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com (visitor guide)
March
Event Where When Why Link Holi 📍 India (Mathura and Vrindavan are famous for it) Full moon in March The festival of colors: everyone throws colored powder at everyone. https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/festivals-and-events/holi SXSW ★ Austin, Texas, USA Mid-March Music, film, and tech all over Austin. https://www.sxsw.com St. Patrick’s Festival 📍 Dublin, Ireland Around March 17 The home-turf St. Paddy’s parade and a whole festival weekend. https://stpatricksfestival.ie Las Fallas 📍 Valencia, Spain March 1 to 19 (main days 15 to 19) Giant satirical sculptures get burned in the streets, with daily firework blasts. https://www.visitvalencia.com/en/fallas Cherry blossom season (Hanami) 📍 Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) Late March to early April, later further north Picnics under the sakura. Japan is #1 on Roman’s places list. https://www.japan.travel/en/see-and-do/cherry-blossom-forecast/
April
Event Where When Why Link Keukenhof tulip season 📍 Lisse, Netherlands Late March to mid-May Millions of tulips. Lisse tulip fields are on Roman’s places list. https://keukenhof.nl/en/ Songkran 📍 Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai) April 13 to 15 Thai New Year as a country-wide water fight. https://www.tourismthailand.org Coachella ★ Indio, California, USA Two weekends in April The big desert music festival, a day’s drive away. https://www.coachella.com KFMA Day ★ Arizona, USA Was a spring show (Mar to May); on hiatus since 2019 Hometown rock fest. Watch the station in case it comes back. https://www.kfma.com
June
Event Where When Why Link Bonnaroo ★ Manchester, Tennessee, USA Mid-June A four-day camping music festival. https://www.bonnaroo.com Midsummer 📍 Sweden (Smogen and the west coast) The Friday between June 19 and 25 Maypoles, flower crowns, and the sun barely sets. Smogen is #4 on Roman’s places list. https://visitsweden.com Inti Raymi 📍 Cusco, Peru June 24 The Inca Festival of the Sun at Saqsaywaman. Pair it with Machu Picchu (#7 on Roman’s list). https://www.emufec.gob.pe/inti-raymi Glastonbury Festival Pilton, Somerset, England Late June (skips some years) The legendary UK festival. https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
July
Event Where When Why Link San Fermin, Running of the Bulls ★📍 Pamplona, Spain July 6 to 14, bull runs at 8am on July 7 to 14 The world-famous bull run, plus a week-long street party. https://www.sanfermin.com/en/ Calgary Stampede 📍 Calgary, Alberta, Canada Early July, 10 days Rodeo and chuckwagon races. Banff and Jasper are about 1.5 hours away. https://www.calgarystampede.com Tour de France 📍 France July, about 3 weeks Watch from a mountain stage as the riders fly by. https://www.letour.fr/en/ Lollapalooza ★ Chicago, Illinois, USA Late July or early August A huge four-day festival in Grant Park. https://www.lollapalooza.com Vans Warped Tour ★ Several cities (2026 had 5 two-day stops in the US, Canada, and Mexico) Back since 2025; stops spread from June to November The pop punk and skate tour from Roman’s list, back from retirement. https://www.vanswarpedtour.com
August
Event Where When Why Link Edinburgh Festival Fringe 📍 Edinburgh, Scotland All of August The world’s biggest arts festival, with comedy everywhere. https://www.edfringe.com Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 📍 Edinburgh Castle, Scotland August Bagpipes and fireworks at the castle. Pairs with the Fringe and the Isle of Skye. https://www.edintattoo.co.uk La Tomatina ★📍 Bunol, near Valencia, Spain Last Wednesday of August (2027: Aug 25) An hour-long tomato fight with about 20,000 people. https://tomatina.es/en/ (ticket site)Burning Man ★ Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA Late August through Labor Day A temporary art city in the desert, built and then gone. https://burningman.org Northern Lights season opens ★📍 Fairbanks, Alaska and Iceland (Kirkjufell) Fairbanks about late Aug to mid-April; Iceland about Sep to April Shoot the aurora time-lapse from The Roam Ahead. https://www.explorefairbanks.com and https://www.visiticeland.com
September
Event Where When Why Link Oktoberfest 📍 Munich, Germany Mid or late September to the first Sunday of October The original beer festival. Pair it with the German castles on Roman’s list. https://www.oktoberfest.de/en
October
Event Where When Why Link Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Early October, 9 days Hundreds of hot air balloons at sunrise. An easy drive from Arizona for a first event video. https://balloonfiesta.com Dia de los Muertos 📍 Oaxaca, Mexico October 31 to November 2 Marigold altars, candlelit cemeteries, and parades. Mexico is close and already counts as a visited country. https://www.oaxaca.travel
November
Event Where When Why Link Yi Peng and Loy Krathong 📍 Chiang Mai, Thailand Full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month, usually November Thousands of lanterns floating up into the sky. https://www.tourismthailand.org
December
Event Where When Why Link Junkanoo 📍 Nassau, The Bahamas December 26 and January 1 A street parade with costumes, drums, and cowbells. The Bahamas are on Roman’s list. https://www.bahamas.com Sydney New Year’s Eve 📍 Sydney, Australia December 31 Among the first big countdowns, with harbour bridge fireworks. https://www.sydneynewyearseve.com Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 📍 Edinburgh, Scotland December 29 to January 1 A torchlight procession, a street party, and fireworks over the castle. https://www.edinburghshogmanay.com
Year-round / varies
Event Where When Why Link Street League Skateboarding (SLS) ★ Stops change every year Tour stops through the year, championship near the end Top-level street skating, with a nod to the years Roman skated as a kid. https://www.streetleague.com