September events around the world
Africa
Cure Salée, Niger
This traditional festival in the Agadez region comes just after the rains and sees men take part in a male beauty pageant, decorating their faces with paints to accentutate their best features
Hermanus Whale-Watching Festival, South Africa
South Africa’s whale watching capital celebrates the massive mammal for five days, with whale watching parties, concerts, cabaret nights and a craft fair
Imilchil Wedding Moussem, Morocco
This three day event sees members from the Ait Hadiddou tribe gather to find a partner and also marks the time when livestock no longer needs moving, so there’s a large market here too
Lake of Stars Festival, Malawi
Top African and European bands and DJs perform over three days on the banks of Lake Malawi
Umhlanga Dance, Swaziland
Thirty thousand women, dressed in traditional beaded skirts and sashes, head to Lobamba, home to the queen mother, to dance with swaying reeds above their heads in an effort to find a partner
Australasia & Pacific
Birdsville Races, Australia
Six thousand people head to Birdsville, in the desolate centre of Australia, for these horse races and the drinking at surrounding events
Henley-on-Todd Regatta, Australia
This boat race by Alice Springs, where there is no water, sees participants kick out the bottom of the boat and lift it, Flintstones-style, to run the course while wearing the boat
Europe
Bestival, United Kingdom
The Isle of Wight’s answer to the Glastonbury festival rounds off the summer season of music and camping with plenty of big name acts, cabaret, a cinema, sauna, circus acts, an inflatable church for weddings and fancy dress
Braemar Gathering, United Kingdom
The most famous of the Highland games take place in Braemar where 200,000 come to take part in tug-of-war, hill races, hammer throwing, stone putting and long jump
Cow Ball, Slovenia
This festival celebrates the return to the alpine Bohinj valley of local cattle – the cows are decorated in wreaths and paraded from Lake Bohinj to Govin waterfall, accompanied by herders, cheesemakers and milkmaids
Galway International Oyster Festival, Ireland
Galway celebrates the new oyster season over three days with various different events at which to drink, dance and guzzle the slippery treat
Giostra del Saracino, Italy
The four districts of Arezzo hold a jousting competition – the days begins with a large parade of people dressed as if in the fourteenth century, followed by a blessing on the Duomo steps and the jousting
Horn Dance, United Kingdom
Abbots Bromley, in the Midlands, celebrate with an 800-year-old pagan dance, carrying 1000-year-old deer antlers on their shoulders – a hobby horse, Robin Hood archer and Maid Marian follow the six ‘deer men’ along the 16km circuit
Ibiza Closing Parties, Ibiza, Spain
The summer clubbing season finally comes to an end, with the main promoters and venues organising marathon parties, mostly attracting the older crowd
Kitesurf Pro, Spain
Tarifa, on Spain’s southern tip, has become one of the hot-spots for windsurfers and kitesurfers and now hosts an event from the kitesurfing world tour, attracting both surfer girls and the boho-luxe crowd who gasp at the aquabatics
Les Festes de la Mercè, Spain
Barcelona celebrates the Vigin of Mercy with more than 600 events across the Catalan capital, including swimming across the harbour, a fun run, free concerts, parades of giants and human pyramids
Palio of Asti, Italy
Asti’s bareback horserace is less well known than Siena’s, but remains a similar event, with races taking place in the main square and an earlier parade and flag-waving competition
Regatta Storica, Italy
Venice holds rowing races on the Grand Canal throughout the summer, but this is the most famous and begins with a parade of boats decked out as 16th century vessels, manned by crews in period costume
Oktoberfest, Germany
The famous German celebration of all things ale is officially the world’s largest public festival – with seven million people coming to drink more than four million litres of bee
San Sebastian Film Festival, Spain
A younger, hipper and more accessible version of Cannes, the San Sebastian Film Festival is similarly star-studded and richly curated and takes place in equally beautiful surrounds
Far East
Mid-Autumn Festival, China
China’s harvest festival, also known as the Moon Cake Festival, sees people eat all sorts of sweet cakes in the lead up to the main day, when the full moon appears in September – parties and dragon dances are also held
Indian Subcontinent & Indian Ocean
Dasain, Nepal
Nepal’s biggest annual festival occurs during monsoon season, when the sky is clear and the air clean – followers sacrifice animals for Durga, a Hindu deity, in a celebration of victory over evil
Ganesh Festival, India
The elephant-headed deity is particularly revered in Maharashtra and Pune celebrates his birth each year with a big parade of drummers and musician
Janmastami, India
A mass pilgrimage marks the start of several other festivities in celebration of Lord Krishna’s birthday, with the most riotous events taking place in Mathura, Krishna’s birthplace
Latin America
Belize National Day, Belize
Belize’s National Day festivities actually last three weeks, and involves carnival parades, fireworks and all-night parties on the beach – all to commemorate the departure of the Spanish in 1798
North America
Aloha Festivals, Hawaii, United States of America
The Hawaiian islands celebrate their culture over two months, in the only statewide festival in the US – see traditional ukulele music and hula dancing of the Big Island, and experience block parties on Oahu and Maui
Atlantic Antic, United States of America
Brooklyn, New York, celebrates its multi-culturalism with one of the city’s best parties, little-known but more than 30 years old – there’s all kinds of music and dancing, including R&B, bluegrass, alt-rock, folk, burlesque, punk and go-go
Burning Man, United States of America
This music festival is held in the dry lakebed of Black Rock City, where temperatures can easily exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so its no wonder it attracts a diverse crowd
Farm Aid, United States of America
The longest-running benefit concerts in America started out after Bob Dylan suggested a similar event to Live Aid was put on for America’s family farms, which had been struggling – big names come to play in rural centres across the country
New Mexico State Fair, United States of America
Albuquerque hosts five days of cowboy camaraderie, with the chance to try out cowboy gear, ride a full size bull, watch the rodeo events and tell tales with the good ol’ boys
Pendleton Round-Up United States of America
The world’s largest four-day rodeo event includes wild bronco and steer-wrestling contests, as well as tomahawk-throwing, greased pig-catching and riding buckin’ broncos
