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Japan to Peru: The best festivals to experience in 2026

Festivals are the best way to celebrate life in all its variety. What better way to experience this than to join in some of the biggest parties around the world? From street dances to snow rafting, here are 12 top festivals you need to join in 2026.

Author: Aimee White - Copywriter at Explore Worldwide
Updated: 28 July 2025

 

Get ready to explore the best festivals around the world in 2026. From ancient rituals Thimphu Festival like to vibrant parades like Songkran, 2026 promises a spectacular lineup of amazing cultural celebrations around the world.

 

Whether you're drawn to music, food or tradition, these internatiional festivals offer unforgettable, authentic experiences.

 

We've highlighted some of the biggest cultural events in the world that we visit on our festival small group tours. Read on for more:

  1. Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan
  2. Hornbill Festival, Nagaland, India
  3. Naadam Festival, Mongolia
  4. Inti Raymi, Peru
  5. Thimpu Festival, Bhutan
  6. Day of the Dead, Mexico
  7. Semana Santa, Guatemala
  8. Voodoo Festival, Benin
  9. Pushkar Camel Fair, India
  10. Medellin Flower Festival, Colombia
  11. Akwasidae Festival, Ghana
  12. Songkran, Thailand

1. Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan

Some 75 years in the running, Sapporo Snow Festival takes place in Sapporo, the capital city of Japan's northern Hokkaido region. This popular winter event takes place in early February each year and is split into three sites. Odori Park displays snow sculptures of all sizes, Susukino district holds an ice sculpture contest, and the Tsudome Site offers even more family-friendly fun with a tube slide and snow rafting. There's something for everyone here – just make sure you wrap up warm!

Sapporo Snow Festival 2026 dates: 4-11 February

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Two people stand inside an ice cave, illuminated by vibrant pink and green lights, surrounded by thick, jagged ice formations. One person wears a blue beanie, while the other has a backpack.

2. Hornbill Festival, Nagaland, India

The Hornbill Festival is a riot of parades, performances, art and crafts, traditional games, religious ceremonies and more. Several tribes reside in the state of Nagaland, northeastern India, and come together each year to hold this exhilarating festival. Taking place in Kisama (near Kohima) in the first week of December, the festival reinforces Nagaland's unique identity, showcasing the tribal peoples culture and traditions.

 

We spend two full days at the Hornbill Festival, giving you plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere, pick up a few handicrafts and try local treats, like the famed naga chilli.


Hornbill Festival 2026 dates: 1-10 December

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People wearing traditional, colorful attire with feathered headdresses perform a dance. They're in an outdoor setting, surrounded by onlookers. The detailed costumes feature vibrant patterns and accessories.

3. Naadam Festival, Mongolia

Naadam Festival focuses on three traditional games: horseracing, wrestling and archery. Everyone is encouraged to participate in this national festival, with children among the sportspeople. Connected to the nomadic Mongol civilization, Naadam takes place every July. Celebrations also include Bie biyelgee dances, Mrin khuur fiddle performances and oral traditions including Kjöömei overtone singing and long song. Embrace a community of togetherness at this UNESCO-listed festival.

 

On our Mongolia Explorer small group trip, you'll attend the festival's opening celebrations and games, which includes ankle bone shooting and local Naadam horse racing.



Naadam Festival 2026 dates: 11-15 July

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Archers in traditional attire draw bows in unison on a grassy field during a cultural event, with colorful clothing and a focused stance emphasizing precision and coordination.

4. Inti Raymi, Peru

Meaning "Festival of the Sun" in Quechua language, Inti Raymi is one of Cusco's most important events. It's celebrated on 24 June - the day of the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice - with hundreds of actors, dancers and musicians recreating the Tahuantinsuyo celebration to honour the Sun God. The festival started in 1430 during the Incan Empire, before it was banned by Spanish conquerors in 1572 and finally resumed in 1944. The route starts at Qorikancha, continues to the Main Square and ends at the imposing Sacsayhuaman fortress – we witness the Inti Raymi celebrations on the penultimate day of our Peru small group tour.


Inti Raymi 2026 dates: 24 June

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People dressed in ornate, colorful costumes and masks, walking in a festive procession. They wear intricate headpieces and hold decorative items. The background shows other participants and spectators in an outdoor setting.

5. Thimpu Festival, Bhutan

One of the largest events in the Bhutanese calendar, due to it taking place in the capital, Thimphu Festival draws locals and tourists alike. Before the festival itself, there are days and nights of rituals and prayers to invoke the gods. These are then followed by street dances in which performers wear masks and enact stories and myths. It's a mesmerising spectacle and the atmosphere is electric – see it for yourself on our Festivals of Bhutan tour.

Thimphu Festival 2026 dates: 21-23 September
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A performer in an elaborate, colorful mask and costume poses dramatically outdoors, surrounded by greenery and flowers, evoking a traditional or cultural festival scene.

6. Day of the Dead, Mexico

El dia de los muertos, as the festival is known in Spanish, has been around for nearly 3,000 years; though the festivities have changed over time. Nowadays the Day of the Dead is celebrated on 2 November in Mexico, with street parades, fancy dress (the skull faces are a vibrant display here and an iconic symbol of the festival worldwide); and offerings of food and drink are made, for the dead and living to enjoy together on this special day.

Day of the Dead 2026 dates: 1-2 November
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Figures dressed as skeletons wear elaborate, colorful costumes and large hats adorned with flowers, standing in a group during a festive outdoor event against a backdrop of red architecture and blue sky.

7. Semana Santa, Guatemala

This week-long festival follows the last week of lent, with reenactments of pivotal scenes from the Bible held at various points in the city throughout the week. The most spectacular, and often most moving (which are on Good Friday) is when the procession follows the bright and intricately-patterned flower and sawdust carpets through the streets of Antigua for all to observe and pay homage. You can watch one of the processions and learn about the flower carpets that line the streets on our small group tour.

Semana Santa 2026 dates: 29 March-5 April
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A hand arranges vibrant, multicolored sawdust into intricate patterns on the ground, creating a lively and colorful design as part of an outdoor decorative activity.

8. Voodoo Festival, Benin

Benin's Voodoo festival takes place each year on 10 January. Thousands of people (including Chiefs and Priests) take part in ceremonies on this national day of celebration. Watch West Africa's most colourful celebration on our Benin and Togo Discovery tour as processions, motorbikes and traditional 'taxi-brousse' wind towards the Door of No Return. Voodoo worshippers from around the world will also be in attendance, and the festival crescendoes with the Dagbo Houno (the chief Voodoo priest) who honours the spirits. This Voodoo festival marks the start of Benin's festival season – it's truly unmissable!

Voodoo Festival 2026 dates: 10 January
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Colorful, elaborately dressed figures adorned in intricate beaded and embroidered costumes stand and sit outside a rustic, clay-walled building, exuding a traditional, cultural ceremonial ambiance.

9. Pushkar Camel Fair, India

The Pushkar Camel Fair brings together large numbers of people to marvel at the highly decorated camels and wander among the food and handicraft stalls to the sounds of instruments played by local musicians. It's a fantastic experience simply to soak up the ambience and chat to the locals who are more than willing to share their time and stories with visitors.

Pushkar Camel Fair 2026 dates: 17-24 November
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A herd of camels stands on sandy terrain during sunset. A person in colorful attire guides them with a stick, mountains visible in the background.

10. Medellin Flower Festival, Colombia

Colombia's La Feria de las Flores is a vibrant flower festival celebrated during July and August each year. The fair began as a way to celebrate and showcase the work of the local farmers. Today, the final day of the celebrations is dedicated to them. Vibrant homemade silleteros (chairs covered with floral displays) are carried on the farmers backs in the hopes of winning the accolade of best design. This lively show is is well worth a look.

Medellin Flower Festival 2026 dates: 1-10 August
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People carry large, colorful flower arrangements on wooden frames, walking in a festive parade. The vibrant flowers include reds, yellows, and whites, creating a lively, celebratory atmosphere.

11. Akwasidae Festival, Ghana

Celebrated in accordance with the Ashanti calendar, the Akwasidae Festival is one of Ghana's most eye-opening festivals. The celebrations take place at the Royal Palace in Kumasi, where the Ashanti King (adorned in vivid cloth and ornate historic jewellery) sit beneath a colourful umbrella and surrounded by Ashanti elders and advisors. 

Sword and knife bearers, carriers of beautiful ostrich feathers and other symbols of power attend the Akwasidae Festival. There's a cacophany of sound and visuals as drummers and trumpeters, storytellers and dancers complete the experience. 

Akwasidae Festival 2026 dates: Throughout the year, held every six weeks
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A person in ceremonial attire sits on a throne under an umbrella. Two individuals kneel, playing traditional instruments, while another stands holding a staff, all against a backdrop of a building.

12. Songkran, Thailand

Songkran marks the Thai New Year and is one of the most exhilerating festivals in the country. What began as a traditional celebration of renewal has essentially transformed into a nationwide water fight, where streets fill with parades, processions and good cheer. Getting soaked isn't just fun, it's symbolic, as water represents cleansing, renewal and good fortune for the year ahead. Find out more about visiting Songkran here. Join us for this unforgettable festival on our Best of Northern Thailand tour, with a departure date timed perfectly to coincide with Songkran. It's the perfect way to dive into Thai culture – literally!

Songkran 2026 dates: 13-15 April
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Don't just travel, Explore!

Our dedicated festival tours take you across the world, from Africa to South America. Join one of our small group festival tours and experience a country in a whole new light and deeper understanding. With the help of your expert tour leader, you'll uncover an even more authentic side to a destination, and get to access parts of a festival other visitors wouldn't typically get to see.
View our festival tours

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