PalenQ

Part of the joy of traveling Europe for decades now is the chance of seeing and taking it some of Europe's most popular and famous festivals.

Here are my top favorite festivals I have had the luck to attend - what are yours?
(In no real order of ranking)

QUEEN'S DAY - AMSTERDAM (One day in late April; now called King's Day)

OCTOBERFEST - MUNICH (Mid September to first days in October)

NEW YEAR'S EVE - AMSTERDAM (Dec 31 - not an official festival)

BLACKPOOL LIGHTS - BLACKPOOL, ENGLAND (August- November)

FESTIVAL LA MERCE - Barcelona (September ?)

GENTSE FESTIVAL - Gent, Belgium (July ?)

SINTERKLASS DAY (ST NICHOLAS' DAY) - AMSTERDAM (October)

NOTTING HILL FESTIVAL - LONDON - (August Bank Holiday)

CARNIVAL - VENICE - (six weeks before Easter ?)

MOSEL WINE FESTIVALS - various dates

GAY DAYS - AMSTERDAM (Last week August and first of July)

These are my favorite festival memories - ones I would like to see: Hogmanay, Edinburgh; Edinburgh Tattoo Off Festival; Midsummer's Night, Scandinavia; La Tomatina, Spain; the Love Parade, Berlin (now defunct I believe); Wife Tossing Festival, Finland; Tour de France stage and Paris arrival; Holy Week - Rome).

WHAT FAVORITE FESTIVALS HAVE YOU TAKEN IN - THAT YOU LIKED! Which Ones Are on Your Wish List?

hetismij2

Sinterklaas day is in December not October. He arrives in the Netherlands by boat in the middle of November.

Gay Pride Amsterdam is end July, beginning August. The Canal parade is on august 2nd this year. The main events are 1-3rd August.

Carnaval in Maastricht is worth visiting, or in any of the southern towns and cities in the Netherlands.

I enjoyed a small fiesta in La Palma, San Antonio del Monte in Garafia. Lots of locals enjoying themselves and showing off their livestock and the local dog breed (we have one which is why we went!). The Almond blossom festival is also good fun, but very much a moveable feast.

dotheboyshall

Edinburgh FestivalS

WOMAD

Esala Perahera

That one I came across in the Picos de Europa where FAR too much was drunk

hetismij2

Oh another good one is Sail Amsterdam, every 5 years when the tall ships come to the city. Next year is a Sail year. This year they will be in Harlingen - next week! I was hoping to get up there as my son will be taking trips on his ship, but DH is going away for work so I probably won't go on my own.

PalenQ

Sinterklaas day is in December not October. He arrives in the Netherlands by boat in the middle of November.>

thanks for correction - I was talking about the event where Sinterklaas comes into Amsterdam - on canal barges - I saw it and it was in October - so not Sinterklaas Day but some weeks before it - what would I call that day. It was a lot of fun with all the bands on boats and Sinterklaas arriving.

I took the train to Utrecht that same day and saw a similar awesome canal boat parade with another Sinterklaas - well he can get around we know that!

Dank u (very) wel!

StCirq

The Félibrée in the Périgord.

Cowboy1968

Berlin's Carnival of Cultures is probably one of the largest festivals in town celebrating the different nationalities which live there.. it usually has around 1mn spectators, but as the route of the parade is quite long, it is mostly a very relaxed atmosphere and not too crowded
http://www.visitberlin.de/en/event/0...-cultures-2014

IMDonehere

White Sneaker American Day celebrated throughout Europe. Dates depend on the highest number of cruises. Parades and gifts usually fanny packs and Rick Steves guides.

hetismij2

Pal he usually arrives around mid November, never as early as October. This year he officially arrives in the Netherlands from Spain on Saturday 15th November in Gouda. He arrives in many towns villages and cities the same day, by boat if possible, though in our town, since we don't have a convenient bit of water, he arrives by helicopter. He arrives in Amsterdam on the 16th this year.

PalenQ

thanks hetismij - I guess I was in Amsterdam then in mid November to have witnessed it - I thought it was earlier - but it is a fun fun event with families and everyone having a good time.

Sassafrass

Fasnacht in Basel, Switzerland is the most exciting outdoor event that I have seen. Simply amazing and beautiful costumes, and glowing, gigantic painted lanterns, plus the fact that it starts in the wee hours of the morning in darkness makes it mysterious. Nearby fire festivals add to the experience. Held the first Monday through Thursday after Ash Wednesday.

mr_go

No one has mentioned Glastonbury yet, and it's happening this weekend.

Surfergirl

OK, mr-go, since my main purpose in life is going to rock music festivals in Europe:
1. Glastonbury

2. Montreux Jazz Festival (mainly for the rock music days)

3. Golden Rose Festival (which is no more, but until Frank Zappa burnt the place down, this was a rock festival held at the end of April in the Casino at Montreux.) -- Temporary quarters were established, the Casino rebuilt, but the rock festival kind of fell apart.

4. Jazz a Juan (for the blues, and the rock festival that takes place right after the jazz festival)

5. V-Festival (Only been to Chelmsford)

6. Rock en Seine (take a guess where!)

7. BST Hyde Park (London)

8. Salzburg Festival (where else can you go for one night of Mozart and another of Lou Reed, before he died?!?)

9. St. Olav Festival (Trondheim, Norway) -- just because this is the coolest "trad" festival ever in the prettiest place on earth!

10. Montepertuso Festival (and the legend of the pierced mountain!) -- high above Positano.

One's I haven't been to that I think would be fun:

Any Celtic music concert in Brittany that hosts Allan Stivel.

Isle of Wight Festival.

Festival Number 6 in Portmeirion (you have to be an admirer of The Prisoner to understand this!).

danon

IMD,
lol

IMDonehere

Thanks Danon. Things are too serious here.

JulieVikmanis

I'm amazed that no one has mentioned the Palio in Siena, or the donkey Palio at the truffle fest in Alba.

We're looking forward to the Fete des Lumieres on the 8th of December in Lyon. They light up the entire town in a sort of sound and light show. You tube videos look fantastic.

We loved the Salzburg NYEve festival. Wonderful fireworks, dancing in the streets, beer tents everywhere and lighted buildings--not to mention wonderful food huts everywhere.

Cranachin

Grunnslovsdagen (Constitution Day), aka 17. mai (17th of May)

It's Norway's national day (similar to July 4 in the US or July 1 in Canada), and every city and town has festivities. Chief among them is the children's parade (barnetog), which includes just about every schoolboy and -girl in town, from kindergarteners through high-schoolers. Many wear their nation dress, and there is tons of flag-waving by both marchers and spectators.

Biggest parades are in the big cities (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, etc.) but even in small towns the whole community turns out.

---

Ribarski dani (Old Fishermen's Days or Fishing Days), Kopačevo, Croatia (mid-September)

This village near Osijek hosts what began about 20 years ago as a local festival celebrating the "old ways" of fishing and preparing fish that otherwise might die out. The area has both Croatian and Hungarian influences, and you see that mix in the food that is served, the folk dances, and even the street signs (in both languages).

It's not a huge major festival, but it is a lot of fun. It's not overrun with tourists, and you get a neat glimpse into the local culture and can eat really well—besides the main area that features fish dishes and some wild game, there are stalls along the streets that sell various desserts, along with local produce both fresh and canned/preserved (peppers, jams, etc.). There is also folk dancing (some of it quite good) and art/craft items for sale.

Odin

Battle of Flowers - Jersey
Limassol Wine Festival - Cyprus
Midsummer in Scandinavia

PalenQ

London's Notting Hill Festival is amazing but this one ain't for everyone!

First of all the crowds are horrendous and though I walked thru the whole thing it was a struggle at points, being uncomfortably congested - a scene that makes me feel on edge - and I guess if not into Caribbean music and culture it may not appeal at all.

But the many floats with colorfully clad folks on them are great.

but be warned - crowds are a real problem when huge crowds descens on a very compact area.

ileen

Thrilled to see this thread.
Going to be in Venice Sat. Sun. July 19,20 and wondering if this would be the weekend of Festa Della Redentore.
Has anyone attended this?
Love to hear any details and is it fun to attend?
Have a great day and thanks for your help.