Festivals and celebrations in France and around the world
2026 calendar of cultural events
Year 2026
January
28 December to 6 January (every year): Blacks and Whites Carnival of San Juan de Pasto, Colombia
1 January: New Year's Day
1 January: National Independence Day in Haiti
1 January: Day of the Revolution in Cuba
2 January: Science Fiction Day
2 January: Ancestors' Day in Haiti
2 January: Saint Berthold's Day, in the German-speaking areas of Switzerland
4 January: World Braille Day
11 January: Golden Globe Awards ceremony, in Beverly Hills
6 January: Epiphany
6 January: World Day of War Orphans
7 January to 3 February: January sales
14 to 16 January (every year): Jaipur Kite Festival (India)
19 January: Martin Luther King Day (USA), every year on the 3rd Monday of the month
21 January: Hug Day
26 January: International Customs Day
26 January: Australia's national day (Australia Day)
26 January: Republic Day in India
27 January: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
31 January to 17 February: Venice Carnival
February
1-2 February: Tu BiShvat, Jewish festival
2 February: Candlemas
4 February: World Cancer Day
4 February: Independence Day in Sri Lanka
4 to 11 February: Snow Festival, Sapporo (Japan)
5 February: Unity Day in Burundi
6 February: New Zealand's national day
6 February: International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
7 to 17 February: Kurentovanje Carnival (Slovenia)
11 February: National day (victory of the Revolution) in Iran.
11 February to 1 March: Nice Carnival
12 to 17 February: Cologne Carnival (Germany)
12 to 18 February: Barcelona Carnival (Spain)
13 February: World Radio Day
14 February: Valentine's Day, lovers' day
16 and 17 February: Carnival (Trinidad and Tobago)
17 February: Chinese New Year
17 February: Mardi Gras
17 February: Annular solar eclipse
18 February: Ash Wednesday
18 February to 2 April: Lent
20 February: World Day of Social Justice
21 February: International Mother Language Day
24 February: National day in Estonia, Independence Day.
13 February to 21 February: Rio de Janeiro Carnival (Brazil)
March
1 March: Zero Discrimination Day
1 March: Grandmothers' Day
1 March: International Civil Defence Day
1 March: Independence Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina
1 to 19 March: Fallas of Valencia (Spain)
2 to 3 March: Jewish festival of Purim
3 March: World Wildlife Day
3 March: World Hearing Day
3 March: Bulgaria's national day
4 March: International Day for the Fight against Sexual Exploitation
6 March: Independence Day in Ghana
8 March: International Women's Day
9 March (2nd Monday of the month): Commonwealth Day
11 March: World Plumbing Day
11 March: Day of Restoration of Lithuanian Statehood in Lithuania.
11 March: European Day for Victims of Terrorism, in memory of the 2004 Madrid attacks.
12 March: World Day Against Cyber Censorship
14 March: Pi Day, celebration of the letter
14 March: Holi Colour Festival (India)
14 March: Constitution Day in Andorra
15 March: World Consumer Rights Day
15 March: International Day Against Police Brutality
15 March: Oscars ceremony (USA)
17 March: St Patrick's Day
19 March: National Day of Remembrance for the civilian and military victims of the Algerian War and the fighting in Tunisia and Morocco, in France.
19 to 20 March: Eid al-Fitr (feast of breaking the fast)
20 March: International Day of Happiness
20 March: International Day of La Francophonie
21 March: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21 March: World Poetry Day
21 March: International Day of Nowruz
21 March: World Down Syndrome Day
21 March: International Day of Forests and the Tree
22 March: World Water Day
22 March: Abolition of Slavery Day in Puerto Rico
23 March: World Meteorological Day
23 March: National day in Pakistan
24 March: World Tuberculosis Day
24 March: International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
25 March: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
25 March: Annunciation
25 March: International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members
25 March: Procrastination Day
25 March: Freedom Day in Belarus.
16 March: Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Destiny
26 March: Purple Day to raise awareness of epilepsy
29 March to 5 April: Semana Santa (Spain)
27 March: World Theatre Day
31 March: International Transgender Day of Visibility
April
1 April: April Fools' Day
2 April: World Autism Awareness Day
4 April: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
4 April: National day in Senegal, marking independence from France in 1960
6 April: International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
7 April: Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwandan Genocide
7 April: World Health Day
8 April: International Roma Day
11 April: World Parkinson's Disease Day
11 to 13 April: Paris Book Festival (France)
2 to 10 April: Passover - Jewish festival
12 April: International Day of Human Space Flight
29 March: Palm Sunday
14 April: Youth Day in Angola
16 April: Emancipation Day - Washington DC/District of Columbia (USA)
2 April: Maundy Thursday
3 April: Good Friday
12 April: Orthodox Easter
6 April: Easter Monday
22 April: International Mother Earth Day
23 April: World Book and Copyright Day
14 April: Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Remembrance Day
23 April: English Language Day
25 April: La Festa di San Marco, Feast of St Mark in Venice (Italy)
25 April: World Malaria Day
25 April: DNA Day
25 April: Administrative Professionals' Day (United States)
25 April: Liberation Day - Festa della Liberazione - National day (Italy)
26 April: World Intellectual Property Day
27 April: King's Day (Koningsdag) in Amsterdam (Netherlands)
28 April: World Day for Safety and Health at Work
29 April: International Dance Day
29 April: Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
30 April: International Jazz Day
30 April: World Mobility and Accessibility Day
May
1 May: Labour Day
22 April: Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel's Independence Day
3 May: World Press Freedom Day
31 May: Mother's Day
4 May: International Firefighters' Day
4 May: (informal) Star Wars Day, in tribute to George Lucas's universe
5 May: MayDay
5 May: Europe Day
6 May: World Password Day
6 May: International No Diet Day
7 May: World AIDS Orphans Day
8 May: 1945 Armistice
8-9 May: Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for those who lost their lives during the Second World War
10 May: World Lupus Day
12 May to 3 June: Prague Spring International Music Festival (Czech Republic)
12 May: "Vesak", the full moon day, Buddhist celebration
12 to 16 May: Eurovision Song Contest, Vienna (Austria)
12 to 23 May: Cannes Film Festival (France)
13 May: World Migratory Bird Day
13 May: World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development
14 May: Ascension Day
15 May: International Day of Families
15 May: International Conscientious Objection Day
15 to 16 May: Lag BaOmer
16 May: International Day of Light
17 May: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
16 May: European Night of Museums
18 May: International Museum Day
20 May: World Metrology Day
20 May: Cameroon's national day
21 May: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
22 to 24 May: Budapest Spring Festival (Hungary)
22 to 24 May: Shavuot
22 May: International Day for Biological Diversity
23 May: International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
24 May: International Missing Children's Day
24 May: World Africa Day
25 May: Whit Monday
25 to 30 May: Hajj
27 and 28 May: Eid al-Adha
29 May: International Day of UN Peacekeepers
29 May: Neighbours' Day
31 May: World No Tobacco Day
June
1 June: Global Day of Parents
2 June: World Responsible Tourism Day
4 June: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
4 to 8 June: Distortion - emerging dance music and orchestrated chaos, Copenhagen (Denmark)
5 to 7 June: Rock am Ring / Rock Im Park, Nuremberg and Nurburgring (Germany)
5 June: World Environment Day
6 June: World Hidradenitis Suppurativa Day
8 June: World Oceans Day
12 June: World Day Against Child Labour
12 June to 2 July: White Nights Festival, Saint Petersburg
13 June: International Albinism Awareness Day
14 June: World Blood Donor Day
31 May: Trinity Sunday
15 June: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
17 June: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 to 22 June: Hurricane & Southside Festival (Germany)
20 June: World Refugee Day
21 June: Father's Day
21 June: Summer Solstice
21 June: Music Day (Fete de la Musique), throughout France and in other countries
22 to 26 June: Hideout Festival 2026, Zrce Festival Beach, Novalja (Croatia)
23 to 25 June: INmusic Festival, Zagreb (Croatia)
23 June: United Nations Public Service Day
23 to 28 June 2026: Paris Fashion Week, Spring/Summer fashion
24 June: Inti Raymi, Festival of the Sun in Cusco (Peru)
24 June: National Day of Quebec (Canada)
24 June: Saint John's Day
25 June: Day of the Seafarer
25 June: Slovenia's national day
17 June: Ra's as-Sana (Islamic New Year)
26 June: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
26 June: International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
27 June to 4 July: Roskilde Festival, Roskilde (Denmark)
30 June: International Asteroid Day
30 June to 13 July: Bled Days Festival (Slovenia)
July
1 July: World White Band Day against poverty
3 July: International Plastic Bag Free Day
3 to 6 July: Rock Werchter (Belgium)
4 July: Independence Day (United States)
4 July: International Day of Cooperatives
4 to 19 July: Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland)
4 to 12 July: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech Republic)
26 June: Ashura
6 July: World Kiss Day
6 to 14 July: San Fermin Festival in Pamplona (Spain)
9 July: International Day of the Destruction of Small Arms
10 to 13 July: EXIT Festival, Novi Sad (Serbia)
10 to 12 July: NOS Alive, Lisbon (Portugal)
11 July: World Population Day
14 July: Bastille Day, France
15 July: World Youth Skills Day
16 to 19 July: Colours of Ostrava, Ostrava (Czech Republic)
16 to 20 July: International Folklore Festival in Zagreb (Croatia)
17 July: World Day for International Justice
18 July: Nelson Mandela International Day
18 to 20 July and 25 to 27 July: Tomorrowland, Boom (Belgium)
20 July: International Chess Day
24 to 27 July: Comic-Con International - major pop culture event, San Diego (USA)
27 July: Jewish fast of Tisha B'Av
28 July: World Hepatitis Day
30 July: International Day of Friendship
30 July: World Day against Trafficking in Persons
29 July to 1 August: Wacken Open Air (Germany), heavy metal music festival
August
1 to 3 August, Woodstock Festival, Kostrzyn nad Odra (Poland)
7 to 31 August: The Fringe Festival - celebration of arts and culture, Edinburgh/Scotland (United Kingdom)
8 August: International Cat Day
9 August: International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
9 August: Street Parade Techno Party in Zurich (Switzerland)
11 to 15 August: Sziget Festival (Hungary)
12 August: International Youth Day
13 to 17 August: Feria de Dax (France)
15 August: Janmashtami - Hindu festival
15 August: Assumption
15 August: National Day of Acadia (Quebec)
19 August: World Humanitarian Day
23 August: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
26 August: International Dog Day
26 August: La Tomatina festival in Bunol (Spain)
29 August: International Day against Nuclear Tests
30 August: International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
September
1 September: back to school
25 to 26 August: Mawlid
5 September: International Day of Charity
8 September: International Literacy Day
10 September: World Suicide Prevention Day
11 September: World Day against Terrorism
12 September: United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 September: International Day of Democracy
15 September: World Lymphoma Day
16 September: International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
19 September to 4 October: Oktoberfest, Beer Festival in Germany
21 September: International Day of Peace
21 September: World Alzheimer's Day
11 to 13 September: Rosh Hashanah (Jewish festival)
23 September: September equinox
23 September: Bisexuality Day
24 September: World Maritime Day
26 September: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 September: World Tourism Day
30 September: International Translation Day
October
20-21 September: Yom Kippur
1 October: International Day of Older Persons
1 October: World Vegetarian Day
2 October: International Day of Non-Violence
4 October: World Animal Day
5 October: World Habitat Day
5 October: World Teachers' Day
25 September to 2 October: Sukkot
8 to 19 October: BFI London Film Festival
8 to 19 October: Ghent International Film Festival (Belgium)
10 October: World Mental Health Day
13 October: International Day for Disaster Reduction
13 to 15 October: Mondial Coiffure Beaute, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
14 October: World Standards Day
3 October: Simchat Torah
15 October: International Day of Rural Women
16 October: Boss's Day (USA)
16 October: World Food Day
17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
18 October: World Menopause Day
18 to 28 October: Taste Week
22 October: International Stuttering Awareness Day
24 October: United Nations Day
24 October: World Development Information Day
25 October: switch to winter time
27 October: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
28 October: World Animation Day
28 October: World Polio Day
29 October: World Stroke Day
29 October: World Psoriasis Day
30 October to 3 November: Paris Games Week
31 October: Halloween
31 October: World Cities Day
November
1 November: All Saints' Day
1 to 30 November: Movember, moustache celebration
1 November: World Vegan Day
2 November: International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
2 November: All Souls' Day
2 November: World Day for the Protection of Journalists
5 and 6 November: Loy Krathong and Yi Peng, Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai (Thailand)
6 November: International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
8 November: World Town Planning Day
8 November: Diwali (Divali, Dipawali, or Deepavali) Festival of Lights, Hindu Communities
10 November: World Science Day for Peace and Development
11 November: 1918 Armistice
12 November: World Pneumonia Day
14 November: World Diabetes Day
15 November: World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
16 November: International Day for Tolerance
16 November: World Philosophy Day
17 November: International Students' Day
19 November: World Toilet Day
19 November: World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse
20 November: Universal Children's Day
20 November: Africa Industrialization Day
19 November: Beaujolais Nouveau
21 November: World Television Day
25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women; Saint Catherine's Day
26 November: Thanksgiving
27 November: Black Friday
29 November: International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
29 November to 24 December: Advent
30 November: Cyber Monday, online sales in the USA and around the world
December
1 December: Great Union Day (Ziua Marii Uniri), (Romania)
1 December: World AIDS Day
2 December: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
3 December: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
5 December: International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
5 December: World Soil Day
5 to 8 December: Festival of Lights, Lyon (France)
6 December: Saint Nicholas' Day
7 December: International Civil Aviation Day
7 to 17 December, Mevlana Festival, Whirling Dervishes, Konya (Turkey)
8 December: Feast of the Immaculate Conception
9 December: International Anti-Corruption Day
10 December: Human Rights Day
11 December: International Mountain Day
12 December: International Day of Neutrality
4 to 12 December: Hanukkah, Jewish festival of "lights"
18 December: International Migrants Day
20 December: International Human Solidarity Day
21 December: Winter Solstice
25 December: Christmas
31 December: New Year's Eve
Date to be confirmed:
Blood Days Festival, Bled (Slovenia)
Technoparade, Paris
Archives
Entertainement parks and other attractions for kids