Where to go in August 2027
154 events around the world in August 2027, with their dates. Open one to see fares from your city for those days, and we'll alert you when they drop.
North America: 27 events in August
Light beam season in Antelope CanyonPage, Arizona, United StatesUsually mid March to early OctoberShafts of light drop through the roof of the slot canyon for a few minutes around midday.
Green turtle nesting at TortugueroTortuguero, Costa RicaUsually early July to mid OctoberThe largest green sea turtle rookery in the Americas, watched by red torchlight on a black-sand beach.
Rabin AjauCobán, Alta Verapaz, GuatemalaUsually late July to early AugustGuatemala's indigenous queen is chosen in Cobán by Maya women in the finest huipiles in the country.
Humpback whales at Marino BallenaUvita, Costa RicaUsually mid July to late OctoberSouthern humpbacks calve in the warm bay beside a sandbar shaped like a whale's tail.
Bison rut in Lamar ValleyYellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United StatesUsually mid July to late AugustThousands of bison gather in one valley and the bulls bellow and fight through August.
Anguilla Summer FestivalThe Valley, AnguillaUsually late July to early AugustWooden boat racing is Anguilla's national sport, and in August the whole island lines the beach to watch.
Fiestas de Santo DomingoManagua, NicaraguaAugust 1 to 10, 2027A tiny statue of Santo Domingo rides through Managua on horseback with oiled dancers and cattle.
Chiles en nogada seasonPuebla, MexicoUsually early August to late SeptemberThe dish made for an emperor, in the colours of the flag, cooked only while the walnuts are fresh.
Vancouver Pride ParadeVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaAugust 1, 2027Vancouver's big Pride parade runs through downtown on the Sunday of the BC Day long weekend, with a street festival after.
Maine Lobster FestivalRockland, Maine, United StatesAugust 4 to 8, 2027Twenty thousand pounds of lobster steamed in the world's biggest cooker on a working harbor.
DEF CONLas Vegas, Nevada, United StatesAugust 5 to 8, 2027 (expected)One of the largest and oldest hacker conventions, held in Las Vegas each August right after Black Hat.
Gen ConIndianapolis, Indiana, United StatesAugust 5 to 8, 2027The largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention, four days of games, tournaments and the exhibit hall in downtown Indianapolis.
D23 ExpoAnaheim, California, United StatesUsually early August to mid SeptemberDisney's fan convention in Anaheim, with film and park previews, shopping and evening shows at Honda Center, held every two years.
Sturgis Motorcycle RallySturgis, South Dakota, United StatesAugust 6 to 15, 2027Half a million bikes descend on a town of 7,000 in the Black Hills for ten days.
Feria Nacional Potosina (FENAPO)San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, MexicoAugust 6 to 29, 2027 (expected)San Luis Potosí's August fair has run since 1942, with concerts, the palenque, craft shopping and regional food on 36 hectares.
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyLake Buena Vista, Florida, United StatesAugust 6 to October 31, 2027 (expected)A separate-ticket Halloween night at Magic Kingdom with a parade, trick-or-treating and fireworks, on select nights from August to October.
Monterey Car WeekMonterey, California, United StatesAugust 6 to 15, 2027Ten days of races, auctions, shows and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on the Monterey Peninsula.
SpicemasSt George's, GrenadaAugust 7 to 10, 2027 (expected)Jab Jab devils in oil and chains take over St George's at dawn for Grenada's August carnival.
Perseid meteor shower at Cherry SpringsCherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania, United StatesUsually early to mid AugustThe darkest sky in the eastern US, on the nights the Perseids drop a meteor a minute.
Edmonton International Fringe FestivalEdmonton, Alberta, CanadaAugust 12 to 22, 2027North America's biggest fringe, 1,600 performances in eleven days, with free street theater on every corner.
Huamantla: the night nobody sleepsHuamantla, Tlaxcala, MexicoAugust 14 to 15, 2027 (expected)Seven kilometres of flower and sawdust carpets laid overnight, then bulls loose in the streets that weekend.
Provincetown CarnivalProvincetown, Massachusetts, United StatesAugust 14 to 21, 2027A week of costume contests, dance parties and a parade down Commercial Street at the tip of Cape Cod.
Little League World SeriesSouth Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United StatesAugust 18 to 29, 2027Twelve-year-olds from around the world play in front of 40,000 people, and every seat is free.
PNE FairVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaAugust 21 to September 6, 2027 (expected)Vancouver's end-of-summer fair at Hastings Park: rides, SuperDogs, concerts and food, running into Labour Day.
Halloween Horror Nights OrlandoOrlando, Florida, United StatesUsually late August to late OctoberOrlando's after-dark Halloween event: haunted houses, scare zones and live shows on select nights from late August to November.
EPCOT Eat to the Beat Concert SeriesOrlando, Florida, United StatesUsually late August to mid NovemberNightly concerts at EPCOT's America Gardens Theatre during the Food & Wine Festival, by name artists and local acts.
Bolas de FuegoNejapa, El SalvadorAugust 30 to 31, 2027Two teams throw flaming kerosene-soaked balls at each other in the main street of a small Salvadoran town.
Europe: 28 events in August
Puffins return to the Westman IslandsHeimaey, Vestmannaeyjar, IcelandUsually mid April to early AugustThe largest puffin colony on earth comes home to one small island off Iceland's south coast.
Athens Epidaurus FestivalAthens and Epidaurus, GreeceUsually early June to late AugustAncient tragedy played in the theatre it was written for, under a Peloponnesian night sky.
Ohrid Summer FestivalOhrid, North MacedoniaJuly 12 to August 20, 2027 (expected)Concerts in a Byzantine church and an ancient theatre above a lake three million years old.
Salzburg FestivalSalzburg, AustriaJuly 16 to August 29, 2027 (expected)Six weeks of opera, Mozart and Jedermann on the cathedral square, in the city that produced him.
Bayreuth FestivalBayreuth, GermanyJuly 25 to August 28, 2027 (expected)Wagner only, in the theatre Wagner built, with intervals long enough for a full dinner on the hill.
Guča Trumpet FestivalGuča, Dragačevo, SerbiaUsually early AugustA village of two thousand hosts half a million people and every brass band in the Balkans for one loud week.
St Dominic's Fair in GdańskGdańsk, PolandJuly 31 to August 22, 2027 (expected)A market running since 1260 fills the Hanseatic old town with amber, antiques and street food.
Pride Amsterdam Canal ParadePrinsengracht, Amsterdam, NetherlandsJuly 31 to August 8, 2027 (expected)The only Pride parade that floats: eighty boats down the Prinsengracht with the canal banks ten deep.
Locarno Film Festival on the Piazza GrandeLocarno, Ticino, SwitzerlandAugust 4 to 14, 2027Eight thousand people watch films under the stars in a lakeside square on a giant open-air screen.
Wilderness FestivalCharlbury, Oxfordshire, United KingdomAugust 5 to 8, 2027A four-day boutique festival at Cornbury Park with music, banquets, talks, wellbeing and two swimming lakes.
Edinburgh Festival FringeEdinburgh, United KingdomAugust 6 to 30, 2027Three thousand shows in three weeks, from the Royal Mile to a broom cupboard, in the world's largest arts festival.
Perseid meteors over Poloniny Dark Sky ParkPoloniny National Park, SlovakiaUsually early to mid AugustThe darkest skies in Central Europe under the year's best meteor shower, in a corner nobody visits.
Sziget FestivalÓbuda Island, Budapest, HungaryAugust 10 to 14, 2027A week on an island in the Danube that becomes its own small country of music, art and late nights.
Puck FairKillorglin, County Kerry, IrelandAugust 10 to 12, 2027A wild mountain goat is crowned king of the town and reigns from a tower for three days of fair.
Cropredy FestivalCropredy, Oxfordshire, United KingdomAugust 12 to 14, 2027Fairport Convention's three-day folk-rock festival on a farm field in an English village, with one stage and a friendly crowd.
Dormition of the Virgin pilgrimage on TinosTinos, Cyclades, GreeceAugust 13 to 16, 2027On 15 August pilgrims crawl on their knees up the hill to Greece's most venerated icon.
Romaria de Nossa Senhora da AgoniaViana do Castelo, Minho, PortugalUsually mid to late AugustPortugal's most colourful pilgrimage: gold laden costumes, flower carpets and a procession out to sea.
All Points EastLondon, England, United KingdomUsually mid to late AugustA festival weekend and headline shows in Victoria Park, East London, with free daytime activities on the weekdays between.
Fête de la Saint-LouisCanal Royal, Sète, FranceAugust 19 to 24, 2027Water jousters knock each other off boats into the canal to the sound of oboes, as since 1666.
We Out Here FestivalWimborne St Giles, Dorset, United KingdomAugust 19 to 22, 2027Gilles Peterson's four-day festival of jazz, soul, hip-hop, house and afro music on the grounds of Wimborne St Giles.
St Stephen's Day fireworks over the DanubeBudapest, HungaryAugust 20, 2027Hungary's national day ends with Europe's largest fireworks show along two kilometres of river.
SchueberfouerGlacis, Luxembourg CityAugust 20 to September 8, 2027A 680 year old fair with big wheels and fried fish, the one time of year Luxembourg lets its hair down.
La TomatinaBuñol, Valencia, SpainAugust 25, 2027One hour, 120 tonnes of tomatoes and a whole town turned into red soup on the last Wednesday of August.
Reading FestivalReading, Berkshire, United KingdomAugust 26 to 29, 2027England's August bank holiday rock and pop festival on Richfield Avenue in central Reading, with camping on site.
Manchester Pride ParadeManchester, England, United KingdomAugust 27 to 30, 2027A march through Manchester city center on the August bank holiday weekend, with four days of Gay Village parties around it.
Ould Lammas FairBallycastle, County Antrim, United KingdomAugust 28 to 31, 2027Ireland's oldest traditional fair fills a seaside town with horse trading, hundreds of stalls, dulse and yellowman.
Notting Hill CarnivalNotting Hill, London, United KingdomAugust 29 to 30, 2027Europe's biggest street party: two days of soca, steel pan and sound systems in west London.
Leeds West Indian CarnivalLeeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomAugust 30, 2027Europe's oldest Caribbean carnival parade, held on August bank holiday Monday in Chapeltown and Harehills since 1967.
Asia: 57 events in August
Thulusdhoo surf seasonThulusdhoo, North Male Atoll, MaldivesUsually mid May to late AugustWarm, glassy reef breaks off a local island where a guesthouse costs what a resort charges for lunch.
Arugam Bay surf seasonArugam Bay, Sri LankaUsually mid May to early SeptemberA long right-hand point break on the dry east coast while the rest of the island is under monsoon.
Loggerhead turtle nesting at IztuzuIztuzu Beach, Dalyan, TurkeyUsually early June to late AugustA protected sandbar where loggerheads have nested longer than anyone remembers, closed to people after dark.
Con Dao sea turtle nestingCon Dao islands, VietnamUsually early June to mid SeptemberGreen turtles nest on the beaches of a former prison island, and rangers let you watch the hatchlings go.
Penang durian seasonBalik Pulau, Penang, MalaysiaUsually early June to mid AugustThe best durians in the world drop from old orchard trees on the quiet side of Penang for about six weeks.
Redang green turtle nestingChagar Hutang, Redang island, MalaysiaUsually mid May to mid SeptemberOn a protected bay off Terengganu, green turtles nest nightly in the wettest months of the dry season.
Byblos International FestivalByblos harbour, LebanonUsually early July to mid AugustBig international acts on a stage in a Phoenician harbour, the Crusader castle lit behind.
Deosai Plains in summerDeosai National Park, Skardu, PakistanUsually mid June to mid SeptemberA 4,000 metre plateau, snow for eight months, wildflowers, marmots and brown bears for three.
Khareef in SalalahDhofar coast, Salalah, OmanUsually late June to late SeptemberThe Indian monsoon brushes one corner of Arabia and turns the desert coast green for three months.
Taiwan International Balloon FestivalLuye Highland, Taitung, TaiwanUsually late June to mid AugustBalloons over the East Rift Valley at dawn, and night glow concerts on a tea-country plateau.
BonaluHyderabad, Telangana, IndiaUsually mid July to early AugustTelangana's own festival: women carry pots of rice to the goddess while pothuraju dancers clear the way.
Amarnath YatraAmarnath Cave, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaUsually early July to mid AugustA high-altitude Hindu pilgrimage to a cave shrine with a naturally formed ice lingam, reached by trek or helicopter.
Green turtle nesting at Ras al JinzRas al Jinz, Ash Sharqiyah, OmanUsually early June to late SeptemberThousands of green turtles haul out on one Arabian beach at night, hatchlings scrambling seaward by August.
Tanguar Haor in monsoonTanguar Haor, Sunamganj, BangladeshUsually early July to late SeptemberA wetland the size of a sea that only exists in the rains, explored from the roof of a wooden houseboat.
Hanifaru Bay manta seasonHanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll, MaldivesUsually early July to mid OctoberUp to two hundred manta rays feeding in a bay the size of a football pitch, on the right tide, in season.
Toraja funeral seasonRantepao, South Sulawesi, IndonesiaUsually early July to mid SeptemberIn highland Sulawesi the dead are honoured with days-long ceremonies, buffalo processions and cliff tombs.
George Town FestivalGeorge Town, Penang, MalaysiaUsually early July to early AugustPenang's heritage streets host a summer of theatre and installations amid Asia's best street food.
Beiteddine Art FestivalBeiteddine Palace, Chouf, LebanonUsually early July to late AugustConcerts in the courtyards of a 19th century emir's palace in the cedar mountains above Beirut.
Kandy Esala PeraheraKandy, Sri LankaUsually early to mid AugustTen nights of torch-lit processions, whip crackers, fire dancers and a hundred elephants in the hill capital.
Valley of Flowers bloomValley of Flowers National Park, Uttarakhand, IndiaUsually early July to late AugustA hanging Himalayan valley that turns blue, pink and white with alpine flowers for a few monsoon weeks.
Qingdao International Beer FestivalGolden Beach, Qingdao, ChinaUsually mid July to mid AugustAsia's Oktoberfest, on the beach in the city that has brewed Tsingtao since 1903.
Jerash Festival of Culture and ArtsJerash, JordanUsually late July to early AugustArab singers and poets fill a Roman city's colonnaded forum and south theatre for ten summer nights.
Bosphorus Cross-Continental SwimKanlica to Kurucesme, Istanbul, TurkeyUsually late AugustThe strait closes to ships for one morning and thousands swim from Asia to Europe.
The Gathering at MinneriyaMinneriya National Park, Sri LankaUsually mid July to mid OctoberThree hundred wild elephants on a shrinking reservoir, the largest gathering of Asian elephants anywhere.
Kinnaur Kailash YatraKinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaUsually mid July to late SeptemberA demanding Himalayan pilgrimage to a 79-foot natural rock Shivling, run by the Kinnaur district in July and August.
Shravani MelaDeoghar, Jharkhand, IndiaJuly 19 to August 17, 2027 (expected)A month-long Shiva pilgrimage where kanwariyas carry Ganges water on foot to the Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar.
Nallur Kandaswamy festivalJaffna, Sri LankaUsually early to late AugustTwenty five days of Tamil temple ritual in the north, ending with a chariot day that empties the peninsula.
Boryeong Mud FestivalDaecheon Beach, Boryeong, South KoreaJuly 23 to August 8, 2027A west-coast beach covered in mud slides, mud wrestling and a million people who came to get filthy.
Nagdwar YatraPachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, IndiaUsually late July to early AugustA once-a-year pilgrimage trek into the Satpura forests from Pachmarhi, ending around Nag Panchami in the monsoon.
Machail Mata YatraMachail, Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaJuly 25 to September 8, 2027 (expected)A six-week Himalayan pilgrimage to the Machail Mata shrine in the Paddar Valley, with a 1.7 km final walk to the temple.
Busan Sea FestivalHaeundae Beach, Busan, South KoreaUsually late July to early AugustKorea's beach capital at peak summer: free concerts on the sand, water fights and fireworks over Haeundae.
Shoton FestivalDrepung Monastery, Lhasa, ChinaUsually early AugustAt dawn a thangka the size of a building unrolls on the hillside above Lhasa, and the city eats yoghurt.
Nehru Trophy Boat RacePunnamada Lake, Alappuzha, IndiaUsually mid AugustTwenty snake boats, a hundred oars each, sprinting a backwater lake to drum and song.
Yartung horse festivalLo Manthang, Upper Mustang, NepalUsually early August to early SeptemberHorse races, archery and chang in a walled Tibetan city at the end of the monsoon, behind the Himalaya.
Dieng Culture FestivalDieng Plateau, Central Java, IndonesiaUsually late AugustDreadlocked children have their hair cut in a highland ritual, then lanterns rise over ancient temples.
Taungbyone Nat FestivalTaungbyone, near Mandalay, MyanmarUsually early to mid AugustMyanmar's largest spirit festival: a week of trance dancing and whisky offerings in a village near Mandalay.
Aomori Nebuta MatsuriAomori City, JapanAugust 2 to 7, 2027Giant lantern floats of warriors and demons, and anyone in a haneto costume can dance beside them.
Yu Lan Hungry Ghost FestivalSham Shui Po and Victoria Park, Hong KongAugust 2 to 30, 2027For a lunar month the gates open, and Hong Kong fills with joss fire, opera stages and offerings to the dead.
Keelung Ghost FestivalBadouzi Harbour, Keelung, TaiwanAugust 2 to 31, 2027 (expected)Taiwan's grandest ghost month: a lantern parade through Keelung, then paper houses burning out at sea.
Hungry Ghost getai seasonGeylang, SingaporeAugust 2 to 31, 2027Neon street operas play to a front row left empty for the dead through Singapore's ghost month.
Kadayawan FestivalDavao City, PhilippinesAugust 6 to 22, 2027Mindanao's eleven tribes dance down Davao's streets in the week the durian and pomelo harvest peaks.
Baliem Valley FestivalWamena, Highland Papua, IndonesiaAugust 7 to 9, 2027Dani, Lani and Yali tribes stage mock spear battles in a valley cut off from the world until 1938.
Singapore National Day ParadeMarina Bay, SingaporeAugust 9, 2027Fighter jets, a Red Lions parachute drop and fireworks over Marina Bay on the city's birthday.
Matsutake Mushroom FestivalUra Valley, Bumthang, BhutanUsually early to late AugustTwo days in a pine-forest village foraging the world's most expensive mushroom and eating it by the bowl.
Awa OdoriTokushima City, JapanAugust 12 to 15, 2027Japan's biggest dance festival, four nights of 100,000 dancers moving to one rhythm through a small city.
Jhulan YatraMayapur, West Bengal, IndiaAugust 12 to 17, 2027 (expected)The swing festival of Radha and Krishna, when temple deities ride decorated swings, celebrated at ISKCON's Mayapur.
Pokémon World ChampionshipsSingaporeAugust 13 to 15, 2027The year-end finals of Pokémon's TCG, video game and GO circuits, held in a different city each August.
Mani Mahesh YatraChamba, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaUsually late August to early SeptemberA Himalayan pilgrimage on foot to Manimahesh Lake at 4,080 meters, held from Janmashtami to Radhashtami.
Red Sea Jazz FestivalEilat, IsraelUsually mid NovemberFour nights of jazz on the Red Sea, played to the sound of the port and the desert wind.
Bekaa Valley grape harvestKsara and Kefraya, Bekaa Valley, LebanonUsually mid August to early OctoberLebanon's oldest wineries crush the harvest in Roman cellars while the valley turns gold.
Gozan no OkuribiDaimonji-yama and the hills of Kyoto, JapanAugust 16, 2027Five bonfires shaped as characters light the hills around Kyoto to send the ancestors home, one night a year.
Gai JatraBhaktapur, NepalAugust 18 to 25, 2027 (expected)A city grieves its dead with satire: cow processions, tall bamboo effigies and street stick dances.
Manimahesh YatraBharmour, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaUsually late August to early SeptemberA Himalayan pilgrimage to a sacred lake at about 4,080 meters, trekked or flown in by helicopter from Bharmour.
Janmashtami in Mathura and VrindavanVrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAugust 22 to 26, 2027 (expected)Krishna's birthday at midnight in his own birthplace, with temples that have been building to it for weeks.
Sun Moon Lake Swimming CarnivalSun Moon Lake, Nantou, TaiwanUsually mid SeptemberTwenty thousand swimmers cross Taiwan's alpine lake in one morning, the only day swimming is allowed.
Mid-Autumn Festival on Hang Ma streetOld Quarter, Hanoi, VietnamAugust 25 to September 15, 2027Hanoi's Old Quarter becomes a wall of paper lanterns and star lamps for the children's moon festival.
Merdeka Day paradeMerdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaAugust 31, 2027The flag first raised in 1957 flies again over a dawn parade at the square where Malaysia was born.
South America: 14 events in August
Lençóis Maranhenses full lagoonsBarreirinhas and Santo Amaro, Maranhão, BrazilUsually early June to late SeptemberThousands of rain-fed turquoise lagoons appear between white dunes, then vanish again by October.
Humpback whales at Puerto LópezPuerto López and Isla de la Plata, Manabí, EcuadorUsually mid June to late SeptemberBreaching humpbacks an hour off a sleepy fishing town, with blue-footed boobies on the island for dessert.
Ski season at Cerro CatedralCerro Catedral, Bariloche, ArgentinaUsually mid June to late SeptemberSouth America's largest ski resort in peak season, with chocolate and lake views waiting at the bottom.
Humpback whales on the Pacific ChocóBahía Solano and Nuquí, Chocó, ColombiaUsually early July to mid OctoberHumpbacks calve within sight of jungle beaches on Colombia's wildest coast; you often watch from the sand.
Jaguar season at Porto JofrePorto Jofre, northern Pantanal, Mato Grosso, BrazilUsually early July to mid OctoberJaguars sunbathe on riverbanks in the dry season, and boats find them almost every day.
Ipê bloom in BrasíliaBrasília, Federal District, BrazilUsually mid July to late SeptemberIn the driest weeks of the year, leafless ipê trees erupt in yellow and pink against Niemeyer's white curves.
Southern right whales at Praia do RosaPraia do Rosa and Imbituba, Santa Catarina, BrazilUsually mid July to early NovemberRight whales nurse their calves so close to the beach you can watch from a surf town's headland.
Feria de las FloresMedellín, Antioquia, ColombiaJuly 30 to August 8, 2027 (expected)Farmers carry vast flower arrangements on their backs down the mountain, and Medellín parties for ten days.
Pachamama offerings in the Quebrada de HumahuacaTilcara, Purmamarca and Humahuaca, Jujuy, ArgentinaAugust 1 to 31, 2027On 1 August the Andes feed the earth: a hole is dug, coca and wine go in, and the whole month is hers.
Festival de Verano de BogotáParque Simón Bolívar, Bogotá, ColombiaUsually early to mid AugustBogotá's birthday month: kites over Simón Bolívar park, free concerts and Sunday streets full of bikes.
Arequipa anniversary weekArequipa, PeruAugust 8 to 15, 2027The white volcanic city marks its founding with a Corso parade, plaza fireworks and packed picanterías.
Tango World Championship and FestivalBuenos Aires, ArgentinaUsually early to late AugustThe world's best tango couples compete in Buenos Aires for two weeks, and the milongas run nightly.
Virgen de UrkupiñaQuillacollo, Cochabamba, BoliviaAugust 14 to 16, 2027Dance troupes for two days, then pilgrims break rocks from a hill to borrow luck from the Virgin.
Desierto florido of the AtacamaLlanos de Challe and Vallenar, Atacama region, ChileUsually mid August to late OctoberSome springs the driest desert on earth turns pink and purple with flowers, and it never lasts long.
Africa: 18 events in August
Sooty tern nesting on Bird IslandBird Island, SeychellesUsually early May to mid OctoberClose to a million sooty terns land on one tiny coral island to breed, and the sky goes dark with birds.
Fish River Canyon hiking seasonFish River Canyon, NamibiaUsually early May to mid SeptemberThe five-day trek through Africa's biggest canyon is only open from May to mid September.
Okavango Delta at peak floodMoremi Game Reserve, BotswanaUsually early June to late AugustWater that fell in Angola months ago spreads across the Kalahari and turns the delta into a mokoro world.
Afriski seasonAfriski Mountain Resort, Maluti Mountains, LesothoUsually early June to late AugustSkiing at 3,000 m in southern Africa, with snow guns, a single lift and a mountain pass to get there.
Loggerhead turtle nestingBoa Vista, Cape VerdeUsually mid June to early OctoberOne of the world's largest loggerhead nesting beaches, with turtles hauling out every night in high summer.
Timgad International FestivalTimgad Roman theatre, Batna, AlgeriaUsually mid July to early AugustRai, chaabi and international acts in a 2,000 year old Roman theatre in the Aures foothills.
The Great Migration river crossingsMasai Mara, KenyaUsually mid July to late SeptemberA million wildebeest crossing the Mara River, with everything that hunts them waiting.
Asilah Cultural MoussemAsilah medina, MoroccoUsually mid July to early AugustPainters repaint the white medina walls each summer and the town becomes an open-air gallery.
Humpback whales off LoangoLoango National Park, GabonUsually mid July to late SeptemberHumpbacks breach off a beach where elephants and hippos walk the sand, in one of Africa's emptiest parks.
Namaqualand spring flowersNamaqua National Park, Springbok, South AfricaUsually early August to late SeptemberA semi-desert turns into carpets of orange daisies for a few weeks, and only if the winter rains came.
Osun-Osogbo FestivalOsun Sacred Grove, Osogbo, NigeriaUsually early to mid AugustYoruba devotees carry offerings to the river goddess through a UNESCO sacred forest in a two-week festival.
Maralal International Camel DerbyMaralal, Samburu, KenyaUsually early AugustAmateurs and Samburu herders race camels through a dusty northern town for a weekend of chaos and goodwill.
Baía das Gatas FestivalBaía das Gatas, São Vicente, Cape VerdeUsually mid AugustA free beach festival on the August full moon, in a lagoon bay with half of Mindelo camped on the sand.
Chale Wote Street Art FestivalJamestown, Accra, GhanaUsually mid to late AugustAccra's old harbour district becomes an open-air gallery of murals, performance and street parties.
Umhlanga Reed DanceLudzidzini Royal Village, Lobamba, EswatiniUsually late AugustTens of thousands of young women present cut reeds to the Queen Mother in one of Africa's largest ceremonies.
Kwita IzinaKinigi, Volcanoes National Park, RwandaUsually early to mid SeptemberRwanda names the year's baby mountain gorillas in a ceremony at the foot of the Virunga volcanoes.
Carmine bee-eater coloniesSouth Luangwa National Park, ZambiaUsually late August to mid NovemberThousands of crimson bee-eaters nest in the Luangwa riverbanks, exploding into the air at any passing raptor.
Herero DayOkahandja, NamibiaAugust 28 to 29, 2027 (expected)Herero in Victorian dresses and old uniforms parade to the graves of their chiefs in a small Namibian town.
Oceania: 10 events in August
Southern right whales at Head of BightHead of Bight, Nullarbor, South AustraliaUsually early June to late OctoberDozens of whales calve beneath towering limestone cliffs at the edge of the Nullarbor.
Ski season in QueenstownThe Remarkables and Coronet Peak, Queenstown, New ZealandUsually mid June to early OctoberNorthern-summer skiing on Southern Alps ridgelines above a lake, with the season firmest in July and August.
Swimming with humpbacks in Vava'uVava'u, TongaUsually early July to late OctoberOne of the few places on earth where you can legally slip into the water beside a mother humpback and calf.
Humpback whales in Hervey BayHervey Bay, Queensland, AustraliaUsually mid July to late OctoberHumpbacks pause in a sheltered bay to rest and play, and approach the boats out of curiosity.
Hibiscus FestivalSuva, Viti Levu, FijiUsually mid to late AugustFiji's biggest and oldest street carnival, a week of pageants and rides on the Suva foreshore.
Wellington on a PlateWellington, New ZealandAugust 1 to 31, 2027 (expected)A whole month of one-off menus and a citywide burger competition in a compact capital of good kitchens.
Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues FestivalPaihia and Russell, Northland, New ZealandUsually early to late AugustJazz in the pubs and on the wharves of two old waterfront towns in the warm north of New Zealand.
Darwin FestivalDarwin, Northern Territory, AustraliaAugust 4 to 22, 2027Eighteen nights of music, theatre and Indigenous art outdoors in the tropical dry season.
Mount Isa Mines RodeoMount Isa, Queensland, AustraliaAugust 6 to 8, 2027The biggest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere, in a mining town a thousand kilometres from the coast.
Mount Hagen Cultural ShowMount Hagen, Western Highlands, Papua New GuineaAugust 14 to 15, 2027Dozens of highland tribes in feathers, ochre and shell perform a sing-sing on one field.