Where to go in January 2027
104 events around the world in January 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: 20 events in January
Monarch butterflies at Pacific GrovePacific Grove, California, United StatesUsually early November to late JanuaryThousands of monarchs cluster in a eucalyptus grove in a seaside town that calls itself Butterfly Town.
Niagara Falls Winter Festival of LightsNiagara Falls, Ontario, CanadaNovember 14 to January 10, 2027Millions of lights along the parkway, the falls lit in color every night, and fireworks over the gorge.
Snow geese liftoff at Bosque del ApacheSocorro, New Mexico, United StatesUsually mid November to late JanuaryTens of thousands of snow geese explode off a desert wetland at sunrise.
Bald eagle gatheringSquamish, British Columbia, CanadaUsually mid November to late JanuaryThousands of bald eagles crowd riverbank trees to feast on a late salmon run.
Manatee season at Crystal RiverCrystal River, Florida, United StatesUsually mid November to late MarchHundreds of manatees crowd into warm springs on cold mornings, in the one place you may swim with them.
Elephant seal pupping at Piedras BlancasSan Simeon, California, United StatesUsually early December to late FebruaryTwo-ton bulls battle on the beach and thousands of pups are born, seen from a free boardwalk off Highway 1.
Hotel de GlaceQuebec City, Quebec, CanadaUsually early January to late MarchA hotel rebuilt from scratch each winter out of ice and snow, then it melts.
Rose ParadePasadena, California, United StatesJanuary 1, 2027Floats built entirely from flowers roll down Colorado Boulevard every New Year's morning.
Whooping cranes at AransasAransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, United StatesUsually mid November to mid MarchThe world's last wild flock of whooping cranes winters on this quiet Texas coast.
Ice caves of Lake Superior at Apostle IslandsBayfield, Wisconsin, United StatesUsually mid January to early MarchFrozen sea caves along Lake Superior glow blue when the ice is thick enough to walk.
Rose Bowl GamePasadena, California, United StatesJanuary 1, 2027The oldest bowl game, on New Year's Day at the Rose Bowl Stadium, with the sun setting over the San Gabriel Mountains.
Mardi GrasNew Orleans, Louisiana, United StatesJanuary 6 to February 9, 2027Krewes roll through the streets for weeks, throwing beads until Fat Tuesday closes it all out.
CESLas Vegas, Nevada, United StatesJanuary 6 to 9, 2027The Consumer Electronics Show, a four-day tech trade show across several Las Vegas venues each January.
National Western Stock ShowDenver, Colorado, United StatesJanuary 9 to 24, 2027A century old rodeo and livestock show fills Denver with cowboys every January.
Panama Jazz FestivalPanama CityJanuary 14 to 16, 2027A week of jazz in a city where the canal meets the Caribbean and Pacific.
Gray whale calving seasonLaguna San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, MexicoUsually mid January to mid AprilNewborn gray whales approach small boats in a quiet desert lagoon.
EPCOT International Festival of the ArtsLake Buena Vista, Florida, United StatesJanuary 15 to March 1, 2027Walt Disney World's winter arts festival: food studios, chalk art, paint-by-number murals and a Broadway concert series.
Sundance Film FestivalPark City, Utah, United StatesJanuary 21 to 31, 2027Snowy mountain streets fill with premieres, directors and deals for ten days.
Fiestas de la Calle San SebastiánOld San Juan, Puerto Rico, United StatesJanuary 21 to 24, 2027Four days of music, food, crafts and giant-headed cabezudos on the cobbled streets of Old San Juan.
College Football Playoff National ChampionshipLas Vegas, Nevada, United StatesJanuary 25, 2027College football's title game, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Monday, January 25, 2027.
Europe: 18 events in January
Polar night on SvalbardLongyearbyen, Svalbard, NorwayUsually mid November to late JanuaryThe only town where the northern lights can appear at noon: three months of full dark at 78 degrees north.
Longleat Festival of LightLongleat, Wiltshire, United KingdomNovember 7 to January 17, 2027More than 1,000 hand-crafted lanterns on an after-dark trail through Longleat's grounds, with a winter safari by day.
Advent in ZagrebZagreb, CroatiaNovember 28 to January 7, 2027 (expected)Zagreb's upper and lower town become one lit, mulled-wine festival from late November to Epiphany.
Innsbruck in winterInnsbruck, Tyrol, AustriaUsually early December to late FebruaryAn alpine capital where the cable car leaves the old town and reaches 2,256 metres in about twenty minutes.
Silvesterchläuse of UrnäschUrnäsch, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, SwitzerlandDecember 31 to January 13, 2027Masked figures wearing whole landscapes on their heads yodel from farm to farm on New Year's Eve, twice.
Aurora season in AbiskoAbisko, SwedenUsually early September to late MarchA famous clear-sky pocket in the Arctic makes this one of the most reliable places to see the aurora.
Vienna ball seasonVienna, AustriaUsually early January to early FebruaryWaltz through centuries-old ballrooms during Vienna's grand winter ball season.
Cabalgata de Reyes MagosMadrid, SpainJanuary 5, 2027Madrid's streets flood with floats and sweets the night before Epiphany.
Epiphany cross retrievalKalofer, BulgariaJanuary 6, 2027Men leap into a frozen mountain river to retrieve a thrown wooden cross.
Kemi sea ice on the Bothnian GulfKemi, FinlandUsually early January to late MarchWalk on a frozen sea and sleep inside a castle built new each winter.
Northern lights in TromsøTromsø, NorwayUsually mid January to mid MarchAbove the Arctic Circle, in the dark months, the sky does this most clear nights.
Lulea archipelago ice road seasonLulea, SwedenUsually mid January to mid MarchDrive a marked ice road between forested islands in the Bothnian Bay.
Camel wrestling in SelcukSelcuk, near Ephesus, TurkeyJanuary 17, 2027 (expected)Enormous decorated camels lock necks in a centuries old winter wrestling contest
Almond blossom seasonTramuntana region, Mallorca, SpainUsually late January to late FebruaryA million almond trees turn the hills white weeks before anywhere else blooms
Venice CarnivalVenice, ItalyJanuary 23 to February 9, 2027A city of canals turns into a slow procession of masks, capes and candlelight.
Carnevale di Venezia, final daysVenice, ItalyJanuary 23 to February 9, 2027Masked figures drift through fog-wrapped canals before Lent begins.
Up Helly AaLerwick, Shetland, United KingdomJanuary 26, 2027A torch-lit Viking galley burns on a Shetland night every last Tuesday of January.
Kiruna snow festivalKiruna, SwedenJanuary 27 to 31, 2027Arctic Sweden's mining town builds snow sculptures under a sky that barely sees daylight.
Asia: 41 events in January
Raja Ampat manta seasonRaja Ampat, West Papua, IndonesiaUsually early October to late AprilThe richest reefs on the planet, and from October the mantas arrive at cleaning stations you kneel beside.
Rann UtsavGreat Rann of Kutch, IndiaNovember 1 to February 28, 2027 (expected)Tents on a moonlit salt desert that turns white to silver.
Bundala migratory bird seasonBundala National Park, Sri LankaUsually early November to late FebruaryFlamingos, spoonbills and thousands of northern waders on a south-coast lagoon, crocodiles for company.
Poyang Lake Winter CranesWucheng, Poyang Lake, Jiangxi, ChinaUsually mid November to mid FebruaryAlmost every Siberian crane alive winters on one Chinese lake, with half a million other birds beside them.
Maolin Purple Butterfly ValleyMaolin National Scenic Area, Kaohsiung, TaiwanUsually mid November to early MarchOne of only two mass butterfly overwintering sites on earth: a million purple crows in a mountain valley.
Winter waterbird congregationChilika Lake, IndiaUsually early December to late FebruaryOver a million migratory birds crowd Asia's largest brackish lagoon each winter.
Jigokudani Snow MonkeysJigokudani Monkey Park, Yamanouchi, Nagano, JapanUsually early December to mid MarchWild macaques soaking in a hot spring while snow falls on their heads, the only monkeys on earth that do it.
Whooper Swans at Lake KussharoSunayu, Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido, JapanUsually early December to mid MarchHundreds of swans from Siberia winter on the one strip of a frozen caldera lake that hot springs keep open.
Garden of Morning Calm Lighting FestivalGarden of Morning Calm, Gapyeong, South KoreaUsually early December to mid MarchKorea's oldest private garden lit by millions of bulbs through the winter, an hour and a half from Seoul.
Yuanyang Rice Terraces Mirror SeasonDuoyishu, Yuanyang, Yunnan, ChinaUsually early December to mid MarchThree thousand steps of flooded terraces catch the sunrise like broken mirrors, from December until planting.
Red Lotus SeaNong Han Kumphawapi, Udon Thani, ThailandUsually early December to late FebruaryA 20-kilometre lake opens into pink lotus from dawn until mid-morning, and a boatman rows you through it.
Jilin Rime IceWusong Island, Jilin City, ChinaUsually mid December to late FebruaryEvery tree along a river that refuses to freeze wakes up coated in white ice crystals on the coldest nights.
Margazhi music seasonMylapore, Chennai, IndiaUsually mid December to mid JanuaryThe largest classical music festival on earth: a thousand Carnatic concerts in a month, most of them free.
Ananda Pagoda FestivalBagan, MyanmarUsually early to late JanuaryOx-cart caravans from every village camp among the temples of Bagan for a month-long fair around the Ananda.
Pyeongchang Trout FestivalJinbu, Pyeongchang, South KoreaUsually mid December to late JanuaryIce fishing through holes on a frozen river in the Olympic mountains, then eating your catch beside it.
Adam's Peak pilgrimage seasonSri Pada, Adam's Peak, Sri LankaDecember 23 to May 20, 2027 (expected)A night climb of 5,500 steps in a river of pilgrims to a summit footprint, for a sunrise and a shadow.
Koshi Tappu winter migrationKoshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, NepalUsually early December to late FebruaryNepal's wetland fills with tens of thousands of wintering waterbirds.
Blue whale seasonMirissa, Sri LankaUsually early December to mid AprilBlue whales surface just offshore during the calmest sea months of the year.
Black necked crane seasonPhobjikha Valley, BhutanUsually early November to late FebruaryRare cranes glide into a glacial valley and stay through the coldest months.
Red crowned crane courtship danceKushiro wetlands, Hokkaido, JapanUsually early January to mid MarchEndangered cranes perform their courtship dance on the snow in midwinter.
Hoi An full moon lantern festivalHoi An ancient town, VietnamUsually early January to late DecemberOnce a month the old town goes dark and glows entirely by lantern and candlelit river.
Harbin ice and snow festivalHarbin, Heilongjiang, ChinaUsually early January to mid FebruaryWhole buildings carved from river ice, lit from within after dark.
Sinulog festivalCebu City, PhilippinesJanuary 8 to 17, 2027Cebu erupts in drums, glitter and a ritual dance honoring the Santo Nino.
Taebaek mountain snow festivalTaebaek, Gangwon, South KoreaUsually mid to late JanuarySnow sculptures and sledding on one of Korea's highest, coldest peaks.
Panagbenga FestivalBaguio, Benguet, PhilippinesUsually early February to early MarchBaguio's month-long flower festival, with grand parades, street dancing and floral floats in the Philippines' Summer Capital.
Shirakawa-go winter illuminationShirakawa-go, Gifu, JapanJanuary 11 to 31, 2027Steep thatched roof farmhouses lit gold against deep snow, a handful of nights only.
Chinese new year in ChinatownChinatown, SingaporeJanuary 11 to February 20, 2027 (expected)Red lanterns, lion dances and a street market turn Chinatown into the city's brightest corner.
International Kite Festival AhmedabadAhmedabad, Gujarat, IndiaJanuary 12 to 14, 2027 (expected)Uttarayan in Ahmedabad: kite flyers from dozens of countries and a sky full of kites around Makar Sankranti on January 14.
Bargarh Dhanu YatraBargarh, Odisha, IndiaJanuary 12 to 22, 2027An 11-day open-air play that turns a whole Odisha town into Mathura, billed as the world's largest open-air theatre.
PongalThanjavur and the Kaveri delta, IndiaJanuary 14 to 17, 2027 (expected)A four day harvest thanksgiving where boiled rice pots overflow on purpose.
Jaipur Literature FestivalJaipur, Rajasthan, IndiaJanuary 14 to 18, 2027A five-day January book festival with authors, debates, a music stage and a bazaar, free to enter.
Magh MelaPrayagraj (Sangam), IndiaJanuary 15 to March 6, 2027A month long river camp where millions bathe at the meeting of three rivers.
Maghe SankrantiPashupatinath, Kathmandu, NepalJanuary 15, 2027A cold river dawn where sesame sweets mark the sun's slow turn.
Plum blossom season in Moc ChauMoc Chau plateau, VietnamUsually mid January to late FebruaryWhite plum blossoms blanket a highland plateau just before Vietnamese new year.
New Delhi World Book FairNew Delhi, Delhi, IndiaJanuary 16 to 24, 2027Nine days of books, author talks and publishing deals at Bharat Mandapam, run by India's National Book Trust.
Nagaur cattle fairNagaur, IndiaUsually mid January to mid FebruaryThousands of camels and cattle, decorated and traded, fill a Rajasthani desert town.
Plum and early cherry bloom, YangmingshanYangmingshan national park, Taipei, TaiwanUsually mid January to early MarchVolcanic hills above Taipei bloom with plum and early cherry trees in the cool season.
Duruthu PeraheraKelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, near Colombo, Sri LankaJanuary 21, 2027The island's first great procession of the year, elephants and drummers under torchlight.
Thaipusam at Batu CavesBatu Caves, Selangor, MalaysiaJanuary 22, 2027Devotees pierced with hooks and skewers climb 272 steps in a trance of drums and turmeric.
Kolkata International Book FairKolkata, West Bengal, IndiaJanuary 22 to February 3, 2027The world's largest non-trade book fair, with over 2 million visitors, held each winter in Salt Lake.
Sharjah Light FestivalSharjah, United Arab EmiratesUsually late January to late FebruarySharjah's landmarks become canvases for light and sound shows, with a Light Village of food and play, held each winter.
South America: 6 events in January
Penguin season on Isla MagdalenaIsla Magdalena, Strait of Magellan, ChileUsually early October to late MarchA treeless island in the Strait of Magellan holds sixty thousand penguin pairs, and you walk among them.
Alumbrados of MedellínMedellín and the Río Medellín banks, ColombiaDecember 1 to January 8, 2027 (expected)Thirty million lights along the river and hills, and on 7 December every doorstep adds candles of its own.
Iguazu Falls at peak flowPuerto Iguazu, Misiones, ArgentinaUsually early December to late FebruaryTwo hundred and seventy-five separate waterfalls at their loudest, in the middle of the wet season.
Los Roques dry seasonLos Roques Archipelago, VenezuelaUsually mid December to late MarchFrom December to March the wind drops and the water goes glass-clear over 300 islands of white sand, including the sandbar they call the Moses Pass.
Salar de Uyuni mirror seasonSalar de Uyuni, Potosí, BoliviaUsually mid December to late MarchRain turns the world's largest salt flat into a sky-reflecting mirror where the horizon disappears.
Carnaval de Negros y BlancosPasto, ColombiaJanuary 2 to 6, 2027A UNESCO-listed carnival where the whole city ends up covered in paint and flour.
Africa: 14 events in January
Whale sharks off Mafia IslandKilindoni, Mafia Island, TanzaniaUsually mid October to early FebruaryA resident population of whale sharks feeds off a quiet island south of Zanzibar from October to March.
Hawksbill nesting on Cousin IslandCousin Island, near Praslin, SeychellesUsually mid October to late JanuaryThe only place hawksbill turtles nest in daylight, on a nature reserve island the size of a few city blocks.
Turtle nesting at iSimangalisoSodwana Bay, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South AfricaUsually early November to late JanuaryLeatherbacks and loggerheads come ashore on empty South African beaches to lay under the summer moon.
Whale sharks in the Gulf of TadjouraGulf of Tadjoura, DjiboutiUsually early November to late FebruaryJuvenile whale sharks feed in a Red Sea gulf so reliably that some days you swim with a dozen.
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset ConcertsKirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South AfricaUsually late November to late MarchSunday-evening concerts on a lawn under Table Mountain, with picnics and a sunset that does the lighting.
Zebra migration to Nxai PanNxai Pan and Makgadikgadi Pans, BotswanaUsually early December to late MarchAfrica's longest zebra migration reaches the Kalahari pans with the first rains, and the grass greens fast.
Wildebeest calving seasonSouthern Serengeti and Ndutu, TanzaniaUsually mid January to mid MarchHalf a million wildebeest calves drop onto the short grass plains within weeks.
Cape Town minstrel carnivalCape Town, South AfricaUsually early JanuaryTroupes in sequins and face paint parade through the city singing klopse songs.
Green turtle nesting seasonNosy Iranja, MadagascarUsually early November to late MarchGreen turtles haul onto a sandbar island beach to nest under the stars.
Timkat Epiphany celebrationGondar, EthiopiaJanuary 18 to 19, 2027Priests in gold robes bless a pool at dawn as thousands sing through the night.
TimkatLalibela, EthiopiaJanuary 19, 2027Rock-hewn churches and white-robed crowds mark Ethiopia's epiphany with all-night chanting.
Cairo international book fairNew Cairo exhibition grounds, EgyptJanuary 20 to February 2, 2027One of the Arab world's oldest and largest book fairs fills Cairo with readers and writers
Thaipoosam CavadeePort Louis, MauritiusJanuary 22, 2027Devotees pierce cheeks and carry ornate wooden arches to temples at dawn.
Marrakech MarathonMarrakech, MoroccoJanuary 31, 2027Runners loop past red ramparts and palm groves in the cool, ideal winter racing weather of the Marrakech medina.
Oceania: 5 events in January
Red crab migration on Christmas IslandChristmas Island, AustraliaUsually mid October to mid JanuaryTens of millions of red crabs march from the rainforest to the sea, closing roads and carpeting the island.
Triple Crown of SurfingNorth Shore, Oahu, United StatesUsually mid November to mid DecemberThe winter swell arrives and the world's best surfers gather at Pipeline, Sunset and Haleiwa.
Pohutukawa bloomCoromandel Peninsula, New ZealandUsually late November to early JanuaryNew Zealand's Christmas tree turns the coast crimson for a few weeks either side of the holiday.
Australian OpenMelbourne, AustraliaJanuary 11 to 31, 2027The first grand slam of the tennis year, played under Melbourne's summer sun and roofed arenas.
Tamworth country music festivalTamworth, New South Wales, AustraliaJanuary 15 to 23, 2027Australia's country music capital turns into a ten day, boot-stomping street party every January.