Where to go in May 2027
120 events around the world in May 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: 29 events in May
SeaWorld Seven Seas Food FestivalOrlando, Florida, United StatesJanuary 29 to May 16, 2027 (expected)Orlando's biggest theme park food festival: 200-plus global dishes and weekend concerts, included with a SeaWorld ticket.
Quetzal nesting seasonSan Gerardo de Dota, Costa RicaUsually early March to mid JuneResplendent quetzals nest in the cloud forest above the Savegre valley and show themselves at dawn.
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad RanchCarlsbad, California, United StatesUsually early March to early MayFifty acres of ranunculus in rainbow stripes on a hillside above the Pacific.
EPCOT International Flower & Garden FestivalLake Buena Vista, Florida, United StatesMarch 10 to May 31, 2027Walt Disney World's spring festival fills EPCOT with character topiaries, gardens, outdoor food kitchens and daily concerts.
Whale sharks at Gladden SpitGladden Spit, off Placencia, BelizeUsually mid March to mid JuneWhale sharks arrive on the full moon to feed on snapper spawn along the Belize reef drop-off.
Abbotsford Tulip FestivalAbbotsford, British Columbia, CanadaApril 15 to May 9, 2027 (expected)Tulip fields on a working Fraser Valley flower farm, open dawn to dusk from mid April into May.
Feria Nacional de San MarcosAguascalientes, MexicoApril 19 to May 11, 2027Mexico's biggest spring fair fills a whole city with bullfights, cockfights and dancing.
Red-sided garter snake emergence at NarcisseNarcisse, Manitoba, CanadaUsually late April to mid MayTens of thousands of snakes pour out of limestone dens in the largest reptile gathering on earth.
Feria TabascoVillahermosa, Tabasco, MexicoUsually late April to early MayTabasco's state fair in Villahermosa, with contests, livestock and farm shows, a street fair and nightly events.
Feria de PueblaPuebla, Puebla, MexicoApril 22 to May 9, 2027 (expected)Puebla's spring fair runs about 18 days from late April into May, with free-to-watch concerts at the Teatro del Pueblo and a palenque.
Canadian Tulip FestivalOttawa, Ontario, CanadaUsually early to mid MayA million tulips bloom across Ottawa, a gift from the Dutch royal family that never stopped.
Cayman Carnival BatabanoGeorge Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman IslandsUsually late April to early MayA compact island carnival named for the tracks sea turtles leave in the sand.
Saint Lucia JazzPigeon Island, Rodney Bay, Saint LuciaApril 30 to May 9, 2027Big-name jazz on a lawn between two forts, with the Pitons on the horizon and rum in hand.
Tulip Time FestivalHolland, Michigan, United StatesApril 30 to May 9, 2027A Dutch-founded lake town lines its streets with millions of tulips and dances in wooden shoes.
Palo de MayoBluefields, NicaraguaMay 1 to 31, 2027 (expected)A whole month of Afro-Caribbean maypole dancing on Nicaragua's forgotten coast.
Cape May spring bird migrationCape May, New Jersey, United StatesUsually early to late MayA Victorian beach town at the tip of a peninsula becomes one of the world's great migration funnels.
Yosemite waterfalls at peak snowmeltYosemite Valley, California, United StatesUsually early May to mid JuneThe valley's waterfalls run at full roar for a few weeks and the Mist Trail earns its name.
Romerías de MayoHolguín, CubaUsually early MayA week of young Cuban art, music and theatre in the streets, opened by a climb to the Loma de la Cruz.
Cinco de Mayo in PueblaPuebla, MexicoMay 5, 2027The one place in Mexico where May 5 really matters, with a battle re-enactment and a huge civic parade.
Horseshoe crab spawning and red knots on Delaware BaySlaughter Beach, Delaware, United StatesUsually early May to early JuneAncient horseshoe crabs carpet the beaches on spring tides and a threatened bird arrives to feast.
Hangout Music FestivalGulf Shores, Alabama, United StatesUsually late MayA three-day music festival on the white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, skipped in 2026 and expected back in 2027.
Electric Daisy Carnival Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada, United StatesMay 14 to 23, 2027The biggest electronic dance music festival in the world, held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with two full weekends in 2027.
Gran Carnaval de La CeibaLa Ceiba, HondurasMay 15 to 22, 2027 (expected)Central America's biggest street carnival, a week of neighbourhood parties ending in a Saturday parade.
Canadian Grand PrixMontreal, Quebec, CanadaUsually mid May to late JuneFormula 1 on an island in the St. Lawrence, and the city throws a week-long party around it.
Feria Nacional del Queso y el VinoTequisquiapan, Querétaro, MexicoUsually early to late MayTwo weekends of Querétaro cheese and Mexican wine in a pretty colonial town's plaza.
Bermuda DayHamilton, BermudaMay 21, 2027 (expected)The island's unofficial first day of summer: Gombey dancers, a half marathon and the first swim of the year.
Synchronous fireflies at ElkmontGreat Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, United StatesUsually late May to early JuneA forest full of fireflies blinking in unison, for about two weeks a year, by lottery only.
Corpus Christi devil dancesLa Villa de Los Santos, Azuero, PanamaMay 26 to 30, 2027Masked diablos sucios fight angels in the streets of a colonial town for the feast of Corpus Christi.
Indianapolis 500Indianapolis, Indiana, United StatesMay 30, 2027The largest single-day sporting crowd in the world, 200 laps and a bottle of milk in Victory Lane.
Europe: 21 events in May
Blue whale migrationPico Island, Azores, PortugalUsually mid March to late MayThe largest animals on earth pass close to these volcanic shores each late winter
Tulip season in HollandKeukenhof and the Bollenstreek, NetherlandsMarch 18 to May 9, 2027 (expected)Seven million bulbs in bloom, and fields striped in color for as far as you can see.
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.
Asparagus season in BeelitzBeelitz, Brandenburg, GermanyUsually mid April to late JuneGermany's white asparagus cult has a capital, and for nine weeks it eats nothing else.
Brighton FestivalBrighton, England, United KingdomUsually early to late MayEngland's big May arts festival: theatre, circus, music and dance in venues across Brighton and Hove, with free events.
Festival of the PatiosCórdoba, SpainMay 3 to 16, 2027For two weeks in May, Córdoba's private courtyards open their gates, walls hung with geraniums in full bloom.
Juwenalia in KrakówKraków, PolandUsually mid to late MayThe mayor hands the keys of the city to the students for four days, and they use them.
Hidrellez in EdirneSarayici, Edirne, TurkeyMay 5 to 6, 2027Bonfires, Roma music and wishes tied to rose bushes on the night spring officially arrives.
Hamburg Harbour BirthdayHamburg, GermanyMay 6 to 9, 2027The world's biggest port party: tall ships, a tugboat ballet and a mile of waterfront given to the crowd.
Wiener FestwochenVienna, AustriaUsually mid May to mid JuneVienna's five week theatre and performance festival opens with a free concert on the Rathausplatz.
Cannes Film FestivalPalais des Festivals, Cannes, FranceMay 11 to 22, 2027Twelve days when the Croisette is a red carpet and the beach is a cinema after dark.
Prague Spring International Music FestivalPrague, CzechiaMay 12 to June 3, 2027 (expected)It opens every year on 12 May with Smetana's Má vlast in the hall where Czech music lives.
Fátima May pilgrimageSanctuary of Fátima, PortugalMay 12 to 13, 2027Hundreds of thousands of candles in one square on the night before the anniversary of the apparitions.
Copenhagen CarnivalCopenhagen, DenmarkMay 14 to 17, 2027Whitsun weekend turns the Danish capital into a samba parade with a Nordic sense of order.
French Open (Roland-Garros)Paris, Ile-de-FranceMay 17 to June 6, 2027Three weeks of clay-court tennis at Roland-Garros in Paris, ending with the women's and men's finals on the first weekend of June.
RHS Chelsea Flower ShowRoyal Hospital Chelsea, London, United KingdomMay 18 to 22, 2027The world's most watched garden show, built in three weeks on a hospital lawn and gone in five days.
Bergen International FestivalBergen, NorwayMay 19 to June 2, 2027 (expected)Two weeks of music in Grieg's own city, with concerts in his lakeside villa as the fjords turn green.
Anastenaria fire walkingLangadas and Agia Eleni, Macedonia, GreeceMay 21 to 23, 2027On the feast of Saints Constantine and Helen, villagers dance barefoot across glowing coals holding icons.
FA Cup FinalLondon, England, United KingdomMay 22, 2027The final of the world's oldest football tournament is played at Wembley Stadium on a Saturday in May.
Cooper's Hill cheese rollingCooper's Hill, Brockworth, Gloucestershire, United KingdomUsually late MayPeople throw themselves down a near vertical hill after a wheel of cheese, and someone always wins.
Pilgrimage of Sainte SaraSaintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Camargue, FranceMay 24 to 25, 2027 (expected)Romani pilgrims carry the statue of their saint into the sea with the Camargue horsemen riding alongside.
Asia: 39 events in May
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.
Raptor migration over the Gulf of AqabaEilat mountains and the Sinai coast, IsraelUsually mid February to early MayHundreds of thousands of migrating raptors funnel through this narrow desert corridor each spring
Dajia Mazu PilgrimageJenn Lann Temple, Dajia, Taichung, TaiwanUsually late March to early MayTaiwan's largest religious procession: nine days, 340 kilometres, a million people walking behind a goddess.
Wadi Mujib Siq Trail seasonWadi Mujib, Dead Sea, JordanUsually early April to late OctoberWade and climb up a flooded sandstone canyon that opens each April, 400 metres below sea level.
Koovagam FestivalKoovagam, Tamil Nadu, IndiaUsually early April to mid MayAn 18-day temple festival where Thirunangai and Aravani women gather at Koothandavar Temple to marry the god Aravan and then mourn him.
Chithirai FestivalMadurai, Tamil Nadu, IndiaUsually early to mid AprilA goddess is married in a temple city and a god rides in on a golden horse, a million watching.
Ashikaga Great WisteriaAshikaga Flower Park, Tochigi, JapanUsually mid April to mid MayA 150-year-old wisteria spreads over 1,000 square metres of trellis, and at night it glows.
Hakka Tung Blossom FestivalMiaoli County, TaiwanUsually early April to early MayApril snow in the Taiwan hills: tung trees drop white flowers whole, and the trails turn white.
Fuji Shibazakura FestivalFujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, JapanUsually early April to late MayNearly a million pink moss flowers spread out with Mount Fuji rising behind them.
Nemophila HarmonyHitachi Seaside Park, Ibaraki, JapanUsually early April to early MayA hill of five million baby-blue flowers that runs straight into the blue of the Pacific.
Penghu International Fireworks FestivalGuanyinting, Magong, Penghu, TaiwanUsually early May to late AugustFireworks over a rainbow bridge on an outer island, twice a week for two months.
Balloon season over CappadociaGoreme, Nevsehir, TurkiyeUsually mid April to mid JuneDozens of balloons lift at first light over valleys of carved volcanic rock.
Rato Machhindranath chariot festivalPatan, Kathmandu Valley, NepalApril 18 to June 1, 2027A 20 metre chariot of rope and timber inches through Patan for a month, begging the rain god for monsoon.
Inverted tulip bloom at ChelgerdKoohrang, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, IranUsually mid April to mid MayHillsides of crown imperials, the upside-down tulip, flower for a few weeks in the Zagros.
Spring water season at Longji rice terracesLongsheng, Guangxi, ChinaUsually late April to mid JuneFlooded mountain terraces turn into stacked mirrors before the rice is planted.
Boseong Green Tea FestivalDaehan Dawon, Boseong, South KoreaUsually early MayKorea's terraced tea hills at first flush, when the new leaves are bright and the picking begins.
Ooty Flower ShowOoty, Tamil Nadu, IndiaUsually mid to late MayA Victorian botanical garden at 2,200 metres buried in dahlias, delphiniums and flower sculptures each May.
Royal Ploughing CeremonySanam Luang, Bangkok, ThailandUsually early to late MaySacred oxen choose from trays of grain to predict the rice harvest on the lawn beside the Grand Palace.
Boun Bang Fai rocket festivalVientiane, LaosUsually mid MayVillages around the Lao capital fire homemade bamboo rockets skyward to shake the rain gods awake.
Golabgiri rosewater harvest in KashanQamsar and Niasar, Kashan, IranUsually early May to early JuneMountain villages boil Mohammadi roses in copper stills and the whole valley steams with rosewater.
Kottiyoor Temple FestivalKottiyoor, Kerala, IndiaUsually early May to late JuneA 28-day forest festival on the banks of the Bavali River, when the Akkare Kottiyoor shrine opens for the only time each year.
Chilam Joshi, the Kalash spring festivalBumburet, Kalash Valleys, Chitral, PakistanMay 13 to 16, 2027 (expected)Three valleys of a pre-Islamic people dance in black robes and cowrie headdresses to welcome spring.
Bun Bang Fai rocket festivalYasothon, ThailandMay 14 to 16, 2027 (expected)Villagers launch homemade rockets skyward to plead with the heavens for rain.
Sanja MatsuriAsakusa Shrine, Tokyo, JapanMay 14 to 16, 2027Tokyo's rowdiest festival: a hundred portable shrines and two million people jammed into the old town.
HajjMecca, Saudi ArabiaMay 14 to 19, 2027 (expected)The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, booked through the official Nusuk Hajj platform for many countries.
Aoi MatsuriShimogamo Shrine, Kyoto, JapanMay 15, 2027Five hundred people in Heian court dress walk from the palace to the shrines, as they have for 1,400 years.
Isparta rose harvestGuneykent and the rose valleys, Isparta, TurkeyUsually mid May to mid JuneTurkey's rose country picks before dawn for a month and the whole valley smells of oil.
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.
Pahiyas FestivalLucban, Quezon, PhilippinesMay 15, 2027Every house on the parade route is armoured in rice-paste leaves, fruit and vegetables for one day.
Vesak in ColomboColombo, Sri LankaMay 17 to 21, 2027 (expected)A whole city hung with paper lanterns and lit pandals, and free food handed out on every corner.
Obando Fertility DanceObando, Bulacan, PhilippinesMay 17 to 19, 2027Childless couples dance in the streets for three saints in a fertility rite older than its church.
Buddha Purnima at Bodh GayaBodh Gaya, Bihar, IndiaMay 20, 2027The Buddha's birthday under the tree where he sat, monks of every tradition chanting all night.
Rajshahi mango seasonRajshahi, BangladeshUsually mid May to mid JulyThe mango capital of Bengal: orchard towns, dawn fruit markets and a dozen varieties ripening in sequence.
Waisak at BorobudurBorobudur, Central Java, IndonesiaMay 20, 2027Thousands of monks process to the largest Buddhist monument on earth under the May full moon.
Lag BaOmer at MeronMount Meron, Galilee, IsraelMay 24 to 25, 2027Hundreds of thousands climb to a hillside tomb for a night of bonfires, song and first haircuts.
Phi Ta Khon ghost festivalDan Sai, Loei province, ThailandUsually late May to mid JulyVillagers wear painted ghost masks and dance through the streets for three days.
Da Nang International Fireworks FestivalDa Nang, VietnamUsually early June to early JulyNational pyrotechnic teams duel over the Han river every Saturday for six weeks of summer.
Pesta KaamatanPenampang, Sabah, MalaysiaMay 30 to 31, 2027Borneo's Kadazan-Dusun harvest festival ends with rice wine, buffalo-horn dances and a crowning.
South America: 9 events in May
Autumn colour in the Bariloche lakesBariloche and the Seven Lakes road, Patagonia, ArgentinaUsually early April to mid MayPatagonia's lenga forests turn red and gold over glass-still lakes, and the summer crowds have gone home.
Buenos Aires International Book FairLa Rural, Palermo, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaApril 22 to May 10, 2027A million porteños pass through La Rural in three weeks, in the city with the most bookshops per head.
Fiesta de la Cruz de MayoAndean highland towns, Peru and BoliviaMay 1 to 5, 2027 (expected)Villages across the Andes dress wooden crosses in flowers and dance them through the streets.
Paraguay Independence DaysAsunción, ParaguayMay 14 to 15, 2027Two nights of guarania, harp and street food around the Casa de la Independencia, in a capital tourists skip.
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.
Cavalhadas of PirenópolisPirenópolis, Goiás, BrazilMay 16 to 18, 2027 (expected)Moors and Christians joust on horseback for three days in a colonial gold town, as they have since 1826.
Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimageSinakara valley, below Ausangate, PeruMay 20 to 23, 2027 (expected)Tens of thousands climb to a glacier at 4,700 m to dance all night for a Christ painted on a rock.
Fiesta del Gran PoderLa Paz, BoliviaMay 23, 2027Forty thousand dancers in embroidered costumes climb La Paz's streets for a whole day and most of the night.
Diablos Danzantes de YareSan Francisco de Yare, Miranda, VenezuelaMay 27, 2027Red-clad devils in papier-mâché masks dance in reverse before the Blessed Sacrament, and lose.
Africa: 16 events in May
Victoria Falls at peak flowVictoria Falls, ZimbabweUsually early March to late MayThe Zambezi at full flood throws a curtain of water a mile wide over the edge, its spray visible for 30 km.
Rose Festival of Kelaa M'GounaKelaa M'Gouna, Valley of Roses, MoroccoUsually early MayThe Valley of Roses celebrates its harvest with parades, a rose queen and petals thrown from rooftops.
Fes Festival of World Sacred MusicBab Al Makina, Fes, MoroccoUsually mid to late MaySufi, gospel, qawwali and choral music under the stars inside the walls of the medina.
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.
Aboakyer festivalWinneba, GhanaMay 1, 2027Two rival companies race into the bush at dawn to catch a live antelope bare-handed for the gods.
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.
Fête de la VanilleBras-Panon, RéunionUsually early to late MayBourbon vanilla's home town celebrates the harvest with growers' stalls and a rum-scented night market.
Sunrise at DeadvleiSossusvlei, Namib-Naukluft, NamibiaUsually early May to late JulyBlackened camelthorn trees on a white clay pan under some of the tallest dunes on earth.
Sham el-NessimNile riverbanks and public gardens, Cairo and Alexandria, EgyptMay 3, 2027Egyptians of every faith picnic outdoors to welcome spring on a holiday older than the pyramids.
Saint-Louis Jazz FestivalSaint-Louis, SenegalMay 4 to 8, 2027West Africa's oldest jazz festival takes over a faded colonial island town at the mouth of the Senegal river.
Red Sea whale shark seasonHurghada and the northern Red Sea, EgyptUsually mid May to mid JulyWhale sharks drift past the reefs off Hurghada as the water warms, close enough to snorkel with.
Donia festivalHell-Ville, Nosy Be, MadagascarUsually late MayNosy Be's music festival brings salegy bands and Indian Ocean acts to the island as the rains end.
Lewa Safari MarathonLewa Wildlife Conservancy, KenyaMay 15, 2027A marathon run through a rhino conservancy with helicopters and rangers keeping the wildlife off the course.
Riebeek Valley Olive FestivalRiebeek Kasteel, South AfricaMay 21 to 23, 2027 (expected)Two olive-farming villages an hour from Cape Town open their farms, tables and cellars for a weekend.
Sakifo Musik FestivalSaint-Pierre, RéunionUsually early JuneThree nights of maloya, sega and international acts on the beach in Réunion's southern town.
MTN BushfireMalkerns Valley, EswatiniMay 28 to 30, 2027Africa's friendliest big music festival, three days in a green valley in the continent's smallest kingdom.
Oceania: 6 events in May
Naghol land divingPentecost Island, VanuatuUsually early April to mid JuneMen leap head-first from 30-metre towers with only vines around their ankles, the original bungee.
Tahiti Pearl RegattaRaiatea and Taha'a, Society Islands, French PolynesiaUsually early MaySailboats race inside the shared lagoon of two islands where the Polynesian navigators set out.
Rotorua MarathonRotorua, Bay of Plenty, New ZealandMay 1, 2027A single lap of a steaming volcanic lake, run every May since 1965.
Bluff Oyster and Food FestivalBluff, Southland, New ZealandUsually late MayNew Zealand's most prized oyster, eaten cold and raw at the bottom of the South Island.
Ord Valley MusterKununurra, Western AustraliaMay 14 to 23, 2027 (expected)Two weeks of outback concerts, rodeo and river dinners as the Kimberley dry season begins.
Humpback migration off Cape ByronCape Byron, New South Wales, AustraliaUsually mid May to late JulyThousands of humpbacks pass Australia's easternmost point close enough to watch from the lighthouse.