Where to go in October 2026
140 events around the world in October 2026, with their dates. Open one to see fares from your city for those days, and we'll alert you when they drop.
North America: 30 events in October
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.
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.
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyLake Buena Vista, Florida, United StatesAugust 7 to October 31, 2026A separate-ticket Halloween night at Magic Kingdom with a parade, trick-or-treating and fireworks, on select nights from August to October.
EPCOT Eat to the Beat Concert SeriesOrlando, Florida, United StatesAugust 27 to November 16, 2026Nightly concerts at EPCOT's America Gardens Theatre during the Food & Wine Festival, by name artists and local acts.
EPCOT International Food & Wine FestivalLake Buena Vista, Florida, United StatesAugust 27 to November 21, 2026Eat and drink around the world at EPCOT's global marketplaces from late summer into November.
Halloween Horror Nights OrlandoOrlando, Florida, United StatesAugust 28 to November 1, 2026Orlando's after-dark Halloween event: haunted houses, scare zones and live shows on select nights from late August to November.
Elk rut in Rocky Mountain National ParkEstes Park, Colorado, United StatesUsually mid September to mid OctoberBull elk bugle across the meadows at dusk while the aspens turn gold on the slopes above.
Fiestas de San JerónimoMasaya, NicaraguaUsually late September to late OctoberNicaragua's longest fiesta, with masked torovenado parades that mock the powerful for weeks.
River of RaptorsChichicaxtle and Cardel, Veracruz, MexicoUsually mid September to late OctoberMillions of hawks funnel through a coastal bottleneck in a single autumn, sometimes 100,000 in one day.
Vermont fall foliageStowe, Vermont, United StatesUsually late September to mid OctoberThe most reliable red maples in America, on back roads with covered bridges and white church steeples.
Adams River sockeye salmon runRoderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, British Columbia, CanadaUsually early to late OctoberMillions of crimson sockeye turn a shallow river solid red, and every fourth year is a dominant run.
Arribada at OstionalPlaya Ostional, Guanacaste, Costa RicaUsually early July to late DecemberUp to a hundred thousand olive ridley turtles come ashore over a few nights on one Pacific beach.
Salem Haunted HappeningsSalem, Massachusetts, United StatesOctober 1 to 31, 2026The witch trials town turns all of October into Halloween, with a million visitors by the 31st.
Blue Ridge Parkway fall colorAsheville, North Carolina, United StatesUsually early to late OctoberA 469-mile road with no trucks and no billboards, through the longest fall color season in the East.
Austin City Limits Music FestivalAustin, Texas, United StatesOctober 2 to 11, 2026Two identical October weekends in Zilker Park, a swim in Barton Springs between sets.
Fiestas de OctubreGuadalajara, Jalisco, MexicoOctober 2 to November 2, 2026A month-long Guadalajara fair with nightly concerts, a carnival midway and Jalisco street food.
Albuquerque Balloon FiestaAlbuquerque, New Mexico, United StatesOctober 3 to 11, 2026 (expected)Five hundred hot-air balloons lifting off at dawn, every morning for nine days.
Festival Internacional CervantinoGuanajuato, MexicoOctober 3 to 18, 2026Latin America's biggest arts festival in a silver town of tunnels and plazas, half of it free in the streets.
New York Comic ConNew York, New York, United StatesOctober 8 to 11, 2026 (expected)Four days of comics, anime, games and cosplay at the Javits Center, the biggest pop culture show on the East Coast.
Carnaval de LimónPuerto Limón, Costa RicaOctober 9 to 18, 2026Costa Rica's Caribbean coast throws its own carnival around October 12, with calypso and comparsas.
Celtic Colours International FestivalCape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, CanadaOctober 9 to 17, 2026Nine days of fiddle music in village halls all over an island at the peak of its fall color.
Bonaire RegattaKralendijk, BonaireOctober 11 to 17, 2026A week of sailing and windsurfing races off Kralendijk, with the waterfront turned into a nightly fair.
Chicago MarathonChicago, Illinois, United StatesOctober 11, 2026One of the seven World Marathon Majors, run through Chicago on the second Sunday of October.
Head of the Charles RegattaCambridge, Massachusetts, United StatesOctober 16 to 18, 2026The world's largest rowing regatta, 11,000 rowers under the bridges of the Charles in peak fall color.
Fantasy FestKey West, Florida, United StatesOctober 16 to 25, 2026Ten days of body paint, costume parades and street parties at the end of the road in the Keys.
Cristo Negro de PortobeloPortobelo, Colón, PanamaOctober 20 to 21, 2026Pilgrims in purple robes walk and crawl to a Spanish colonial port to carry the Black Christ at night.
Feria de TlaxcalaTlaxcala, Tlaxcala, MexicoOctober 22 to November 16, 2026Mexico's long-running state fair in Tlaxcala runs from late October into November, with a palenque, a people's theater and Day of the Dead.
United States Grand PrixAustin, Texas, United StatesOctober 22 to 25, 2026Formula 1 at Circuit of The Americas outside Austin, with a headline concert on the amphitheatre stage every evening.
World Creole Music FestivalRoseau, DominicaOctober 23 to 25, 2026Three nights of bouyon, zouk and kompa in Roseau, inside Dominica's Creole independence week.
Chilkat bald eagle gatheringHaines, Alaska, United StatesUsually late October to early DecemberThe largest concentration of bald eagles on earth, thousands on the cottonwoods above a late salmon run.
Europe: 24 events in October
Crane migration at Matsalu BayMatsalu National Park, EstoniaUsually early September to mid OctoberTwenty thousand cranes and countless geese stage on Estonia's west coast before the flight south.
Almabtrieb cattle descent in TyrolReith im Alpbachtal and the Zillertal, Tyrol, AustriaUsually early September to early OctoberCows come down from the summer pastures in flower crowns and bells, and the valleys throw a party for them.
Sort Sol starling murmurationsWadden Sea marshes, DenmarkUsually mid September to early NovemberEvery autumn dusk from mid September to early November, up to a million starlings swirl over the marshes of southwest Denmark before dropping into the reeds. Locals call it Sort Sol, the Black Sun.
Common crane migrationHortobagy national park, HungaryUsually mid September to late OctoberTens of thousands of cranes stage on the puszta before their flight south.
White truffle season in IstriaMotovun and the Mirna valley, Istria, CroatiaUsually mid September to late NovemberCroatia's forests yield white truffles to rival Alba's, hunted with dogs at dawn and shaved by noon.
Autumn on the Seceda ridgeVal Gardena, South Tyrol, ItalyUsually late September to late OctoberA grass ridge that ends in a wall of rock teeth, reached by cable car in about twenty minutes.
Cannstatter VolksfestStuttgart, GermanySeptember 25 to October 11, 2026Germany's second biggest beer festival, with the same tents and lederhosen and half the tourists.
Aurora season in LofotenReine and Svolvaer, Lofoten, NorwayUsually early October to late MarchThe northern lights over granite peaks that drop straight into the sea.
Leidens OntzetLeiden, NetherlandsOctober 2 to 3, 2026A university town celebrates the 1574 end of its siege with herring, white bread and hutspot at dawn.
Fête des Vendanges de MontmartreMontmartre, Paris, FranceOctober 7 to 11, 2026Paris harvests its own vineyard and throws the hill a five day village festival with a parade.
BFI London Film FestivalLondon, England, United KingdomOctober 7 to 18, 2026Two weeks of new films, premieres and screenings across London every October, run with the British Film Institute.
Culture Night in CopenhagenCopenhagen, DenmarkOctober 9, 2026One October Friday, Copenhagen unlocks everything: ministries, churches, parliament, the zoo after dark.
Hull FairHull, Yorkshire, United KingdomOctober 9 to 17, 2026Europe's largest travelling funfair takes over Walton Street in Hull for eight nights every October.
Fiestas del PilarZaragoza, SpainOctober 10 to 18, 2026 (expected)A mountain of flowers built from a million blooms carried by pilgrims to the Virgin on October 12.
Alba International White Truffle FairAlba, Piedmont, ItalyOctober 10 to December 6, 2026The world's most expensive fungus is sold by the gram in a Piedmont town during the Barolo harvest.
Autumn colour at PlitvicePlitvice Lakes, Lika, CroatiaUsually early October to early NovemberSixteen terraced lakes running turquoise between beech woods turning copper.
Signal Festival PraguePrague, CzechiaOctober 15 to 18, 2026For four nights Prague's baroque facades become screens and its parks fill with light art.
ViennaleVienna, AustriaUsually mid to late OctoberTwo weeks of serious cinema in Vienna's grand old picture palaces, with the coffee houses as the lobby.
Common crane migration at Lac du DerLac du Der-Chantecoq, Champagne, FranceUsually mid October to late NovemberTens of thousands of cranes lift off a Champagne lake at dawn, the largest crane roost in western Europe.
Bremen FreimarktBremen, GermanyOctober 16 to November 1, 2026A fair that has run since 1035, with beer halls, a Sunday parade and the north's biggest funfair.
Fiesta de la Rosa del AzafránConsuegra, Castilla-La Mancha, SpainUsually late October to early NovemberPurple crocus fields below Don Quixote's windmills, picked at dawn and stripped of saffron by hand.
Guinness Cork Jazz FestivalCork, IrelandOctober 22 to 26, 2026Every pub in Cork with a band in the corner, one long bank holiday weekend at the end of October.
Basel Autumn FairBasel, SwitzerlandOctober 24 to November 8, 2026Switzerland's oldest fair opens with a bell at noon and scatters rides and stalls across seven squares.
Ohi Day in ThessalonikiThessaloniki, GreeceOctober 28, 2026Greece's second city stages the country's great military parade along the seafront on the day it said no.
Asia: 43 events in October
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.
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.
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.
Bryde's whales of the upper GulfBang Tabun, Phetchaburi, ThailandUsually early September to late NovemberTwo hours from Bangkok, whales lunge-feed with mouths agape as anchovies boil at the surface.
Thimphu TshechuThimphu, BhutanUsually late SeptemberThe capital's three day festival of sacred cham dances, with the whole city in its best silk gho and kira.
Mu Cang Chai golden terracesMu Cang Chai, Yen Bai, VietnamUsually early September to early OctoberHmong rice terraces on 1,000-metre slopes turn gold for three weeks before the harvest.
Kanas Lake AutumnKanas Nature Reserve, Altay, Xinjiang, ChinaUsually mid September to mid OctoberSiberian larch and birch turn gold around a turquoise glacial lake at the meeting point of four countries.
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda FestivalInle Lake, Shan State, MyanmarUsually early to late OctoberFour golden Buddha images tour the lake villages on a royal barge rowed by hundreds of leg-rowing fishermen.
Pchum BenPhnom Penh, CambodiaSeptember 26 to October 10, 2026 (expected)For fifteen days Cambodians feed their ancestors, throwing rice balls at dawn in pagodas across the country.
Qufu Confucius Cultural FestivalTemple of Confucius, Qufu, Shandong, ChinaSeptember 28 to October 7, 2026Confucius's birthday in his hometown: a state ceremony of ancient music and dance in his own temple.
Everest base camp autumn windowNamche Bazaar, Khumbu, NepalUsually early October to late NovemberThe clearest skies of the year on the classic trek, after the monsoon has washed the dust out of the Khumbu.
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.
MassKara FestivalBacolod, Negros Occidental, PhilippinesOctober 1 to 18, 2026 (expected)The city of smiles dances in grinning feathered masks at a festival born from a sugar crash and a shipwreck.
Deepavali in Little IndiaLittle India, SingaporeUsually mid October to mid NovemberSerangoon Road hangs a mile of light arches and the bazaars fill with jasmine before the festival of lights.
Cloud sea season at ZhangjiajieWulingyuan, Hunan, ChinaUsually early October to mid NovemberThousands of sandstone pillars standing out of the cloud after rain.
Jinju Namgang Yudeung FestivalJinju Fortress and the Nam River, Jinju, South KoreaOctober 3 to 18, 2026A river of floating lanterns beneath a fortress, remembering a 1592 siege with light instead of fire.
Golden Eagle FestivalOlgii, Bayan-Olgii, MongoliaOctober 3 to 4, 2026Kazakh eagle hunters ride down from the Altai with their birds for two days of contests on the steppe.
Nikko Autumn ColoursIrohazaka and Lake Chuzenji, Nikko, JapanUsually early October to early NovemberThe 48-hairpin road up to Lake Chuzenji is Japan's most famous autumn drive, and it turns in October.
Busan International Film FestivalBusan Cinema Center, Centum City, South KoreaOctober 6 to 15, 2026Asia's most important film festival, with an open-air screen under a roof the size of a football pitch.
Singapore Grand PrixMarina Bay street circuit, SingaporeOctober 9 to 11, 2026 (expected)Formula One's original night race, under floodlights and skyscrapers, with concerts after the chequered flag.
Jiuzhaigou AutumnJiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan, ChinaUsually mid October to early NovemberTravertine lakes so clear they look fake, framed for three weeks in red maple and yellow birch.
Phuket Vegetarian FestivalPhuket Town, ThailandOctober 10 to 18, 2026Nine days of firecrackers, white-clad devotees and mediums piercing their cheeks with swords and umbrellas.
Navratri garba in AhmedabadAhmedabad, Gujarat, IndiaOctober 11 to 19, 2026Nine nights of the world's largest dance party, tens of thousands in mirrored dress circling until 2 am.
Mysore DasaraMysore, Karnataka, IndiaOctober 11 to 21, 2026A palace lit by 100,000 bulbs every night for ten days, then a golden howdah on an elephant through the city.
Dashain in KathmanduKathmandu, NepalOctober 11 to 26, 2026 (expected)Nepal's biggest holiday: kites over every rooftop, bamboo swings in every village, a city gone home.
The Bodrum CupBodrum harbour, TurkeyUsually mid to late OctoberA week of wooden gulets racing between Aegean bays, with a party in each port.
Nada no Kenka MatsuriMatsubara Hachiman Shrine, Himeji, JapanOctober 14 to 15, 2026Japan's fighting festival: portable shrines rammed into each other on purpose, in Himeji Castle's town.
Ajloun olive harvestAjloun hills, JordanUsually mid October to late NovemberFamilies beat the olives from the trees on Jordan's greenest hills and press them the same day.
Hunza autumn coloursHunza Valley, PakistanUsually mid October to early NovemberPoplars and apricot orchards turn gold and scarlet beneath Rakaposhi in the Karakoram's brief autumn.
Durga Puja in KolkataKolkata, West Bengal, IndiaOctober 16 to 20, 2026 (expected)A city becomes a gallery of thousands of art pandals for five nights, then walks its goddess to the river.
Chonburi buffalo racesChonburi, ThailandOctober 17 to 25, 2026Farmers ride bareback on charging water buffalo down a dirt track in front of the town hall.
Lanzones FestivalMambajao, Camiguin, PhilippinesOctober 18 to 25, 2026An island of seven volcanoes celebrates its sweetest fruit with houses dressed in lanzones and street dance.
Naejangsan Autumn LeavesNaejangsan National Park, Jeongeup, South KoreaUsually late October to early NovemberKorea's best-known maple mountain, a horseshoe of peaks that turns red in early November.
Khorasan saffron harvestTorbat-e Heydarieh and Gonabad, Razavi Khorasan, IranUsually mid October to late NovemberPurple crocus fields picked at dawn in the region that grows most of the world's saffron.
Kullu DussehraKullu, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaOctober 20 to 26, 2026Two hundred village gods carried on palanquins down from the Himalaya to meet in one valley for a week.
Riyadh Season openingBoulevard Riyadh City, Saudi ArabiaOctober 21 to December 30, 2026A city-wide entertainment season opens with a parade and fireworks and runs all winter.
Ubud Writers and Readers FestivalUbud, Bali, IndonesiaOctober 21 to 25, 2026Southeast Asia's leading literary festival: five days of talks in the rice fields with its best writers.
Royal Highland FestivalLaya, Gasa, BhutanOctober 23 to 24, 2026A two day yak and horse festival at 3,800 metres in a village you can only walk to.
Antalya Golden Orange Film FestivalAntalya, TurkeyOctober 24 to 31, 2026Turkey's oldest film festival, a week of premieres and red carpets between the sea and the old town.
Lai Heua Fai fire boat festivalLuang Prabang, LaosOctober 24 to 26, 2026Candlelit bamboo boats from every temple are paraded down the main street and set adrift on the Mekong.
Jambay Lhakhang DrupJambay Lhakhang, Bumthang, BhutanOctober 26 to 29, 2026A midnight fire blessing under a burning gate and a naked dance at a seventh century temple.
Naga fireballs on the MekongPhon Phisai, Nong Khai, ThailandOctober 26, 2026On one full-moon night, glowing red orbs rise silently from the Mekong and a whole province watches.
Republic Day in AnkaraAnitkabir, Ankara, TurkeyOctober 28 to 29, 2026The republic's birthday at Ataturk's mausoleum, with a parade, a torchlit procession and fireworks.
South America: 11 events in October
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.
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.
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.
Caño Cristales in full colourLa Macarena, Meta, ColombiaUsually early September to late NovemberThe river of five colours turns crimson when an aquatic plant blooms, for only a few months a year.
Magellanic penguins return to Punta TomboPunta Tombo, Chubut, ArgentinaUsually mid September to late MarchHalf a million penguins walk back to the same burrows on a Patagonian beach, and you walk among them.
Fiesta Nacional de la CervezaVilla General Belgrano, Córdoba, ArgentinaOctober 2 to 12, 2026An alpine-style village in the Córdoba hills pours craft beer for ten days, with strudel between rounds.
Señor de los MilagrosCentral Lima, PeruOctober 3 to November 1, 2026The largest religious procession in the Americas: a two-tonne litter and a purple sea of people.
Fiestas de GuayaquilGuayaquil, Guayas, EcuadorOctober 5 to 12, 2026 (expected)Ecuador's port city marks its independence with parades on the Malecón, concerts and a week of fireworks.
Oktoberfest BlumenauBlumenau, Santa Catarina, BrazilOctober 7 to 25, 2026The second-largest Oktoberfest on earth, in a German-Brazilian valley town that takes its polka seriously.
Círio de NazaréBelém, Pará, BrazilOctober 10 to 11, 2026 (expected)Two million people pull a rope through Belém behind a small wooden Virgin, at the mouth of the Amazon.
Africa: 18 events in October
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.
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.
Whale sharks off Nosy BeNosy Be, MadagascarUsually mid September to mid DecemberWhale sharks feed on the surface off Madagascar's holiday island from September to December.
Siyaha Festival at SiwaSiwa Oasis, Western Desert, EgyptUsually late OctoberAn oasis settles its year's disputes over three days of shared meals under the October full moon.
Jacaranda seasonPretoria, South AfricaUsually early October to mid NovemberSeventy thousand jacarandas turn the capital purple for a few weeks each spring.
Hermanus Whale FestivalHermanus, South AfricaOctober 2 to 4, 2026The best land-based whale watching in the world, with southern rights breaching metres from the cliff path.
IrreechaHora Arsadi, Bishoftu, EthiopiaOctober 3 to 4, 2026Millions of Oromo in white gather at a crater lake to give thanks for the end of the rains.
FelabrationNew Afrika Shrine, Ikeja, Lagos, NigeriaOctober 12 to 18, 2026 (expected)A week of afrobeat at Fela Kuti's shrine, timed to his birthday, with Lagos at its loudest.
Tozeur date harvestTozeur oasis, TunisiaUsually mid October to mid NovemberThe Sahara's oldest oasis brings in its deglet nour dates under a hundred thousand palms.
Grand Raid, La Diagonale des FousCilaos and the cirques, RéunionOctober 15 to 18, 2026 (expected)The madmen's diagonal: 165 km and 10,000 m of climbing across a volcanic island in one go.
Kasanka bat migrationKasanka National Park, ZambiaUsually mid October to mid DecemberTen million fruit bats fill the sky at dusk from a patch of swamp forest the size of a few football pitches.
Windhoek OktoberfestWindhoek, NamibiaUsually mid to late OctoberA Bavarian beer festival in the desert, with Windhoek lager, oompah bands and the Namibian sun.
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.
Festival KreolVictoria, Mahé, SeychellesUsually late OctoberA week of Creole music, food and open-air balls across the islands at the end of October.
Abu Simbel Sun FestivalGreat Temple of Ramesses II, Abu Simbel, EgyptOctober 22, 2026Twice a year the rising sun reaches 60 metres into the rock to light three of four seated gods.
AbissaGrand-Bassam, Ivory CoastOctober 25 to November 8, 2026The N'Zima new year: a week of public confession, dancing and drumming in a UNESCO colonial town.
Oceania: 14 events in October
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.
Whitebait season on the West CoastHaast and Hokitika, West Coast, New ZealandSeptember 1 to November 14, 2026Tiny translucent fish run up the rivers and the whole coast stands in the water with a net.
FloriadeCommonwealth Park, Canberra, AustraliaSeptember 12 to October 11, 2026 (expected)A million bulbs planted in patterns along a lake, the biggest spring flower show in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tesselaar Tulip FestivalSilvan, Victoria, AustraliaSeptember 12 to October 11, 2026Over a million spring flowers on a Dutch-founded farm in the Dandenong Ranges, with a new themed weekend every few days.
World of WearableArt Awards ShowWellington, New ZealandUsually late September to mid OctoberA theatrical show where sculptural garments move through choreographed light and dance.
Bathurst 1000Mount Panorama, Bathurst, New South Wales, AustraliaOctober 8 to 11, 2026 (expected)A thousand kilometres of touring cars on a mountain public road, Australia's great race every October.
Fiji DayAlbert Park, Suva, FijiOctober 10, 2026Military parades, meke dancing and a week of celebrations for Fiji's independence on 10 October.
Ironman World ChampionshipKailua-Kona, Hawaii, United StatesOctober 10, 2026The original Ironman, raced through lava fields in October heat and finished on Ali'i Drive after dark.
Fest'NapuanPort Vila, Efate, VanuatuUsually mid October to mid NovemberFour free nights of string bands, reggae and island music on a seafront park in Port Vila.
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.
Sculpture by the SeaBondi to Tamarama coastal walk, Sydney, AustraliaOctober 22 to November 8, 2026 (expected)A hundred sculptures set along two kilometres of clifftop between Sydney's best beaches, free to walk.
Grafton Jacaranda FestivalGrafton, New South Wales, AustraliaOctober 23 to November 7, 2026A river town goes purple as thousands of jacarandas bloom over its streets, celebrated since 1935.
Hawaiki Nui Va'aHuahine to Bora Bora, Society Islands, French PolynesiaOctober 28 to 30, 2026Three days of open-ocean outrigger canoe racing between four islands, finishing in Bora Bora's lagoon.