USA Festivals

Lantern festivals are among the most visually spectacular events available anywhere in the world. The image of thousands of illuminated paper lanterns rising into a dark sky is one of those rare festival moments that genuinely lives up to its photographs — and in the United States, a growing number of well-organised events deliver exactly...

The Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, West Virginia is one of the most genuinely unusual events on the American festival calendar. It celebrates a cryptid — a creature whose existence has never been scientifically verified — that allegedly terrorised a small Ohio River town in 1966 and 1967, in the months leading up to the...

Not every great festival experience requires a ticket. American cities run an extraordinary range of free festivals throughout the year, funded by city governments, sponsorships, and the civic tradition of public celebration that predates the modern ticketed festival industry. Some of these free events rival the production quality and lineup strength of major ticketed festivals....

Renaissance faires occupy a unique space in the American festival calendar. They are simultaneously historical re-enactment, theatre, craft market, food festival, and community gathering — and the communities that have built up around the best of them are among the most devoted and creatively engaged audiences of any event type in the country. The American...

Everything you need to bring to Coachella and nothing you do not. The complete packing list covering desert survival essentials, outfit planning, the clear bag policy, camping gear, and the things first-timers always wish they had packed.

The complete guide to New Orleans Jazz Fest — what to expect at one of the greatest music and food events in the world, what to eat, how to navigate the fairgrounds, and how to make the most of your first visit.

From the Diwali Festival of Lights in Houston to Carnaval Miami, the Dragon Boat Festival in Philadelphia, and Native American powwows across the country, here are the best cultural festivals in the USA celebrating the world's traditions.

From country music festivals in Tennessee to jazz festivals in New Orleans and EDM weekenders in the California desert, here are the best music festivals in the USA organised by genre so you can find the right one for your taste.

From the Ice Castles installations across the Mountain West to the St. Paul Winter Carnival and snow sculpture championships in Colorado, here are the best winter festivals in the USA by region.

From Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania to Celebration in the Oaks in New Orleans and Ice Castles across the Mountain West, here are the best holiday light festivals in the USA and what makes each one worth attending.