Festivals bring life to any calendar year: the red circled red date, the countdown, and the final joy of packing the bags and heading to the destinations.
Sometimes, they’re all about having fun and rocking out to the live performance of your favorite tunes, and other times they’re more about celebrating your culture, history, or even just sampling on yummy foods from all around the world.
2025 promises a wide range of festivals for everyone, solo travelers and families alike.
So, from music and food to literature and cultural events, these are the five festivals to look forward to this year – you’re guaranteed to find something for your interests.
Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany
You might know Oktoberfest as a beer festival that is held annually in Germany, usually in September and October, but the real meaning of it goes far beyond that.
Oktoberfest is an honouring of Bavarian culture and while beer really plays a major role in the celebration, there are many other things to look for.
If you’re a foodie, you’ll definitely enjoy the traditional cuisine like bratwurst, pretzels, roast chicken, and schnitzel, and if you’re there to have some fun, the massive fairground with rides and games make this festival a perfect place for the whole family.
Oktoberfest is not just about drinking beer out of giant steins – it’s also a cultural experience that allows you to experience Bavarian traditions and warm hospitality.
St. Patrick’s Day, Worldwide
March 17th marks the national day of Ireland as well as the day of its patron saint, St. Patrick, and if you like folk music, traditional dances, and the overwhelming feeling of fun, you’ll have no problem fitting in.
No matter if you want to celebrate it in Ireland where it all started, plan on attending the largest parade in New York, or want to witness the Chicago River turn green, you have to dress up accordingly to fully embrace the energy of St. Paddy’s Day.
Putting on a Leprechaun costume and a green wig is definitely fun, but not very practical, so take the safe route and get a St. Patrick’s Day Irish sweater.
If you plan on getting and St. Patrick;s Day sweater, make sure to check out online Irish stores to buy one, as you’ll get a truly authentic sweater.
You can choose a practical, classic cable knit Aran sweater in a shade of green that you can also wear on any other day or something a bit more festive, like an Irish sweater adorned with shamrocks.
Lollapalooza in Paris, France
Lollapalooza originally started as an American music festival held in Chicago, but over time it expanded internationally in eight other countries on four continents.
If you’ve always dreamt of visiting Paris, this year you can combine your trip with the three-day Lollapalooza festival held on July 18 to 20 to get the best of both worlds.
The lineup includes 2025 Grammy nominees Olivia Rodrigo, Raye, Benson Boone, and Shaboozey, iconic names in the music industry like David Guetta, Justin Timberlake, Macklemore, and other more surprising artists like the indie-pop group Mother Mother and the K-pop girl group IVE.
Bloomsday in Dublin, Ireland
If you’re a literature lover and you’ve actually managed to get through all 980 pages of James Joyce’s signature novel, then you must attend the Bloomsday celebration in Ireland.
This festival is held every year on June 16th aka the day in the life of Leopold Bloom that is described in the novel.
On that day, the streets of Dublin go all the way back to 1904, with people dressing up in Edwardian costume, recreating scenes from the novel, and following the same path Bloom took.
But don’t worry, even if you’ve never read Ulysses or only made it halfway through, you can still feel the passion and pride the Dubliners have for their literary heritage.
Holi in India
Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, is a Hindu celebration that marks the arrival of spring and, traditionally, the victory of good over evil.
It is held every year on Phalguna Purnima, the full moon day dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu, and in 2025 it will take place on March 14th.
Holi is an ancient tradition with deep cultural and religious significance, and people celebrate it by throwing vibrant powders at each other as a symbol of love and unity, so don’t bother wearing your perfectly ironed button-downs if you plan on attending it.
Celebrating Holi in India is an experience that you’ll never forget, but the Indian diaspora organizes it in many other countries too, as a reminder of how beautiful life can be when we come all together.
