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Best festivals in North America

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New York City
Five boroughs of skyline, food and museums
9.5
Begun in 1924, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade brings giant balloons and marching bands to the streets of this city. The Tribeca Festival shows new films and hosts talks each June. The Village Halloween Parade fills Sixth Avenue with costumes and puppets on 31 October.
Highlights:
  • 🌃 Visit Times Square at night for unforgettable neon views
  • 🎭 Watch a Broadway musical in the Theater District
  • 🏙️ Admire skyline views from the Top of a skyscraper
San Francisco
Iconic bridges, rolling hills and vibrant culture
8.5
Locals bring warm layers to summer festivals in this city, since evenings are cool. Pride fills Market Street with a big parade at the end of June. Outside Lands takes over Golden Gate Park in August with bands, local food, craft beer and Bay Area wine.
Highlights:
  • 🏝️ Explore Alcatraz Island and tour the former prison
  • 🚋 Ride a classic cable car through steep hills
  • 🌉 Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge
Chicago
Skyline, Deep-Dish and Jazz Nights
8.2
Big, bold and open to every music taste, this city hosts Lollapalooza in Grant Park each summer. The festival runs four days with the skyline as a backdrop. Free blues and jazz festivals also fill downtown parks. Food stands sell deep dish pizza and Chicago style hot dogs.
Highlights:
  • ⛴️ Take an architecture boat tour on the river
  • 🚶‍♀️ Stroll along the scenic Chicago Riverwalk
  • 🏙️ Admire the skyline from the Willis Tower Skydeck
Montreal
A city of festivals, food and culture
8.6
Locals gather outdoors for the Montreal International Jazz Festival, which runs about two weeks from late June into July. Many concerts are free and take place in the Quartier des Spectacles. Streets close to traffic. Food trucks and terraces fill the area around the stages.
Highlights:
  • ⛪ Visit the breathtaking Notre-Dame Basilica and its illuminated interior
  • 🌄 Admire panoramic city views from Mount Royal Park
  • 🏙️ Wander the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal
Quebec City
Old World Charm in North America
7.4
As the capital of its province, this walled city hosts a winter carnival each late January and early February. Bonhomme, a snowman mascot, leads night parades. Ice sculptures and ice canoe races take place on the river. In July the Festival d'été brings concerts to the Plains of Abraham.
Highlights:
  • 🌊 Walk along Terrasse Dufferin boardwalk with river views
  • 🏰 Admire Château Frontenac’s iconic castle-like architecture
  • 🚶‍♂️ Stroll through historic Old Quebec’s charming streets
New Orleans
Jazz, Creole Flavors and Mardi Gras Vibes
7.9
Located near the mouth of the Mississippi River, this city has festivals almost every weekend. Jazz Fest fills the Fair Grounds Race Course over two weekends in late April and early May. Mardi Gras parades roll through the streets for weeks before Fat Tuesday, with floats and brass bands.
Highlights:
  • 🏘️ Explore historic French Quarter’s colorful streets
  • 🍩 Savor beignets at iconic Café du Monde
  • 🎷 Experience live jazz on vibrant Frenchmen Street
Austin
Live music, lakes and local flavor
7.6
Located in central Texas, this city fills with music fans for SXSW in March and Austin City Limits in October. Zilker Park holds the large outdoor stages. Small clubs on Sixth Street host live sets all week. Film and tech events share the same March dates.
Highlights:
  • 🦇 Watch the bats emerge from Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset
  • 💦 Cool off with a swim in Barton Springs Pool
  • 🎸 Listen to live music on Sixth Street
Oaxaca
Colonial Charm and Rich Traditions
7.5
Warm and colourful, this city celebrates Guelaguetza on two Mondays in July. Dancers wear regional costumes from across the state. Day of the Dead brings altars, parades and cemetery vigils from 31 October to 2 November. Markets sell marigolds, sugar skulls, pan de muerto and mezcal.
Highlights:
  • 🌿 Relax in the colorful Oaxaca Botanical Garden
  • ⛪ Marvel at the Baroque Templo de Santo Domingo
  • 🏛️ Explore the ancient Zapotec ruins of Monte Albán
Guadalajara
Mariachi, murals and modern flair
7.3
As a major cultural centre in western Mexico, this city holds a huge book fair each late November. Authors, publishers and readers fill the convention centre for about nine days. Free concerts fill plazas and theatres during a mariachi festival in late August and September.
Highlights:
  • 🎭 Stroll through vibrant Plaza de Armas with street performances
  • 🖼️ Explore the stunning murals at Instituto Cultural Cabañas
  • ⛪ Visit the magnificent Guadalajara Cathedral in the historic center
Nashville
Music, hot chicken and honky tonks
7.7
Smaller than New York or Los Angeles but just as music driven, this city holds CMA Fest each June. Fans see country artists on outdoor stages downtown and at a large stadium. Honky tonks on Lower Broadway add free live music all day and night.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Visit the Parthenon replica in Centennial Park
  • 🎸 Explore music history at the Country Music Hall of Fame
  • 🎤 Experience live music at the legendary Grand Ole Opry
Barbados
Tropical paradise with year-round sunshine
8.1
Crop Over began on sugar plantations as a harvest party centuries ago. Today this island holds it each summer, ending with the Grand Kadooment parade in early August. Costumed bands dance through the streets to soca music. Calypso contests and craft markets fill the weeks before.
Highlights:
  • 🥃 Tour the historic Mount Gay Rum Distillery
  • 🐢 Snorkel with sea turtles in Carlisle Bay’s clear waters
  • 🏖️ Relax on the powdery white sands of Crane Beach
Indio
Desert oasis buzzing with music festivals
7.5
Spring days are hot and dry in this desert city, with highs above 30 degrees Celsius. Coachella takes place over two weekends in April at the Empire Polo Club. Big music acts, art installations and a giant Ferris wheel draw crowds. The Stagecoach country festival follows.
Highlights:
  • 🥕 Browse weekly Farmers Market fresh local produce
  • 🛍️ Stroll through Indio Downtown Historic District shops
  • 🎶 Experience Coachella Valley Music Festival live crowds
Trinidad and Tobago
Caribbean twin-islands of tropical contrasts
6.6
Carnival falls in February or March in this island nation, during the dry season. J'ouvert starts before dawn on Monday, when crowds cover themselves in paint and mud. Costumed bands parade on Monday and Tuesday in the capital. Steel pan music and soca fill the streets.
Highlights:
  • 🦜 Explore Caroni Bird Sanctuary at sunset
  • 🤿 Snorkel vibrant coral reefs at Buccoo Reef
  • 🏖️ Relax on pristine sands of Pigeon Point Beach
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