Festivals 2010

Run with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain © Creative Commons / A.www.viajar24h.com

Cultural Festivals

Join the crowds: Experience the whirlwind of brightly coloured costumes, beating drums, and jeering crowds in Pamplona, Spain, during the Festival of San Fermin from 6-14 July. The most famous attraction of this renowned week-long celebration is encierro, or running of the bulls. Crowds begin amassing at 0630 for this exhilarating spectacle, in which bulls stampede behind hundreds of runners for 825m (2,706ft) to reach a bull ring. Guaranteed to get your adrenalin going.

Escape the crowds: The Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival) in Hong Kong celebrates a popular Chinese hero with a three-day festival of food, entertainment, and colourful boat races starting on 23 July. This exciting sporting competition involves teams of men and women paddling furiously in a flotilla of elaborately-decorated dragon boats across picturesque Victoria Harbour. It's one of the biggest events in the annual calendar and an unforgettable experience.

Food Festivals

Join the crowds: Around 20,000 visitors are lured to the Isle of Wight every summer for an event celebrating one of the island's most pungent vegetables: garlic. Follow your nose and sniff your way to the vast Garlic Marquee where you can sample bizarre concoctions from garlic beer to garlic ice cream. If this sounds too unsavoury, don't worry: the Garlic Festival between 14-15 August embraces all of the island's produce so expect hundreds of stalls overflowing with succulent meats, dairy products, fruits, and juices. Be prepared to loosen your belt for this unbeatable food fest.

Escape the crowds: Enjoy the charm of woodsy Maine in northeast USA during a five-day festival celebrating this state's claim to fame - lobster. At the Maine Lobster Festival between 4-8 August, be amazed as 20,000 pounds of fresh, delicious Maine lobster is cooked to perfection right in front of you. Tuck in as you soak up views of scenic Penobscot Bay. With parades and fun runs, including one race where contestants have to speed across 50 partially submerged lobster crates without falling into the chilly Atlantic - all on the menu, this is a true family-friendly festival.

Film Festivals

Join the crowds: The Oscars may be over but the red carpet reappears for another dose of A-list glamour at the Cannes Film Festival in France. Starting on 12 May, this is the place to go for high-calibre films, celeb sightings, and all-round glamour. Although access to premieres is strictly limited, try and snap up a ticket for outdoor screenings on the beach at Cinéma de la Plage, or for Director's Fortnight when independent films are available to the paying public. Even if you don't get in, the chance to star-gaze on the Croisette, the coastal road that threads through Cannes, is movie heaven for any ardent film buff.

Escape the crowds: Don't be scared to venture away from the norm this spring. A Night of Horror International Film Festival in Sydney, Australia, is a unique and easily accessible festival promoting the darker imaginations of filmmakers around the world. Best of all, this 10-day gore fest starting on 15 April is set against the backdrop of one of the world's most beautiful cities. The event may lack Hollywood razzamatazz but when you're in such an unbeatable location, who cares?

Flower Festivals

Join the crowds: Discover horticulturist heaven at the Chelsea Flower Show in London starting on 25 May. Admire brilliantly coloured floral arrangements crafted by talented garden designers, and enjoy sweet fragrances drifting through the air as you enjoy a meal or drink at one of the many food venues. For a chance to take home your favourite plant, stick around until 1600 on 29 May when some exhibitors begin to sell off their products. Festival tickets go fast so be sure to buy them in advance. 

Escape the crowds: For flowers and fun, wander around a spectacular sea of pale white and pink blossoms in Washington DC during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Thousands of visitors are expected to descend on the city between 27 March and 11 April, when the cherry trees are expected to bloom, signalling the start of spring. The festival in America's capital is celebrated with fireworks, a lantern lighting ceremony, street festivals, galas and cruises.

Visual Arts Festivals

Join the crowds: Visit Scotland for the 2010 Edinburgh Arts Festival - which is held as part of the summer-long main festival extravaganza - and witness a cultural explosion as talented artists contribute stunning exhibits of modern and contemporary visual art to the city's world-class museums and galleries. Events start on 29 July, and also include everything from children's storytelling tours to cooking lessons, making Edinburgh a perfect getaway with friends or family.

Escape the crowds: Head to the sunny coast of France for the Arles Photography Festival starting on 3 July. The small village, where Vincent Van Gogh once lived, is flooded with lively enthusiasts who appreciate traditional and quality photography. The festival continues until 19 September.

* Take a break in the sun, city or snow, with our Ideas for Easter Holidays.
* Ticked off Paris, Rome & Amsterdam? Check out our Top 5: Alternative short breaks.
* Read our review of the Salthouse Harbour Hotel in Ipswich for a luxury weekend in the UK.