The Top 5 Festivals In July

Renegade Craft Fair
Various Dates July, 2018
Various Cities, USA and London, UK

Tired of seeing the same old mass-produced stuff everywhere you look? If it’s something unique, well-designed and lovingly handcrafted you’re searching for, then search no further than your nearest Renegade Craft Fair.

Held throughout the year in 11 cities across the US – Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Detroit, Austin, Boston, Portland, Seattle and Denver – as well as in London, Renegade fairs aim to build a community of creatives, bringing artists, designers and craftspeople together with those looking to fill their homes and lives with original art and one-of-a-kind crafts from local makers. But it’s not all about acquisition: the fairs also host live music and offer food stalls peddling local delights, creating a festival-like atmosphere that invites you to treat yourself to a fun day out …and maybe a few trinkets. Dates vary by city, so be sure to check the Renegade homepage for updated info.
renegadecraft.com

[Photo: Renegade Craft Fair © Hollin Brodeur]

Fiesta de la Tirana
12-18 July 2018
La Tirana, Chile

Every July, the small town of La Tirana in northern Chile welcomes a crowd of over 200,000 visitors and pilgrims who make the trek to pay homage to the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of Chile.

A fascinating blend of historical traditions and religious customs, the 10-day festivities revolve around colourful parades performed by troupes of dancers who converge on La Tirana from across Chile and surrounding areas of Bolivia and Peru. Not to miss are the “diablos” (devils) performing the diablada dance brought to Chile by Bolivian salt miners, meant to represent sins and evil being cast out and forgiven by the virgin. Also be sure to sample the regional food, browse local arts and crafts, and attend special church services dedicated to the Virgen del Carmen.
fiestadelatirana.cl

Singapore Food Festival
13-29 July 2018 
Singapore

From Michelin-star restaurants to street food stalls – and Michelin-star street food stalls – Singapore’s foodie scene is renewed the world over. For those with a hearty appetite for authentic eats, there’s no better time to visit than during the Singapore Food Festival.

There’s more on offer here than just tons of vendors doling out loads of tasty dishes (though there’s plenty of that, too). Each year, organisers put together a jam-packed line-up of creative activities and events. 2017, for instance, featured food styling workshops, a hawker centre photography exhibition, a special focus on mod-Sin (modern Singapore) cuisine, and throwback prices in Chinatown, where big helpings of traditional fare could be had for 50 cents a bowl. Add some cooking classes, stir in a few lifestyle events (think: barbecues with live music), and top with a sprinkling of chef demonstrations and collaborations, and you’ve got yourself one heck of a feast.
visitsingapore.com

Camel Cup
Alice Springs, Australia
14 July 2018

It takes a lot of planning and a good bit of will to get to Alice Springs in the remote Australian Outback, but you won’t regret it – especially if you arrive in time for the Camel Cup.

Trying their luck at riding these unruly pack animals, jockeys race – if you want to call it that – for the finish line in the headlining event, to much laughter and applause from light-hearted onlookers. Dress in your silliest finery (think kooky hats), arrive early to watch the camel parade, and don’t miss the other offbeat activities, like rickshaw races, children’s races (on wooden stick camels) and the Honeymoon Handicap, in which the camel rider must pick his wife up along the track.
alicesprings.nt.gov.au

Melt!
Gräfenhainichen, Germany
15-17 July 2018

One for lovers of iron and steel, this high-octane electro-fest takes place in Ferropolis, a lakeside industrial museum about 2 hours south of Berlin.

Let loose with a party-hardy crowd amid a landscape of asphalt and major machinery, with laser lights pulsing and beats pumping nonstop into the wee hours of the morning. Festivalgoers can take in a line-up featuring The XX, Florence + The Machine and Fever Ray with 6 performance spaces to choose from – including the aptly named Sleepless Floor. There’s also an open-air cinema and a themed adventure “Forest” area furnished with hammocks, a treehouse and even its own dance floor. Need to cool off from all the raving? Take a dip in Lake Gremmin, the serene centrepiece to this melt-your-face-off 3-day thrash.
meltfestival.de