Chaumont-sur-Loire International Garden Festival
Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
Until 1 November 2026
Ready for your close-up? At the spectacular Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, where a fairy-tale French château presides over the Loire Valley, the annual garden festival is giving the silver screen a decidedly green makeover.
This year’s theme, Le jardin fait son cinéma (“The Garden, the Star of the Show”), sees artists and landscape designers turn some 30 garden plots into imaginative scenes inspired by the magic of the movies. Expect cinematic references and clever illusions, as these gardens become places of romance and drama. The setting deserves top billing, too: beyond the festival’s fantastical creations, visitors can wander the permanent gardens and contemporary art installations scattered throughout the chateau grounds. Horticulturists and day-trippers alike are bound to find inspiration here, whether they come for the landscaping ideas or simply to admire the spectacle.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
3-11 October 2026
Get ready for some neck-xercise, as hundreds of hot-air balloons take flight in the crisp blue skies of New Mexico against the dramatic backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
First things first: set your alarm to sound before the rooster crows and catch the Dawn Patrol Show, a choreographed inflation of around a dozen hot-air balloons rising to musical accompaniment in the still-black sky. Then, witness the mass ascension as more than 500 vibrant vessels hover high above the crowds in one of the festival’s longest-running and most iconic events. As the day goes on, give your neck a break and enjoy a programme of on-the-ground events, from chainsaw sculpture carving to the Main Street food fair and musical performances by big-name artists; this year, country sensation Dasha leads the line-up. Visitors can also take to the skies themselves on a hot-air balloon ride – but book early, as the limited slots fill up fast.
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
Montreal, Canada
8-18 October 2026
Film buffs, pack your bags: you’re going to Montreal. This 55-year-old festival prides itself not only on past triumphs (such as helping launch the careers of greats like Jane Campion and Spike Lee), but also on its ability to stay at the top of its game year after year.
Expect an onslaught of the avant-garde, with a line-up featuring nearly 200 films from more than 30 countries, as well as a side programme of conferences, art installations, cocktail parties and live performances. Crowds can also look forward to groundbreaking experiences in new technology, from 3D to VOD, as well as films that appeal to every interest – including fiction, documentary and short pictures – hailing from all corners of the globe. Don’t miss Pedro Almodóvar’s Autofiction or Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaure, and be sure to save the date of 10 October for the Matrix all-nighter, featuring screenings of all four films until six in the morning.
Melbourne JazzFest
Melbourne, Australia
16-25 October 2026
Melbourne’s got all that jazz – and then some. For ten days in October, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival turns one of Australia’s great music cities into one big, syncopated stage, with more than 100 performances bringing international heavyweights, homegrown talent and rising stars to concert halls, clubs and unexpected corners across town.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
The 2026 programme swings from jazz royalty like Dee Dee Bridgewater and modern masters, like Dave Holland and Chris Potter, to genre-bending sounds spanning funk, soul, hip-hop and psychedelia. And you don’t need a concert ticket to get into the groove: free events include a New Orleans-style Second Line street parade, open-air shows at Fed Square and Prahran Square, late-night sessions and jazz-filled Sundays in Footscray. Whether you’re a bona fide bebop buff or simply jazz-curious, Melbourne makes it very easy to play it by ear.
Amsterdam Dance Event
Amsterdam, Netherlands
21-25 October 2026
Drum and bass, house, techno, trance, dancehall – you name it, you’ll hear it at this genre-dedicated event that draws out electro lovers the world over. Get ready to turn up the bass.
An event for both professionals and music enthusiasts, ADE encompasses four main strands: ADE Pro, with panels and meet-ups for industry movers and shakers; ADE Lab, offering workshops, coaching and creative sessions for aspiring DJs and producers; ADE Festival, featuring electronic music events throughout the city with established and emerging artists; and ADE Arts & Culture, exploring the connections between EDM and other art forms through film screenings, exhibitions, installations and performances. It’s everything an EDM fan could want – and more – taking the lifestyle to a whole new level.
