Sydney Contemporary
Sydney, Australia
3-6 September 2026
Get ready for four full days of curated exhibitions, amazing installations, lively cross-cultural dialogue and tons of art, art, art!
Sydney’s artistic district of Carriageworks is the epicentre for what’s being called “Australasia’s international art fair“, in which more than 100 galleries from across the region and the world converge to showcase the work of over 500 emerging and established artists across nearly every medium imaginable. New for this year, two major public artworks will debut at Sydney Fish Market and Barangaroo, expanding the festival beyond its usual boundaries. A surrounding programme of workshops, panel discussions, guest speakers, guided tours, installation art and performances ensures that no art enthusiast will leave the festival unchallenged or uninspired.
Onam
Kerala, India
16-26 September 2026
Part folk festival, part harvest festival and part celebration of Kerala’s cultural identity, Onam is one of India’s most joyous annual events.
For 10 days each year, Kerala celebrates the legendary return of the late benevolent King Mahabali, as he visits his former subjects. To welcome him, families exchange gifts of new clothes, decorate their homes with intricate pookkalams made from flowers, and savour the grand Onasadya – a vegetarian feast traditionally served on a banana leaf. A number of major public events also take place throughout Kerala. The colourful Athachamayam procession in Thripunithura, near Kochi, marks the beginning of the festival, while the Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Temple hosts important 10-day religious observances. In Thrissur, masked Kummattikkali performers parade through the streets, and the famous Pulikali sees dancers elaborately painted as tigers. Customs vary from region to region, but vibrant floral displays, lively performances, boat races at selected locations and joyful feasting make this a memorable time to visit Kerala.
Paris Techno Parade
Paris, France
19 September 2026
Still nostalgic about the Love Parade? Try this electro-fuelled street party that will take over the City of Lights for the 26th time in 2026
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You’ll be joining one of the world’s biggest electro parties on the streets of one of the world’s most beautiful cities, winding through its famed districts with pounding electro beats blasting from 10 parade floats as crowds of spectators dance like no one is watching. It’s a free public festival, an open-air celebration of life and a heart-pumping homage to French techno music – and when the last float has retired for the night, the after-parties are just getting started…
Festes de la Mercè
Barcelona, Spain
23-27 September 2026
A five-day extravaganza of music, culture and cheeky pyrotechnics in one of the coolest cities on earth, and most of it free to attend? Count us in!
As the summer high season winds down, the Catalan capital celebrates itself and its patron saint in a massive city-wide festival rife with music and merry-making. The heart of the programme ranges from traditional performances, like skilled castellers building human towers in public squares and giant puppets parading through the old town, to more surprising customs like the correfoc fire run, which sees participants dressed as devils setting off fireworks in the streets. In recent years, the omnipresent music and dancing that was always essential to the event has spread from local squares to big blockbuster venues, so this year you can catch more than 100 shows by Catalan and international artists on massive stages, and it won’t cost you a cent.
The capital of New Mexico is once again turning up the heat in preparation for the 35th edition of its flagship food and drink festival.
Over five flavour-packed days, the city’s celebrated culinary scene takes centre stage through wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, intimate lunches, auctions and collaborative dinners hosted by leading restaurants and wineries. The signature Chile Friday fair brings chefs and local producers together at Magers Field in Fort Marcy Park, while Sunday offers everything from a Champagne brunch to golf and rosé. The main event, however, is Saturday’s Grand Tasting, where more than 80 wineries pour alongside over 60 of Santa Fe’s top restaurants, accompanied by live music. With global wines meeting the bold, chile-led flavours of New Mexico against a backdrop of adobe architecture and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the fiesta offers an irresistible introduction to the City Different’s distinctive food culture.
