Art & Culture - The Social Season

The art & culture events that define the social season.

• Watches & Wonders Geneva Geneva, Switzerland - Apr 5 - 11, 2027
• Cannes Film Festival Cannes, France - May 11 - 22, 2027
• Gstaad Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Switzerland - Jul 16 - Sep 5, 2026 (in progress)
• Salzburg Festival Salzburg, Austria - Jul 17 - Aug 30, 2026 (in progress)
• Venice Film Festival Venice, Italy - Sep 2 - 12, 2026
• Frieze London London, England - Oct 14 - 18, 2026
• Art Basel Miami Beach Miami Beach, USA - Dec 4 - 6, 2026
• Venice Biennale (Biennale Arte 2026) Venice, Italy - May 9 - Nov 22, 2026
• Art Basel Basel, Switzerland - Jun 17 - 20, 2027 (2026 edition ran Jun 18 - 21)
• TEFAF Maastricht Maastricht, Netherlands - Mar 13 - 18, 2027 (invitation-only preview days precede public opening)
• Bayreuth Festival Bayreuth, Germany - Jul 25 - Aug 26, 2026 (150th anniversary season)
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Aug 7 - 31, 2026
• Glyndebourne Festival Opera Lewes, United Kingdom - May 21 - Aug 30, 2026
• Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence, France - Early - mid Jul 2027 (expected; 2026 edition ran Jul 2 - 21)
• BBC Proms London, United Kingdom - Jul 17 - Sep 12, 2026
• Arena di Verona Opera Festival Verona, Italy - Jun 12 - Sep 12, 2026
• Bregenz Festival Bregenz, Austria - Jul 22 - Aug 23, 2026 (La traviata on the lake stage; 80th anniversary)
• Wexford Festival Opera Wexford, Ireland - Oct 15 - 31, 2026 (75th anniversary season)
• Festival d'Avignon Avignon, France - Early - late Jul 2027 (expected; 2026 edition ran Jul 4 - 25)
• documenta 16 Kassel, Germany - Jun 12 - Sep 19, 2027
• Manifesta 16 Ruhr Ruhr region, Germany - Jun 21 - Oct 4, 2026
• La Notte della Taranta Melpignano, Italy - Jul 30 - Aug 22, 2026 (Concertone finale Aug 22 in Melpignano)
• Lucerne Festival (Summer) Lucerne, Switzerland - Aug 13 - Sep 13, 2026
• Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival) Berlin, Germany - Feb 10 - 21, 2027 (public Audience Days Feb 20 - 21)
• The Armory Show New York, USA - Sep 24 - 27, 2026
• Sundance Film Festival Boulder, USA - Jan 21 - 31, 2027 (first Boulder, Colorado edition)
• Whitney Biennial New York, USA - Mar 8 - Aug 23, 2026
• Santa Fe Opera Santa Fe, USA - Jul 3 - Aug 29, 2026
• Spoleto Festival USA Charleston, USA - Late May - early Jun 2027 (expected 17-day run)
• Tanglewood Lenox, USA - Late Jun - Aug 2026 (BSO summer season)
• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Toronto, Canada - Sep 10 - 20, 2026
• Ojai Music Festival Ojai, USA - Early - mid Jun 2027 (expected four-day weekend)
• Bard SummerScape Annandale-on-Hudson, USA - Jul - mid Aug 2026 (SummerScape season)
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival New Orleans, USA - Apr 22 - May 2, 2027 (two weekends)
• Frieze Los Angeles Los Angeles, USA - Feb 25 - 28, 2027 (Santa Monica Airport)
• Zona Maco Mexico City, Mexico - Feb 3 - 7, 2027
• SP-Arte Sao Paulo, Brazil - Apr 7 - 11, 2027
• Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) Guadalajara, Mexico - Nov 28 - Dec 6, 2026
• Inti Raymi Cusco, Peru - Jun 24, 2027 (fixed annual date)
• Guelaguetza Oaxaca, Mexico - Jul 19 & 26, 2027 (the two 'Lunes del Cerro', with citywide events through late Jul)
• Hay Festival Cartagena Cartagena, Colombia - Jan 28 - 31, 2027
• Carnival of Barranquilla Barranquilla, Colombia - Feb 6 - 9, 2027
• Havana Biennial Havana, Cuba - Nov 2027 - Feb 2028 (16th edition, expected; confirm before booking)
• Art Dubai Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Apr 7 - 11, 2027 (moved from its usual March slot; confirm on site)
• Abu Dhabi Art Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Nov 20 - 22, 2026 (relaunched as Frieze Abu Dhabi)
• Sharjah Biennial Sharjah, United Arab Emirates - Jan 21 - Jun 13, 2027 (Sharjah Biennial 17)
• Islamic Arts Biennale Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Nov 1, 2027 - Mar 1, 2028 (third edition)
• Baalbeck International Festival Baalbek, Lebanon - Jun - Jul 2027 (expected; 2026 edition ran Jun - Jul under 'Pillars of Eternity')
• Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts Jerash, Jordan - Late Jul - early Aug 2026 (typically a 10 - 14 day run)
• Istanbul Biennial Istanbul, Turkey - Sep 18 - Nov 14, 2027 (18th edition, third leg)
• Art Basel Hong Kong Hong Kong, China - Mar 25 - 27, 2027 (public days; VIP previews earlier that week)
• India Art Fair New Delhi, India - Feb 4 - 7, 2027 (18th edition; VIP preview first day)
• Jaipur Literature Festival Jaipur, India - Jan 14 - 18, 2027 (20th edition, Hotel Clarks Amer)
• Kochi-Muziris Biennale Kochi, India - Dec 2027 - Mar 2028 (7th edition; editions traditionally open on Dec 12)
• Frieze Seoul Seoul, South Korea - Sep 2 - 5, 2026 (invitation-only preview Sep 2; public from Sep 3)
• Gwangju Biennale Gwangju, South Korea - Sep 5 - Nov 15, 2026 (16th edition, 'You Must Change Your Life')
• Gion Matsuri Kyoto, Japan - Jul 1 - 31, 2027 (Yamaboko Junko parades Jul 17 and Jul 24)
• Awa Odori Tokushima, Japan - Mid-Aug 2027 (dates TBC)
• Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Niigata, Japan - Summer - autumn 2027 (10th edition; exact dates TBA, historically a multi-week run)
• Bali Arts Festival (Pesta Kesenian Bali) Denpasar, Indonesia - Mid Jun - mid Jul 2027 (month-long; 2026 edition ran Jun 13 - Jul 11)
• Ubud Writers & Readers Festival Ubud, Indonesia - Oct 21 - 25, 2026 (23rd edition, theme 'Samarasa')
• Hornbill Festival Kohima, India - Dec 1 - 10, 2026
• Singapore Art Week Singapore, Singapore - Jan 21 - 31, 2027 (15th edition; ART SG runs Jan 22 - 24)
• Durga Puja Kolkata, India - Mid Oct 2026 (main days approx Oct 16 - 21, Shashthi to Vijaya Dashami)
• 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair Marrakech Marrakech, Morocco - Late Jan - early Feb 2027 (dates TBA; public days at the weekend)
• Dak'Art Biennale (Biennale of Contemporary African Art) Dakar, Senegal - Nov 19 - Dec 19, 2026 (16th edition, '(Anti)fragility')
• FESPACO (Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou) Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - Mar 20 - 27, 2027 (30th edition; moved from the traditional late-Feb slot)
• Fes Festival of World Sacred Music Fez, Morocco - Late May - early Jun 2027 (dates TBA; 2026 edition ran Jun 4 - 7)
• Gnaoua World Music Festival Essaouira, Morocco - Late Jun 2027 (dates TBA; typically a 3 - 4 day weekend; 2026 edition ran Jun 25 - 27)
• Sauti za Busara Zanzibar, Tanzania - Mar 19 - 21, 2027 (24th edition; moved from the traditional February slot)
• Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) Zanzibar, Tanzania - Late Jun - early Jul 2027 (dates TBA; 2026 edition ran Jun 24 - 28)
• ART X Lagos Lagos, Nigeria - Early Nov 2026 (announced as Nov 5 - 8, 2026)
• Chale Wote Street Art Festival Accra, Ghana - Aug 10 - 17, 2026 (15th edition; main street-art weekend at the end of the week)
• Investec Cape Town Art Fair Cape Town, South Africa - Feb 19 - 21, 2027 (expected; typically a mid-Feb Fri - Sun with VIP preview)
• Timkat (Timket) - Gondar Gondar, Ethiopia - Jan 19 - 20, 2027 (eve procession Jan 18; dawn ritual at Fasilides' Bath)
• Nyege Nyege Festival Jinja, Uganda - Nov 19 - 22, 2026 (11th edition, Adrift Overland Camp, Kalagala Falls)
• Biennale of Sydney Sydney, Australia - Mar - Jun 2028 (26th edition, biennial; the 2026 edition 'Rememory' ran Mar 14 - Jun 14)
• Adelaide Festival Adelaide, Australia - Late Feb - mid Mar 2027 (program launches Oct 2026)
• Dark Mofo Hobart, Australia - Jun 2027 (around the winter solstice; program drops Apr - May; 2026 edition ran Jun 11 - 22)
• Sydney Festival Sydney, Australia - Early - late Jan 2027 (approx three weeks; program launches late 2026)
• WOMADelaide Adelaide, Australia - Mar 5 - 8, 2027 (four days over the March long weekend)
• Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts Wellington, New Zealand - Feb - Mar 2028 (biennial, even years; the 2026 edition ran Feb 24 - Mar 15)
• Bergen International Festival (Festspillene i Bergen) Bergen, Norway - Late May - early Jun 2027 (typically ~2 weeks; the 2026 edition ran May 27 - Jun 10)
• Savonlinna Opera Festival Savonlinna, Finland - Jul 3 - Aug 1, 2026 (all-Italian season); 2027 season typically early Jul - early Aug
• Roskilde Festival Roskilde, Denmark - Jun 26 - Jul 3, 2027 (four warm-up days, then four main music days)
• Iceland Airwaves Reykjavik, Iceland - Nov 5 - 7, 2026 (special events from Nov 4; 27th edition)
• Goteborg Film Festival Gothenburg, Sweden - Jan 29 - Feb 7, 2027 (expected; typically late Jan - early Feb)
• Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival Oslo, Norway - Sep 10 - 19, 2026 (expected; typically ~10 days mid-Sep)
• Trento Film Festival Trento, Italy - Late Apr - early May 2027 (dates TBA; the 2026 edition ran Apr 30 - May 10)
• NOMAD St. Moritz St. Moritz, Switzerland - Feb 11 - 14, 2027
• World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos, Switzerland - Jan 18 - 22, 2027
• Telluride Film Festival Telluride, USA - Sep 4 - 7, 2026 (Labor Day weekend)
• Sun Valley Conference (Allen & Company) Sun Valley, USA - Jul 2027 (typically the week after Independence Day; never publicly announced)
• Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival Banff, Canada - Oct 31 - Nov 8, 2026
• Aspen Ideas Festival Aspen, USA - Late Jun - early Jul 2027 (2027 dates TBC; 2026 ran Jun 25 - Jul 1)
• Tromsø International Film Festival (TIFF) Tromsø, Norway - Jan 18 - 24, 2027
• Skábmagovat Indigenous Peoples' Film Festival Inari, Finland - Late Jan 2027 (dates TBC; 2026 ran Jan 22 - 25)
• Reykjavík Winter Lights Festival (Vetrarhátíð) Reykjavík, Iceland - Early Feb 2027 (Thu - Sun; 2026 ran Feb 5 - 8)
• Art SG Singapore - Jan 22 - 24, 2027 (vernissage Jan 21)
• Fuji Rock Festival Naeba, Japan - Late Jul 2027 (expected; 2026 edition ran Jul 24 - 26)
• Sunburn Festival Goa, India - Late Dec 2026, Goa (exact dates and venue TBC)
• Busan International Film Festival Busan, South Korea - Oct 6 - 15, 2026
• Yi Peng Lantern Festival Chiang Mai, Thailand - Nov 24 - 26, 2026 (lunar; main lantern nights Nov 24 - 25)
• Pushkar Camel Fair Pushkar, India - Nov 18 - 25, 2026 (culminating at the Kartik Purnima full moon)
• Ziro Festival of Music Ziro Valley, India - Sep 24 - 27, 2026
• Seoul Fashion Week Seoul, South Korea - Early Sep 2026 (S/S 2027 season; dates TBC - recent editions run early Sep and early Feb)
• Lakme Fashion Week Mumbai, India - Oct 2026 (festive/winter edition, Mumbai; dates announced per season)
• Chichibu Night Festival Chichibu, Japan - Dec 2 - 3, 2026 (main night Dec 3)
• Takayama Festival Takayama, Japan - Apr 14 - 15, 2027 (spring Sanno Matsuri; fixed dates)
• Jaisalmer Desert Festival Jaisalmer, India - Late Jan 2027 (three days ending at the Magh full moon; dates set by Rajasthan Tourism)
• Al Dhafra Festival Madinat Zayed, UAE - Dec 2026 (main Madinat Zayed stage; wider stages run Oct 2026 - Jan 2027)
• King Abdulaziz Camel Festival Rumah, Saudi Arabia - Dec 2026 - Jan 2027 (annual, roughly 40 days; dates set by the Saudi Camel Club)
• Desert X AlUla AlUla, Saudi Arabia - Next edition expected early 2028 (biennial; the 2026 edition ran Jan 16 - Feb 28, 2026)
• Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Next edition expected 2028 (biennial; the 3rd edition ran Jan 30 - May 2, 2026)
• Red Sea International Film Festival Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Dec 3 - 12, 2026
• Ajyal Film Festival Doha, Qatar - Nov 2026 (dates TBC; typically mid-late November)
• MDLBEAST Soundstorm Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Dec 3 - 4, 2026
• Sole DXB Dubai, UAE - Dec 2026 (typically a Fri - Sun in early-mid December; dates TBC)
• Winter at Tantora / AlUla Moments AlUla, Saudi Arabia - Dec 2026 - Mar 2027 (season-long program; individual event dates via AlUla Moments)
• Souq Okaz Taif, Saudi Arabia - Dates vary yearly (recent editions in summer; check Visit Saudi for the next season)
• Riyadh Season Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Oct 2026 - Mar 2027 (zones open progressively across the season)
• Qatar National Day Doha, Qatar - Dec 18, 2026
• arteBA Buenos Aires, Argentina - Nov 6 - 8, 2026 (professional previews Nov 4 - 5)
• Sao Paulo Fashion Week Sao Paulo, Brazil - Late Oct - Nov 2026 expected (two seasons yearly; dates announced per edition)
• Colombiamoda Medellin, Colombia - Jul 28 - 30, 2026 (this edition); next expected Jul 2027
• Mar del Plata International Film Festival Mar del Plata, Argentina - Nov 5 - 15, 2026
• Morelia International Film Festival (FICM) Morelia, Mexico - Oct 16 - 25, 2026
• Cartagena Film Festival (FICCI) Cartagena, Colombia - Apr 2027 (expected; the 2026 edition ran Apr 14 - 19)
• Rock in Rio Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Sep 4 - 7 & 11 - 13, 2026
• Festival Internacional de la Cancion de Vina del Mar Vina del Mar, Chile - Feb 22 - 27, 2027
• Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Feb 5 - 13, 2027
• Feria de las Flores Medellin, Colombia - Early Aug 2026 (approx Aug 1 - 10)
• Feria de Cali Cali, Colombia - Dec 25 - 30, 2026
• Desfile de Dia de Muertos Mexico City, Mexico - Oct 31 - Nov 2, 2026 (main parade usually the Saturday)
• Feria Nacional de San Marcos Aguascalientes, Mexico - Mid-Apr - early May 2027 (approx 3 weeks, dates TBC)
• Lollapalooza Argentina Buenos Aires, Argentina - Mid-Mar 2027 (3 days, dates TBC)
• FNB Art Joburg Johannesburg, South Africa - Sep 4 - 6, 2026
• Marrakech International Film Festival Marrakech, Morocco - Nov 20 - 28, 2026
• El Gouna Film Festival El Gouna, Egypt - Oct 15 - 23, 2026
• Cape Town International Jazz Festival Cape Town, South Africa - Late Mar 2027 (dates TBC)
• MTN Bushfire Festival Malkerns Valley, Eswatini - Late May 2027 (last weekend of May, dates TBC)
• AfrikaBurn Tankwa Karoo, South Africa - Apr 26 - May 2, 2027
• National Arts Festival Makhanda (Grahamstown), South Africa - Late Jun - early Jul 2027 (11 days, dates TBC)
• Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Johannesburg, South Africa - Late Sep 2026 (approx Sep 25 - 26, TBC)
• Umhlanga Reed Dance Ludzidzini, Eswatini - Late Aug - early Sep 2026 (main days announced only weeks ahead)
• Festival of Roses (Kelaat M'Gouna) Kelaat M'Gouna, Morocco - Early - mid May 2027 (timed to the rose harvest, dates TBC)
• Abu Simbel Sun Festival Abu Simbel, Egypt - Oct 22, 2026 (next); also Feb 22, 2027
• Lamu Cultural Festival Lamu Island, Kenya - Late Nov 2026 (dates confirmed close to the time)
• SA Fashion Week Johannesburg, South Africa - Oct 2026 (AW26 edition, dates TBC)
• Cairo International Film Festival Cairo, Egypt - Nov 11 - 20, 2026
• Sculpture by the Sea Sydney, Australia - Oct 16 - Nov 2, 2026
• Vivid Sydney Sydney, Australia - May 28 - Jun 19, 2027
• Rhythm and Vines Gisborne, New Zealand - Dec 28 - 31, 2026
• Garma Festival East Arnhem Land, Australia - Late July to early August 2027 (dates TBC)
• Parrtjima - A Festival in Light Alice Springs, Australia - Apr 2027 (10 nights, dates TBC)
• Henley-on-Todd Regatta Alice Springs, Australia - Mid-Aug 2027 (dates TBC)
• New Zealand Fashion Week Auckland, New Zealand - Aug 17 - 22, 2026
• Melbourne International Film Festival Melbourne, Australia - Aug 6 - 23, 2026
• Confidencen Opera & Music Festival Stockholm, Sweden - Jul 30 - Aug 16, 2026 (opera run; concerts across the summer)
• Nobel Prize Banquet Stockholm, Sweden - Dec 10, 2026
• 3 Days of Design Copenhagen, Denmark - Mid-Jun 2027 (3 days, dates TBC)
• Copenhagen Fashion Week Copenhagen, Denmark - Early August 2027 (dates TBC)
• Flow Festival Helsinki, Finland - Aug 14 - 16, 2026
• Moldejazz Molde, Norway - Mid-Jul 2027 (week 29, dates TBC)
• Trænafestivalen Træna, Norway - Early Jul 2027 (dates TBC)
• Midnight Sun Film Festival Sodankylä, Finland - Mid-Jun 2027 (5 days, dates TBC)