World’s Longest Festivals to Add to Your 2025–26 Travel Itinerary
Festivals are no longer confined to a few days of music and lights - around the world, entire cities now come alive for weeks or even months, celebrating culture, art, food, and entertainment in grand style. If you’re planning your 2025–26 travel calendar, these are the world’s longest festivals that promise unforgettable experiences and global cultural immersion. From Saudi Arabia’s dazzling Riyadh Season to China’s icy Harbin Festival, here’s your guide to the must-visit celebrations that define the year’s most exciting travel seasons.
Riyadh Season 2025-26 , Saudi Arabia: Where Culture Meets Entertainment
When it comes to scale and spectacle, Riyadh Season 2025-26 is in a league of its own. Lasting over three months, this mega festival transforms Saudi Arabia’s capital into a global playground of entertainment, music, and art. Expect world-class concerts, the Riyadh Comedy Festival, MDLBEAST Soundstorm 25, the WTA Finals Riyadh, and the country’s first-ever WWE Royal Rumble.
With vibrant cultural zones, luxury experiences, and live performances celebrating Saudi, Khaleeji, and Syrian traditions, the event beautifully blends heritage with modern glamour. A futuristic cable car network connects the city’s festival zones, ensuring seamless exploration for millions of visitors.
When: October 2025-January 2026 | Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Dubai Shopping Festival, UAE: The Ultimate Celebration of Luxury and Lifestyle
For travellers who love retail therapy with a twist of glamour, the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is a must-visit. Since 1996, this month-long celebration has turned Dubai into a citywide carnival of shopping, entertainment, and culture. From unbeatable deals and grand raffles to firework shows and live concerts, DSF is much more than a shopping spree.
Explore iconic landmarks like The Dubai Mall, Global Village, and Dubai Marina, where performances, food festivals, and night markets light up the skyline. With its mix of luxury brands and local art, DSF redefines the concept of a shopping festival.
When: December-January | Where: Dubai, UAE
Edinburgh Festivals, Scotland: A Summer of Creativity and Culture
Every summer, Scotland’s capital transforms into the world’s artistic heart during the Edinburgh Festivals. What began as the Edinburgh International Festival in 1947 has evolved into a two-month creative phenomenon celebrating theatre, literature, film, and comedy.
The Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, sees performers from across the globe fill every corner of the city - from pubs and gardens to cobblestone streets. Alongside, the Book Festival, Film Festival, and Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo create an atmosphere bursting with creativity and ideas. For art lovers and thinkers alike, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
When: July-September | Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, China: A Winter Wonderland Like No Other
If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into a frozen fairytale, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in China is the place to be. Spanning over a month, it’s the world’s largest winter festival, featuring towering ice castles, neon-lit sculptures, and snow mazes that turn Harbin into a glowing icy paradise.
From ice-carving competitions to snow sports and cultural performances, this event celebrates the art of winter in spectacular fashion. Despite the freezing temperatures, millions of visitors gather here each year to witness a surreal blend of art, architecture, and illumination.
When: January-February | Where: Harbin, China
From Riyadh’s cutting-edge performances to Edinburgh’s creative brilliance and Harbin’s icy enchantment, these longest festivals in the world are not just events – they’re experiences that celebrate the essence of human creativity and culture. So, if you’re planning your next big adventure, make sure to mark these global festivals on your 2025–26 travel bucket list.
Riyadh Season 2025-26 , Saudi Arabia: Where Culture Meets Entertainment
When it comes to scale and spectacle, Riyadh Season 2025-26 is in a league of its own. Lasting over three months, this mega festival transforms Saudi Arabia’s capital into a global playground of entertainment, music, and art. Expect world-class concerts, the Riyadh Comedy Festival, MDLBEAST Soundstorm 25, the WTA Finals Riyadh, and the country’s first-ever WWE Royal Rumble.
With vibrant cultural zones, luxury experiences, and live performances celebrating Saudi, Khaleeji, and Syrian traditions, the event beautifully blends heritage with modern glamour. A futuristic cable car network connects the city’s festival zones, ensuring seamless exploration for millions of visitors.
When: October 2025-January 2026 | Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Dubai Shopping Festival, UAE: The Ultimate Celebration of Luxury and Lifestyle
For travellers who love retail therapy with a twist of glamour, the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is a must-visit. Since 1996, this month-long celebration has turned Dubai into a citywide carnival of shopping, entertainment, and culture. From unbeatable deals and grand raffles to firework shows and live concerts, DSF is much more than a shopping spree.
Explore iconic landmarks like The Dubai Mall, Global Village, and Dubai Marina, where performances, food festivals, and night markets light up the skyline. With its mix of luxury brands and local art, DSF redefines the concept of a shopping festival.
When: December-January | Where: Dubai, UAE
Edinburgh Festivals, Scotland: A Summer of Creativity and Culture
Every summer, Scotland’s capital transforms into the world’s artistic heart during the Edinburgh Festivals. What began as the Edinburgh International Festival in 1947 has evolved into a two-month creative phenomenon celebrating theatre, literature, film, and comedy.
The Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, sees performers from across the globe fill every corner of the city - from pubs and gardens to cobblestone streets. Alongside, the Book Festival, Film Festival, and Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo create an atmosphere bursting with creativity and ideas. For art lovers and thinkers alike, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
When: July-September | Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, China: A Winter Wonderland Like No Other
If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into a frozen fairytale, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in China is the place to be. Spanning over a month, it’s the world’s largest winter festival, featuring towering ice castles, neon-lit sculptures, and snow mazes that turn Harbin into a glowing icy paradise.
From ice-carving competitions to snow sports and cultural performances, this event celebrates the art of winter in spectacular fashion. Despite the freezing temperatures, millions of visitors gather here each year to witness a surreal blend of art, architecture, and illumination.
When: January-February | Where: Harbin, China
From Riyadh’s cutting-edge performances to Edinburgh’s creative brilliance and Harbin’s icy enchantment, these longest festivals in the world are not just events – they’re experiences that celebrate the essence of human creativity and culture. So, if you’re planning your next big adventure, make sure to mark these global festivals on your 2025–26 travel bucket list.
Next Story