If you are traveling this month, there might be a festival close by that you can visit. Below we’ve highlighted our top picks of July Festivals celebrated around the world.
Summerfest Milwaukee Wisconsin Late June to Early July
The largest music festival in the United States is held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with over 800 acts performing over several days. It has been running since 1968 and attracts over 1 million people each year. Summerfest features a wide variety of musical genres, including rock, country, pop, and blues. It also offers a variety of food, drinks, and activities, such as rides, games, and fireworks. The weather in Milwaukee in July is typically hot and humid, with average temperatures in the mid-80s Fahrenheit.
Calgary Stampede July 8-17
The Calgary Stampede takes place in Canada. It is an annual event that features a rodeo, concerts, rides and food. The Calgary Stampede is so over the top that it’s become known as “The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth”. While many people come for the exhibits, others come just for the food. There’s a vast array of culinary delights to try. The Calgary Stampede is the World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo. There are over 100 music acts across three stages.
Fiesta de San Femin July 6-14
Fiesta de San Femin, also known as the running of the bulls, is one of the most anticipated, yet dangerous events that takes place each year in Pamplona, Spain. There are many activities that take place during the Fiesta de San Femin, including a lot of drinking and dancing. This festival was made famous because of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises”. The most popular event of this entire festival are the daily “running of the bulls” where hundreds of people run in front of six steers and six bulls in a half-mile sprint. This 3-minute long run is pretty dangerous and 15 people have been killed by a bull or steer since 1925. Nevertheless, over 1,000,000 come to participate in the festivities in some way, even just to sit on the sidelines and watch the events occur.
Tomorrowland EDM Music Festival Boom, Belgium Mid-July for 2 weekends
This EDM festival is held in Boom, Belgium, and is one of the world’s biggest and most popular festivals. It has been running since 2005 and attracts over 400,000 people each year. The festival features a wide variety of EDM artists and other genres such as house, techno, and trance. Tomorrowland also offers a variety of activities and attractions, such as fireworks displays, a Ferris wheel, and a water park. The weather in Boom in July is typically hot and humid, with average temperatures in the mid-70s Fahrenheit.
Salzburg Festival July 18-August 31
The most prominent music and drama festival in Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, is taking place starting in the middle of July and lasting until the end of August. Each year 70,000 people attend this event. It will have an opening party that will last two days. Performances of opera, plays and concerts of the highest artistic standards over a period of five to six weeks each summer.
Fuji Rock Festival Niigata, Japan. End Of July
Rock music festival is held at the Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata, Japan. Naeba Resort is known for its beautiful mountain setting. Fuji Rock Festival started in 1997 and attracts over 200,000 people each year. The festival features many musical genres, including rock, electronica, jazz, and folk. There are also a variety of cultural events, such as traditional Japanese performances, art exhibitions, and food stalls. The weather in Niigata in July is typically hot and humid, with average temperatures in the mid-80s Fahrenheit. The festival is held at a high altitude, so the nights can be cool. Why not combine this with a trip to Japan? It is only a 3.5-hour train ride away Tokyo Japan: Things to Do Tokyo, Weather, Packing Tips.
Santo Domingo Merengue Festival – July 25- August 10
Santo Domingo Merengue Festival is two weeks of celebration dedicated to the Dominican Republic’s national dance, the merengue (from late July to early August). The Dominican government developed the Festival del Merengue in the 1980’s as a way to display the country’s traditional dance and music styles. Merengue combines both Latin and African influences and is best described as fun and a little sultry. Meringue bands only usually feature a tambora, guira and melodeon. This festival is expected to have thousands of visitors that are not just there to listen to or watch the music and dance, but also to participate in it. Visit the Dominican Republic.
Maine Lobster Festival – August 3-7
What’s better in the summer than some fresh lobster? The Maine Lobster Festival will feature more than 20,000 pounds of lobster this year. There will also be a parade, road races and U.S. Navy ship tours. In addition to lobster, visitors can also indulge in all-you-can-eat pancakes or show off their culinary skills in one of the amateur cooking contests. This event takes so much planning and detail to pull off that it requires more than 1,000 volunteers. If you plan to visit New England in the fall, now is the time to book your fall foliage tour or fall foliage cruises, as they are selling out.
Some places are a little hot during summer, but the outdoor festivals make them worth the trip. All of the festivals mentioned above are some of the best events taking place during the month of July. There’s still plenty of time to take a trip this summer.
