Editor’s Note: This post was written by guest contributor Andy Hayes.
You don’t have to be a lover of the theatre or a liberal arts [student] to enjoy a good arts festival. In fact, some festivals are destinations in themselves — cities double in size and locales morph into totally new personalities. Check out the places and dates for these arts festivals that you just can’t miss, then add one to your upcoming travel plans.
Edinburgh Fringe (August)
The Edinburgh Fringe is just one of several festivals that take place in Scotland’s capital city in August. Edinburgh swells in capacity as performers and audiences from around the world arrive to enjoy the party atmosphere and crazed vibe of the world’s largest arts festival. The Fringe originally started with heavy themes of sex and nudity, and in fact, you’ll still find a racy scene or two today. Comedy is a huge focus, but there’s also offbeat musicals and visual theatre. Book early for this one – and be prepared for non-stop action, including late-night comedy and all-night clubbing.
Edinburgh Fringe
World Buskers Festival (January)
Who would have thought an English-style city on New Zealand’s South Island would have a can’t-miss festival? You bet: The World Buskers Festival takes place here every January. If you like the soothing sounds of a random subway musician or street corner comedian, then you have to see this. Everywhere you turn, someone has managed to pull together a crowd to watch their act. It’s nice to see a lot of the country’s home-grown talent showing off their skills, but plenty of international artists you might not have heard of will leave you with a lasting impression — and a sore stomach from all the laughter.
Echigo-Tsumari (August-September)
Don’t panic, but you’ve already missed the inauguration of the world’s largest outdoor art festival. The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale is so massive that you can actually spend the night inside it—two of the featured artworks were transformed into hotels for the exhibition.
Among the 350+ installations, you’ll find trees with eyes, fields featuring abstract pieces and gorgeous views, weird and wonderful houses to explore, and even old schools revamped for the project. Fortunately, has it that portions of the event will reopen again this autumn, so keep an eye out for updates.
The Screen on the Green Theatre
Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend (September)
It doesn’t have to be big and blazing to be wonderful. How about the free arts celebration in Wausau, Wisconsin, which is approaching its 50th anniversary? It is probably the most family-friendly festivals in our list, with lots of arts-and-crafts fun for both children and adults. It even promotes valuing art from a young age — “young collectors” can purchase their first piece of artwork for less than $25. But of course there are plenty of art displays where you can choose your next centerpiece from well over 100 different artists from all over the United States.
New York Film Festival (September-October)
This one is for all the film buffs and DVD lovers out there. To be honest, I’ve been to Cannes and I’ve been to New York—and if I wanted a film festival backdrop, New York would be it. The Big Apple’s film festival is a two-week blitz of provocative and experimental cinema. Their “Views from the Avant Garde” program which is particularly top notch. New York is one of my favorite places in the world, so after a day of exploring the avenues, you can head out for a film or two before cocktails and dinner. What’s not to like?
Minor updates and edits were made from the original article.
The Screen Photo © © Jochen Spieker
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Andy Hayes is a professional writer and published author. He’s the editor of Sharing Travel Experiences, an online magazine. Visit their website to find out more. Be sure to follow Andy on Twitter too.