MAY FESTIVALS
The sun is out, the flowers and blossoms are blooming. May is the month for Festivals, here are just a few
Here comes the sun, it’s May again! There’s nothing too outrageous this month, no clambering up a mountain to get to a festival (sigh), just an abundance of art, dance and theatrical performances, films, books, … and wine, lots of wine. And comedy.
Here’s a peek. Enjoy.
Brighton Festival
Brighton, UK
May 1st – 25th
A great line up, Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson and Angelique Kidjo lead the way for the 60th Brighton Festival.
Known for its pioneering spirit and experimental reputation, Brighton festival started in 1967 and now draws artists and audiences from across the world as one of Europe’s leading arts festivals, and the largest in the UK., and has previously attracted theater performances by such luminaries as Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir Anthony Hopkins. It’s pretty hip.
There’s an huge line up with over 100 events, all kinds of music from Patti Smith to Asian Dub Foundation to The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing Mahler and Korngold. There is a world premiere circus production of carnation by NoFit State, comedy, theater and parades, scheduled across Brighton.
Brighton Fringe runs concurrently from May 1 to May 31, 2026. Street performances, art, food, everywhere. There’s something for everyone.
Ibiza Medieval Fair
Ibiza, Spain
May 7th – 10th
Best known for its stunning beaches and wild party scene, you can experience the Bohemian vibe of Ibiza before the insanity of peak beach/party season hits and the Ibiza Medieval Fair is a wonderful way to do it. From May 7th the island’s historic streets are transformed into a mediaeval wonderland with artisan markets, costumed performers, jousting tournaments, and live music. This immersive festival brings the island’s rich history to life, making it a great alternative for travelers looking for a side of Ibiza beyond beach clubs.
A week later, the GO Ibiza 2026 Festival (May 14 -17) welcomes four days of sun-soaked music events, pool parties, and beachside DJ sets, attracting EDM music lovers from across the world.
You can stay tucked away in the rolling hills at Aguamadera, an intimate agrotourism retreat, offering a tranquil escape while still being close to the island’s festival hotspots. The restored 19th-century finca combines traditional Spanish design with modern luxury, with seven suites, organic gardens, a central pool, and a wood-fire kitchen serving sustainable, locally sourced cuisine.
Frieze New York
The Shed, Hudson Yards
May 13th – 17th
Frieze week returns with five days of spectacular art fair at The Shed in Manhattan, showcasing contemporary artists from 26 countries and more than 67 of the world’s leading galleries including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner.
Since its inauguration in 2012, art galleries, artists, and collectors from all over the world have gathered here.
Throughout Frieze Week, an expansive program of special events and activities takes place across New York art spaces. Christine Messineo (director of Americas, Frieze) said, “Visitors will encounter performances and site-specific works that extend beyond gallery walls into the city itself. Spanning Jonathan González’s durational performances at the Whitney, David Lamelas’s moving-image works presented alongside his first comprehensive New York survey at Dia Chelsea and Kite’s explorations of Lakȟóta visual language at The Shed, these commissions invite audiences to reflect on the evolving relationship between bodies, environments and time.”
Stay at NY’s artiest hotel, the Foquet’s in Tribeca, or, for the uptown vibe, NY’s most elegant hotel, The Mark.
Buy tickets at Frieze.com
The Cincinnati May Festival
Cincinnati
May 15th – 23rd
The Cincinnati May Festival is one of the oldest and most prestigious choral festivals in the Western Hemisphere, and has been happening annually since 1873. Not a typo, it’s almost as old as America.
Imagine in 1931 when maybe the largest work in the repertoire, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, often called The Symphony of a Thousand, received a then-rare performance at the festival with a chorus of 900, a massive orchestra, and eight soloists. That’s what we’re talking about here.
The festival kicks off with Anton Bruckner’s Psalm 150. A massive high energy work for a large chorus and orchestra serving as a fanfare to open the season. The choral ensembles featuring the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra then perform a highly unique program titled ‘An Eclectic Opening Night’, featuring soprano Julia Bullock.
The Free Republic of Vienna Festival
Wiener Festwochen
Austria
May 15th – June 21st
This year marks the festival’s 75th anniversary. It’s become a fascinating blend of high-end opera, gritty street theater, and actual political debate, essentially turning the city into a giant experimental playground for five weeks.
While the festival officially begins on the 15th, the massive world famous opening ceremony at the Heldenplatz is scheduled for Friday, May 22. It’s a free open air gig, headlined by the legendary Patti Smith, probably coming straight from Brighton, performing with the ‘Gods Republic’ festival band and the Schmusechor, a famous Viennese choir.
You’ll hear everything reimagined from Mozart to heavy gospel to punk.
The event attracts thousands of people and is broadcast around the world, so if you can’t make it there physically you can virtually visit.
During the festival, Vienna is taken over with five full weeks of dance, music, concerts, theater performances, opera, shamanistic parties, DJ’s, and visual arts. 168 performances are set to be staged across 34 venues, covering everything from the classics to the avant-garde.
Patti Smith will perform on May 19, and 31 at the Arena Wien.
The grand opening and hundreds of other events are free of charge.
The hip place to be is the Badeschiff, a ship docked on the Danube. This is the late night heart of the festival and where Club of the Republic happens, with DJ’s, heavy bass, electronic beats, and global sounds
Program, information, tickets: www.festwochen.at
Cannes Film Festival
Cote d’Azur France
May 12th – 23rd
It’s the 79th year of this iconic, sophisticated festival, but the good news is that even if you don’t have a film running in Cannes, if you don your ball gown or your tux you can still feel a part of the festivities. There are a few screenings where you don’t need an industry pass, and some are free.
Every evening it’s first-come, first-seated (in a deckchair in the sand), at Macé Plage (Mace Beach) at 9.30 pm. It’s open air and free. Sometimes the odd random person like John Travolta shows up to announce a film. This year he’s making an appearance with his project Propeller One-Way Night Coach. So you never know.
Large screens are posted in various spots so that you can see what’s happening live on the red carpet. Honorary Palmes d’Or this year will be awarded to Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand.
Stay at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes. If you can get in. And you can afford it. Or Hôtel Le Majestic Barrière, another not-budget but wonderful establishment!
The Chelsea Flower Show
The Royal Hospital, Chelsea
May 19th – 23rd
The world’s most prestigious, and famous, flower show has been held in the grounds of The Royal Hospital in Chelsea since 1913. It’s set across eleven acres so walking shoes are recommended, as is smart attire. With long floral-patterned dresses in vogue, you can play camouflage with the flowers… Now you see me, now you don’t.
Tickets are highly sought after but are still available on their website here
Presented by The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and opening privately on Monday May 18th for The Royal Family. The following two days are Members and VIP days, prior to the general public days — Thursday 21 May through Saturday the 23rd, which are packed! The sell-off of displays begins at 4pm on Saturday. The first wounded are carried out by about 4:15.
There are plenty of gourmet food options on site, as well as many options around Chelsea, including The Ivy, which is always decked out for the occasion, and you can’t go wrong with the menu.
Hay Festival
Hay-On-Wye, Wales UK
May 21st – May 31st
This is the world’s most famous traveling book festival, held annually in one of the UK’s prettiest market towns on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. At Hay Festival you’ll find over 500 events from workshops to enlightening talks with award-winning authors and global policy makers, alongside family-friendly entertainment, and plenty of music and comedy in the evenings. It’s lit, comedy and music.
This year expect to find Dawn French, Emma Thompson, survivalist Bear Grylls, activist Gisele Pelicot, along with music performed by James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire of The Manic Street Preachers, Aled Jones and the Amy Winehouse Band.
Cantine Aperte – Open Cellars
Gavi, Italy, Piedmont region
The last weekend of May. Every year
May 30th and May 31st
Go and drink wine, drink wine, everywhere! The picturesque region of Gavi in the Piedmont region is a haven for wine lovers and slow travelers, especially during May when vineyards begin to blossom under the spring sun. This region is famed for its biodynamic winemaking, producing some of Italy’s most prized Gavi DOCG wines.
Wine enthusiasts should know about this celebration of Italian winemaking. During the event, renowned vineyards open their doors for exclusive tastings, cellar tours, and immersive winemaking experiences. Visitors can sip on crisp Gavi whites while strolling through rolling vineyard landscapes, a real escape into Italy’s ecological heart.
Stay at La Raia, a biodynamic estate, with cuisine created by Tommaso Arrigoni, awarded a MICHELIN Green Star in 2025 (the star for sustainable practices). There’s an outdoor art foundation, biodynamic winery, a SPA, and a 12-room boutique hotel, Locanda La Raia, which is housed in a beautifully restored post office.
