PRE-FALL FESTIVALS
It’s September already and you thought summertime was over, but it’s still going
Before the leaves start falling in the northern hemisphere and it turns cooler, and prior to Halloween, the Day of the Dead and pumpkin season, there’s still running on disappearing ice in Greenland, getting down to the beat in Malawi, film festivals in three countries, seafood and wine in Maine, books in Frankfurt, art festivals in Taos and Spain, and beer, bourbon, and balloons in New Mexico.
Here are some last-minute things to do moving through October to wind down the season. Remember, summer lasts until September 21…
American Film Festival
Deauville, France
September 4th – 13th
In Normandy in northwestern France lies Deauville, the nearest resort to Paris, sometimes referred to as the Parisian Riviera, and The American Film Festival has been happening there since 1975.
Now in its 52nd year and featuring thirteen independent films in main competition, eighty films total. The festival will honor Ethan Hawke and Brendan Fraser with Deauville Talent Awards. Casey Affleck will present his new film Company, along with special previews of Padraic McKinley’s Les Contrabandiers and Anthony Maras’s Pressure.
The Festival is partnered with everything French; Chanel, Air France, the Louis Roederer Foundation and Printemps among others.
It’s 37 Euro for a day pass, 170 Euro for a festival pass.
Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival
Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts
September 8th – 13th
With the laid-back coolness of Martha’s Vineyard and the end of summer days this film festival is a delight. No wonder the island is a haven, so near but so far from the rest of the world.
There are curated film selections from across the globe as well as some recycled from the larger Toronto, Berlin, Cannes and Sundance festivals, including high profile features, documentaries and short films. There will be post screening Q & A’s, panel discussions, live music and waterfront receptions along Lagoon Pond.
An All Access Pass for the festival is $275 which gets you into screenings, parties, galas, and a t-shirt.
Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
September 9th – 20th
Happening in the Rocky Mountains for the 42nd year, there’s live music, food and wine tasting, art and silent auctions, spread out over twelve beautiful days.
Jackson Hole offers a wide variety of cabins, old style lodges and luxury historic inns to stay in and most will have stunning unspoiled views of the mountains.
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto Canada
September 10th – 20th
Known more colloquially as TIFF, this Toronto mainstay has, since 1976, showcased a collection of the best regarded films from other major festivals.
This year the festival is hosting 293 films, with premieres, documentaries, and special presentations. ‘In Conversation With…’ this year includes Lee Min-ho, Chris Rock, Andrew Scott and Hudson Williams, with Tribute Awards, in that very Canadian enigmatic way going to Seth Rogen, Helen Mirren and Fan Bingbing.
TIFF attracts almost half a million people annually.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival + Louisville’s Bourbon and Beyond
Bardstown, Kentucky
September 10th -13th
Two great opportunities to get completely messed up in one! Close to Louisville, in Bardstown, Kentucky is your warm-up festival consisting of bourbon tastings, car shows, food vendors, art displays, and mixology classes. That’s fun.
And then in Louisville, September 24 – 27 (with over a week to recover) is Louisville’s Bourbon and Beyond with more bourbon, a food festival and music. This year headlined again by The Foo Fighters, and Queens of the Stone Age opening on Thursday night.
Taos Fall Arts Festival
Taos, New Mexico
September 18th to October 4th, 2026
Parts of New Mexico are renowned as havens for artists with the unique light, the sun reflecting off the red desert sand emanating a radiating glow. Taos is one of those places. Visitors arrive from all over the country to this oldest arts festival in Taos to see local residents exhibit their work. The town also offers cultural tours to the adobe Taos Pueblo, inhabited for over 1000 years, plus live theater, opera, chamber music, ballet and fantastic places to eat.
Oktoberfest
Munich, Germany
September 19th – October 4th 2026
The Granddaddy of all beer gatherings! It’s not all about beer and sausages… There’s a fairground too! We highly recommend trying the fairground rides before you hit the beer and grilled sausages. There are also parades and giant pretzels. Hooray for giant pretzels! You’ll be busy.
If you can’t make it to Munich this year, get to Cincinnati. From September 17 – 20, you can attend Zinzinnati — the largest Oktoberfest in America, where you can, should the desire grip you, see dachshunds dressed as hot dogs racing over short distances. It’s called The Running of the Wieners. Really, it is.
Ladakh Festival
Leh, India
September 21st – 24th
A once in a lifetime experience at the top of the world. If you’ve been following us, you know we have a soft spot for the top of the world…
There are dances in traditional, colorful costumes, music performances, archery contests, polo and masked dances from ancient times.
Fly into Leh, and make sure you get a window seat. Flights run daily on Air India from Delhi.
La Mercè
Barcelona, Spain
September 23rd – 27th
If you’re anywhere near Barcelona, there’s a must-see street celebration happening with five days of parades, cultural and musical events, and huge human towers that they’re really into, called castells. And it’s free!
This year Barcelona is partnered with the Shanghai and Chinese community of artists to celebrate 25 years of sister-city partnership. There’ll be Chinese themed dances, dragon parades, traditional music from the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, as well as jazz from the Shanghai Restoration Project. The Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe will also perform. And expect massive fireworks and drone displays.
Moga Festival
Essaouira, Morocco
September 30th – October 4th
Techno and house with a Moroccan vibe, DJs and digital art, in luxury. It’s set in the Hotel Le Golf d’Essaouira & Spa on the Atlantic coast of Morocco with a natural pool, an olive garden (this one does not have endless breadsticks) and palm trees abound.
Essaouira is an old hippie hangout and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site having a mix of Arab, African and European influence and commencing as a main city on the old trading route in the 5th century BC. It’s in a direct line over the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. Jimi Hendrix favored Essaouira in the late 1960s. Game of Thrones fans may recognize it as the fictional city of Astapor. Sheltered from the Atlantic winds by Mogador Island, it’s worth seeing, festival or no festival. Its climate is likened to Los Angeles.
Lake of Stars Malawi Arts Festival
Malawi, East Africa
October 2nd – 4th
On the palm-fringed shores of Lake Malawi (the third largest lake in Africa) at Fish Eagle Lodge. Founded by British promoter Will Jameson in 2003, Lake of Stars continues to grow with Malawian music at its core, playing alongside international artists such as Major Lazer, Gilles Peterson and Groove Armada in the past. It’s a warm ambiance festival in a stunning location with world vibe music, great people, food, dance, fashion, theater and art.
Fly into Kamuzu International Airport. It’s a four hour drive from there. Take your own camping gear as your ticket covers you for a camping spot. There are also pre-set glamping spots available. Apparently you have to be on the lookout for the odd crocodile sauntering on by. But, you know, it’s Africa, not Disneyland. Take malaria pills.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Albuquerque, New Mexico
October 3rd – 11th
If you’re not actually in one, it’s best experienced lying down. A dreamlike spectacle of hundreds and hundreds of different shaped and colored balloons fill the sky against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Set your alarm because the balloons start rising at dawn.
Leavenworth Oktoberfest
Leavenworth, Washington
October 2-3, 9-10, and 16th-17th, 2026
Over three weekends, one of the largest Oktoberfests celebrated outside Munich is held in Washington’s extremely pretty Bavarian-style town of Leavenworth, in the Cascade Mountains. Stay in a Bavarian lodge for the full authentic feel and enjoy hiking, biking, alpine lakes, even wine tasting tours should you get bored of all that German beer. Add lots of bratwurst and apple strudel, and live music in tents. Minors must leave by nine.
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (FNC)
Montreal, Canada
October 7th – 18th
2026 marks the 55th edition of this 11-day festival that has opened us up to a collection of avant-garde films, progressing careers of international artists such as Jane Campion, Jim Jarmusch, Wim Wenders and Wong Kar-wai amongst others. Festival du Nouveau Cinéma offers over 200 feature films from more than sixty countries, performances, cocktail parties, art installations and conferences.
Trailing of the Sheep Festival
Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey Idaho
October 7th – 11th
The relocation of sheep from the mountains to lower pastures has been an actual event in Idaho for 30 years! The town, the roads, sidewalks, just filled, with over a thousand sheep. Besides the sheep parade, there’s five days of family-friendly events, music, a folk fair, sheepdog trials, everything about wool and cooking with lamb classes.
No dogs allowed. For, we hope, obvious reasons.
Frankfurt Book Fair
Frankfurt, Germany
October 7th – 11th
This is a major deal: a 500-year-old book festival for literary lovers, sellers, writers, designers. People, over 250,000 of them, come from all over the world to this book fair hosting 4-7,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries. The first three days are about Business and Industry, dedicated to helping teachers, students and professionals deal with printed and electronic media and art, and those pesky writers. On the final two days you can attend book signings, rummage around and discover what’s new and exciting in the bounded world of ink on paper.
La Fiesta des Suds
Marseille, France
October 8th – 11th
This isn’t suds as in soap suds. It’s a festival of the Suds, French for South, although a festival of soap suds wouldn’t be such a bad idea, especially in France. On the Esplanade Gisele Halimi, this is Marseille re-emerging from its shoddy past and celebrating with a family-friendly music and arts festival on the dockyard.
Happening since 1992, there’s now an eclectic musical lineup, art exhibitions, fun activities for the kids and great French tasty bites for the grown-ups. We love French tasty bites.
Harvest on the Harbor
Portland, Maine
October 15th – 17th
A three-day event attracting thousands of visitors each year, giving them the chance to sample Maine’s best seafood fare, plus locally sourced beers, wines, cider and craft spirits. And it’s a 21-plus event. Sorry kids.
There’s live music, the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year competition, local distillery showcases, and curated oyster tastings. This is where I’d insert a green emoji.
Harvest on the Harbor benefits Full Plates Full Potential, a Maine initiative to help child hunger throughout the state, among others. That’s a very good thing.
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 21st – 25th
The Dutch know their underground music — raves were pretty intense there in the 1980s, from the bits I remember –- and Amsterdam still remains a hub of electro/dance/club lifestyle.
ADE Festival comprises hundreds of dance events with known and unknown DJs throughout the city. You read that right, there are over 1200 events across more than 300 venues. That is some intense partying. There’s an industry conference, ADE Pro, with panels and meet-ups for industry movers and shakers. ADE Playground/Arts & Culture is whatever else is happening around it, from art shows, to film screenings, galleries and pop-up events.
An ADE Pro Pass costs around 700 Euros giving full access to the conference, business hubs, free transport and partial venue entry for festival events.
For the public, much of the festival is free, with tickets available for individual shows.
Polar Circle Marathon
Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
October 24th – 25th
Not essentially a festival but worth doing whilst there’s still ice! Just north of the polar circle, and back to Greenland, is the coolest marathon on Earth. You can sprint at one of the world’s most northernmost points for 26.2 miles of ice and snow. Take those spikes and run, baby, run!
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)
Oaxaca, Mexico
October 31st – November 2nd
Vibrant altars, parades, and ancestral traditions. Lots of creepy stuff honoring and welcoming back spirits of loved ones, done in a joyous celebration. This is where it’s at.
