Held on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, Loi Krathong is one of Thailand's most atmospheric traditional festivals.

Jim Eagles avoids a guinea pig lunch but is charmed by a fortune-telling bird.

Welsh town Hay-on-Wye is the perfect spot for bookworms, finds Geraldine O'Sullivan Beere.

North America's diverse indigenous culture is explored and celebrated at this massive pow wow and festival.

Ex-Police frontman Sting has been confirmed as the headline act for the 2011 Mission Concert.

The nation's largest fireworks show will light up the skies over the Hudson River straddling New York and New Jersey, to celebrate American Independence Day.

Recent nay-saying that the festival neglects the young is insane. Teens were the most visible age-bracket on site.

The 21st Hokitika Wildfoods Festival was one of the best yet and will generate up to $3 million for the West Coast economy, organiser Mike Keenan says.

It's time again for Pacific culture to be celebrated through music, food and fine performances.

Photos of the Hindu festival of colours, which heralds the coming of spring.

For Malaysian Estelle Goh and her Hong Kong boyfriend Tim Chan, this weekend will be when they celebrate Valentine's Day.

Hundreds of festival-goers slapped on sunscreen and absorbed three days of music and art by the sea at the biannual Splore festival at the weekend.

The Unidos da Tijuca samba group has been crowned champion of the Rio Carnival parades for the first time in more than seven decades.

Calexico's 'cactus rock' is inspired by the beautiful yet harsh Mexican-United States borderland. Photo / Supplied

Tahuna Breaks get set to jam at the Splore Festival.

At Rio's Carnival, collecting as many pecking partners as possible at one of the 650 massive street parties is truly a competitive sport.

Thousands of tourists wearing masks and costumes thronged Venice's car-free streets on Saturday as the city's celebration of Carnival began.

She is the Shirley Temple of samba, a seven-year-old named to a coveted Carnival role normally reserved for barely clad models.

Raincoats and plastic ponchos were de rigueur early on at the first Laneway Festival at Britomart in central Auckland yesterday.

The 3Ds have returned to reclaim their legend as the loudest goofiest pop band to have sprung from these shores.

Westport's finest young voice is up for a music award at this weekend's Auckland Folk Festival.