Festivals and events in the United States

The festivals

When to go for the festivals in the United States

The United States has a festival calendar shaped by national holidays and the diverse origins of the people who formed the country. Immigrant communities keep their own celebrations alive in many cities, and each region has its own way of celebrating, from big-city parades to rural county fairs.

The year starts with the New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31, when New York draws crowds to Times Square to watch the illuminated ball descend atop a Midtown building. In February or in the early days of March, depending on when Easter falls, Mardi Gras takes over the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, with weeks of floats culminating on Fat Tuesday.

In spring and summer festivities move outdoors: neighborhood parades, music festivals, county fairs and Independence Day on July 4, with fireworks across much of the country. In autumn come Halloween on October 31 and Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November, a time for family gatherings and, in New York, a big balloon parade.

December is the month of Christmas lights, winter markets and decorated shop windows, ending again with the countdown to the new year. Because the country is large and the climate varies greatly between regions, it’s worth checking the timing and dates of each event before you travel.