Looking for a little travel inspiration for September? We’ve rounded up some of the month’s best festivals from around the world, so get ready to start planning this month’s getaway.
Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival, Sept. 13-15
Los Angeles, California
The City of Angels hosts the world’s biggest lobster festival during this annual celebration. Thousands of Maine lobsters are flown in for the festival’s signature $20 lobster plates, and the festival is dying for three Guinness World Records this year: Most Lobsters Served in Eight Hours, Most Lobsters Cooked in a Single Cooker and Largest Lobster Serving. Plus, the festival hosts an argh-worthy pirate camp with music, dancing and tours.
Mid-Autumn Festival, Sept. 19
China
The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration of seasons, harvest and the moon. Held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated with moon cakes, lantern displays and elaborate food offerings at altars throughout the country.
Hermanus Whale Festival, Sept. 20-24
Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa
South Africa’s Western Cape is prime whale-watching territory come fall, and the city of Hermanus kicks off whale-watching season with its annual Whale Festival in September. This eco-friendly festival is as much about whale-watching as it is marine life education, and you’ll also find plenty of food, craft beer and live entertainment, to boot.
Oktoberfest, Sept. 21 – Oct. 6
Munich, Germany
Arguably Germany’s most famous festival, Oktoberfest kicks off 16 days of beer, dancing and all-around festivities on Sept. 21. This Bavarian tradition has grown into the world’s largest fair, drawing more than 6 million people into the city for traditional music, rides, parades and plenty of lederhosen.
Chicago Gourmet, Sept. 27-29
Chicago, Illinois, United States
The best of Chicago’s culinary scene comes out to play in Millennium Park during the last weekend of September at the annual Chicago Gourmet event, produced by Bon Appetit magazine. Gourmet plates, handpicked wines and craft beers are palette-pleasing offerings at this highly anticipated festival.
Galway Oyster & Seafood Festival, Sept. 26-29
Galway, Ireland
Ireland kicks off its oyster season with a celebration of these rocky mollusks during the last weekend of September. Events include oyster shucking and eating competitions, a Mardi Gras-style block party, cooking demos and all the seafood you can eat.
West Virginia Road-Kill Cook-off, Sept. 28
Marlinton, West Virginia, United States
Yes, you read that right. Every September, West Virginia hosts its annual Road-Kill Cook-off competition, bringing an entirely new meaning to street food. Creative chefs cook up dishes with critters like deer, opossum, squirrel and porcupine, but don’t worry: The main ingredient isn’t actually scraped off the highway before it’s served.
(Main image: jikatu used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
