Best Beach Festivals Around the World

These towns take hanging out on the beach to a whole new level. From food and wine festivals to the best live music, see which beaches throw the best party.

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Beaches Arts and Culture

Photo By: Photo Courtesy of Hawaii Food and Wine Festival

Photo By: Skip Bolen

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Photo By: Photo Courtesy of Curacao Tourist Board

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Photo By: Photo Courtesy of Venice Beach Music Fest

Hawaii Food and Wine Festival

Hawaii plus food plus wine. What’s not to love? The fall festival takes place over three weekends on multiple islands and features a lineup of more than 100 chefs, wine and spirit producers and culinary personalities.

Hangout Music Festival, Alabama

This massive music party takes over Gulf Shores, Alabama with two major soundstages on the beach plus it shuts down the town strip with more intimate stages, boutiques and tons of delicious local seafood. Past headliners include top artists like Tom Petty, Foo Fighters, The Black Keys and Stevie Wonder. Pop into the famous bar The Hangout while you’re there, and don’t miss riding the ferris wheel. The views of the stage, beach and crowd are incredible.

Washington State International Kite Festival

This week-long kite celebration and competition is held the third week of August each year in Long Beach, Washington. The skies are filled with colorful kites and festival events include choreographed displays for spectators, kite-making workshops and illuminated night flights.

Boardmasters, U.K.

Part music fest, part surf competition, this Fistral Beach festival is one of the largest events for professional British surfers. The music lineup isn’t too shabby either with past headliners like Snoop Dogg and Calvin Harris.

Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival, Massachusetts

Revere Beach is taken over once a year by world-famous sculptors creating masterpieces with 10 tons of sand and water. Just six miles north of Boston, tourists flock to the festival to walk along the boardwalk and view incredible sand displays.

Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival

One of the largest festivals in the Caribbean, this three-day event features more than just jazz with blues, soul, funk and R&B on the lineup. Past performers include John Legend, Enrique Iglesias and Stevie Wonder.

South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Florida

Eat, drink, repeat. This world-famous, five-day event in Miami is star-studded and features top chefs from around the world. Our friends at Food Network are always there showing off the latest food trends.

Cannes Film Festival, France

Even though you can’t score a pass to this festival if you’re not in the film industry, you still might brush shoulders with celebs at popular Cannes resorts or beaches. Celebrity sightings along the French Riviera are almost a guarantee at hotels like Hotel Majestic Barriere and Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez.

Surfest, Australia

The largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere, Surfest attracts pros from around the world to compete in the annual competition on Merewether Beach, an Australian National Surfing Reserve.

Venice Beach Music Fest, California

Colorful, artsy Venice Beach gets down for this one-day festival in August. Part music and part art celebration, it’s a party you don’t want to miss. To make it even more appealing, admission is free.

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