Event packing guides
Going somewhere for a specific event? These guides overlay the real weather, the venue rules and a vacuum-pack plan on the dates — so you pack right, not twice.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026
EdinburghAug 7 – Aug 31, 2026The world's largest performing arts festival — over 3,500 shows across 300+ venues in Edinburgh, running alongside the Edinburgh International Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Draws performers and visitors from dozens of countries every August.
View guideNotting Hill Carnival 2026
LondonAug 29 – Aug 31, 2026Europe's largest street festival, celebrating Caribbean culture across west London — around 2 million attendees over the August Bank Holiday weekend, drawing visitors from the Caribbean diaspora and international travellers alike.
View guideAsian Games 2026 — Aichi-Nagoya
NagoyaSep 19 – Oct 4, 2026The 20th Asian Games — 43 sports, 469 medal events and all 45 Olympic Council of Asia nations, spread across 53 venues in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture plus satellite events in Tokyo, Shizuoka, Gifu and Osaka. Opening ceremony 19 September, closing 4 October 2026; some preliminary competition starts as early as 10 September. Runs right through the tail end of Japan's Pacific typhoon season.
View guideOktoberfest 2026
MunichSep 19 – Oct 4, 2026Munich's Wiesn — how to pack for cold mornings, warm tents and the strict bag rule at the gate.
View guideAlbuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2026
AlbuquerqueOct 3 – Oct 11, 2026The world's largest gathering of hot-air balloons — 500+ balloons lift off from Balloon Fiesta Park over nine days, with this edition also marking the 100th anniversary of Route 66. Dawn Patrol launches around 6am and the Mass Ascension follows near sunrise, making this one of the site's biggest draws for English-speaking visitors.
View guideDía de los Muertos 2026 — Mexico City
Mexico CityNov 1 – Nov 2, 2026Mexico's most iconic holiday, when families build ofrendas and cemeteries fill with marigolds — and Mexico City adds a massive Día de Muertos parade (Gran Desfile) along Paseo de la Reforma into the Zócalo, drawing over a million spectators plus heavy demand from US travellers.
View guideCommonwealth Games 2026
GlasgowJul 23 – Aug 2, 2026Glasgow's stripped-back Games across four venues — pack for a mild, wet Scottish summer and per-venue small-bag rules.
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