In 2009, a recession-generated ‘perfect storm’ saw poor ticket sales and losses for the biennial Auckland Arts Festival. Yet, as Alan Perrott finds, its director David Malacari is upbeat for 2011.

This annual music and arts festival is held on a farm surrounded by the beautiful Otway rainforest above Victoria's stunning Great Ocean Rd.

A road trip to the Gisborne Wine & Food Festival is a hilarity-filled affair for Sarah Ivey and friends.

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.

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.

No, we have not long waved goodbye to all the festivals. Australia's largest winter musical festival, We Love Sounds, is coming to Auckland for the first time, for Queen's Birthday Weekend (June 4).

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.

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.

Tahuna Breaks get set to jam at the Splore Festival.

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

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.