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.

She is the Shirley Temple of samba, a seven-year-old named to a coveted Carnival role normally reserved for barely clad models.

Raincoats and plastic ponchos were de rigueur early on at the first Laneway Festival at Britomart in central Auckland yesterday.

The 3Ds have returned to reclaim their legend as the loudest goofiest pop band to have sprung from these shores.

Westport's finest young voice is up for a music award at this weekend's Auckland Folk Festival.

The buzz for young Brit band The xx has propelled them all the way to Auckland for the Laneway Festival.

Festival headliners Switchfoot are returning to the annual Christian music gathering after some musical soul-searching.

This weekend's Auckland Seafood Festival promises all manner of delicacies, from chocolate prawns to macadamia scallops.

Amid the glut of pop reggae at next weekend's Raggamuffin Festival come two veteran acts with righteous roots.

Sly Dunbar jokes that he is coming to New Zealand for a holiday.

Thousands gather to take an icy dip in the Ganges River during festivals aimed at cleansing sin.