There's lots to do in Europe during August -- from Amsterdam Pride in Holland to the Verona Opera Festival in Italy. Check out this sampling of events, festivals, and fairs.

Times, dates, and locations of events are sometimes changed or even cancelled. Always remember to check with organizers and local authorities before making final travel plans.

Amsterdam Pride
Amsterdam, Holland
August (every year)
One of Europe’s largest gay and lesbian festivals.

Aste Nagusia (Semana Grande)
Bilbao, Spain
August (starts the third Saturday of every August)
Vibrant celebration of Basque heritage.

Barcelona Summer Festival (Grec Festival)
Barcelona, Spain
June - August (every year)
Summer festival of theater, dance, and music.

Benicàssim International Festival
Benicàssim, Spain
August (every year)
Three days of live music.

Bilbao Strongman Contest
Bilbao, Spain
August (every year)
Part of the Basque festival of Aste Nagusia (Semana Grande).

Boom Festival
Aguas de Moura, Portugal
August (2004, 2006, every two years)
Five-day alternative festival in a forest.

Brussels Flower Carpet
Brussels, Belgium
August (2004, 2006, every two years)
Flowers cover the beautiful Grand Place.

Cante de las Minas Flamenco Festival
La Unión, Spain
August (every year)
Flamenco stars join in the exhibitions and competitions.

Ceský Krumlov International Music Festival
Ceský Krumlov, Czech Republic
August (starts the first Friday of every August)
Music festival set in a magnificent castle in Bohemia.

Cowal Highland Gathering
Dunoon, Scotland
August (last weekend of every August)
Includes World Highland Dancing Championships and Pipe Band Championships.

Cowes Week
Isle of Wight, England
August (every year)
Eight-day yachting regatta.

Creamfields UK
Liverpool, England
August (every year)
The UK's top dance festival.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Edinburgh, Scotland
August - September (every year)
Eclectic alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival.

Edinburgh International Festival
Edinburgh, Scotland
August - September (every year)
Three weeks of classical music, opera, theater, and dance.

Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh, Scotland
August (starts third Wednesday of every August)
World's oldest continually-running film festival.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Edinburgh, Scotland
August (every year)
Military reenactments and marching bands at Edinburgh castle.

Epidaurus Festival
Epidaurus, Greece
June - August (every year, Friday and Saturday only)
Classical Greek drama festival.

European Festival of the Middle Ages
Horsens, Denmark
August (every year)
Knights' tournament, concerts, and even a medieval wedding.

Feast of the Madonna of the Letter
Palmi, Italy
August (fourth Sunday of every August)
Religious processions, a parade, and special masses.

Festival Latino Americando
Milan, Italy
June - August (every year)
South American music, literature, film, folklore, art, and food.

Festival of the Virgin of Good Health (Fiesta de la Virgen de la Salud)
Algemesí, Spain
August - September (every year)
Masses and processions and the Human Pyramid Festival.

Festival of the White Virgin (Fiestas de la Virgen Blanca)
Vitoria, Spain
August (every year)
Six days of bullfights, theater, salsa, tango, jazz, and dancing in the street.

Festival of Saint Cayetano
Gor, Spain
August (every year)
Processions, fireworks, concerts, and bull running.

Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Lewes, England
May - August (every year)
Opera and picnics on the lawn

The Great British Beer Festival
London, England
August (every year)
Festival of beer with pub quizzes, food, and live music.

ImPulsTanz
Vienna, Austria
July - August (every year)
Month-long celebration of contemporary dance.

Interceltic Festival
Lorient, France
August (every year)
Celtic artists including those from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

International Contemporary Mime Festival
Périgueux, France
August (every year)
World’s most important mime festival.

International Garden Festival
Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
May - October (every year)
Magnificent flower show.

International Puppet Festival
Zagreb, Croatia
August - September (every year)
One of the world's most famous puppetry festivals.

Jazz in Marciac
Marciac, France
August (every year)
One of the world's finest jazz festivals.

Kids Week
London, England
August (every year)
Free plays and musicals and behind-the-scenes secrets and stars.

King Arthur's Last Battle Reenactment
Tintagel, England
August (every year)
Swordsmen and archery contests, a village parade, and beer!

La Tomatina
Bunol, Spain
August (final Wednesday of every August)
World’s largest tomato-throwing battle.

Lederhosen Festival
Windischgarsten, Austria
July - August (every year)
Three-day event celebrating the traditional garments...and beer!

Liar's Festival
Moncrabeau, France
August (first Sunday of every August)
The best liar is crowned king.

Major Feast of Saint Felix
Barcelona, Spain
August - September (every year)
Five-day party including moixigangas (towers of men) and monster processions.

Medieval Spectacle
Carcassonne, France
July - August (every year)
Jousting, fencing, and acrobatics in a UNESCO world heritage site.

Medieval Week
Visby, Sweden
August (every year)
Costumne parades, jousting, markets, knights, and a virgin locked in a tower!

Midnight Race
Stockholm, Sweden
August (every year)
Six-mile run with music and festivities on the streets.

Minack Theater Summer Season
Penzance, England
May - September (every year)
Theater by the sea.

Moors and Christians Festival
Alicante, Spain
March, June, August, and December (every year)
Street carnival celebrating history and religion

National Eisteddfod of Wales
Newport, Wales
August (every year)
Artists in Druidical robes compete in the Welsh language.

Notting Hill Carnival
London, England
August (every year)
Europe's largest street festival.

Nuits de Fourvière Festival
Lyon, France
June - August (every year)
Dance, music and theater in Roman amphitheaters.

Octopus Fiesta (Fiesta de Pulpo)
Carballiño, Spain
August (every year)
Fresh octopus. Yum!

Palio of Siena
Siena, Italy
August (various dates)
Flag-throwing procession and horserace around the town square.

The Proms
London, England
July - September (starts third Friday of every July)
Classical music festival at the Royal Albert Hall.

Ravello Festival
Ravello, Italy
March - June and September – October (every year)
Chamber music festival.

Rhine in Flames
Germany
May - September (various dates)
Fireworks displays in the most picturesque region of the Rhine River.

Robin Hood Festival
Mansfield, England
August (every year)
Medieval merriment including jousting, jesting, and archery.

Saint Bartholomew’s Fair
Luque, Spain
August (every year)
Bullfights, fireworks, and masses.

Salzburg Festival
Salzburg, Austria
July - August (every year)
Five weeks of classical music and opera in the birthplace of Mozart.

Sauna Bathing World Championships
Heinola, Finland
August (every year)
Sit still and upright in the sauna to win the championship.

Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
July - August (every year)
Seven weeks and fifty venues make it one of the largest music festivals in the world.

Summer City Festival (Veranos de la Villa)
Madrid, Spain
July - September (every year)
Two months of bullfights, music, dance, and theater.

Verona Opera Festival (Arena di Verona)
Verona, Italy
June - August (every year)
Outdoor operas in a Roman amphitheater.

Villagarcia de Arosa Water Festival
Villagarcia de Arosa, Spain
August (every year)
Celebration of San Roque's day by getting completely soaked.

Virgen del Rosario Bullrunning
Cuéllar, Spain
August (every year)
Claims to be the oldest running of the bulls in Spain.

World Pipe Band Championships
Glasgow, Scotland
August (second Saturday of every August)
The world's biggest bagpipe event.

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