Harbin International Ice Festival. A wonderland of ice sculptures and laser-lights that will amaze.

Tour Down Under, Jan 14-22.Toast the world's best cyclists through the vines with the state's best wines.

Winter X Games, January 26-29. See the world's elite skiers and snowboarders competing in the flesh.

Rainbow Serpent Music Festival's 20th anniversary, Jan 27-30. This four-day electronic music event takes place at Lexton in the Victorian forest.

Timkat. Devout Christians in the Ethiopian city of Gondor celebrate Jesus' baptism with a midnight vigil.

Surfest, dates TBC. Surf's up at Merewether Beach, home of Australia's biggest surf festival.

Tapati Rapa Nui, Feb 3-18 (TBC). A summer festival celebrating Polynesian pride with queens and volcano tobogganing.

Rio Carnivale, Feb 24-28. Hit the party hard with samba, street parties, and parades. Sequins compulsory.

Dubai Food Festival, 23 Feb-11 Mar. Devour the best from celeb chefs, enjoy a desert feast and taste Emirati cuisine.

Thaipusam, Feb 10. Tamil Hindus parade their extreme piercings and hardship for their warrior god.

ANZAC Day. Camp out overnight at ANZAC Cove to see in the Dawn Service.

Yi Peng and Loy Krathong, Nov 20. Float candles down river, send lanterns into the night sky to honour the Buddha.

Field of Light: 50,000 solar-powered illuminated stems will bloom as nightfalls across a remote desert area.

Coachella is one of the world's biggest music festival and it pulls in some of the world's best DJs.

Sure it's cherry blossom season, but Kameido Tenjin's Wisteria Festival is worth a visit.

Kulturstrand, May 12-Aug 14. The world's biggest sandpit opens for a three-month summer beach party.

Vivid Sydney: Lights! Music! Ideas! The harbour city sparkles every night of the festival.

Lotus Lantern Festival, May 6-8. Make lanterns, pour tea, get Zen at Buddha's birthday bash.

Cannes International Film Festival. For 12 days, this coastal city is transformed into a glitzy show of cinema.

Noosa Food & Wine festival, 19-22 May. Top chefs, top nosh, top beaches: go into gourmet overdrive.

Dark Mofo, June 10-21. MONA's midwinter festival is curated by Violent Femmes' Brian Ritchie.

WOMADelaide. Mar 10-13. Global vibes: the world comes to Adelaide to sing it and shake it.

Ningaloo Reef. Whale shark season, April - Sept. Bigger is better: swim with the biggest fish in the ocean‎.

Santa Catalina Wogasia Spear Festival. Celebrate a new year and the yam harvest with spear fighting and feasting.

UK London Wimbledon June 27-July 10. Break out the strawberries and cream for top tennis on the lawns.

Novi Sad, Exit Festival, Jul 6-9. A musical festival held in a castle with some of the worlds greatest acts.

World Body Painting Festival, Jul 28-30. A wonderland of body painters, theatre and music.

Wimbledon Championships, Jul 3-16: The world's oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament.

Bilbao BBK Live, July 6-8. A chart-topping rock and pop festival held at the foot of idyllic mountains.

Bastille Day, July 14: Liberty, equality and fraternity are at the heart of this festival.

Fringe Festival, Aug 4-28: The world's largest arts festival celebrating theatre, music and dance.

La Tomatina, Aug 30: Tons of overripe tomatoes are thrown at the world's biggest food fight.

Nevada, Burning Man, Aug 27-Sept 4: A temporary city in Black Rock Desert dedicated to music, art and self-expression.

Helsinki Festival, Aug 17-Sep 3: A celebration of music, theatre, dance, circus and visual arts.

Gay Pride, Aug 6: A canal parade of people in brilliant costumes on boats celebrating gay pride.

Outlook Festival, Sep 7-10: A music festival overlooking the sea. Dub. Hip Hop. Reggae. Techno. Dance.

International Film Festival, Sept 7-17: Hollywood VIPS flock to Canada for 11 days of top-notch films.

Oktoberfest, Sept 16-Oct 3: A Bavarian celebration of great food, roller coasters, singing and specialty beers.

Floriade, Sept 16-Oct 15: Celebrate the glorious onset of spring amidst millions of flowers.

Oasis, Sept 15-17: A new-age music festival in the Moroccan sun incorporating yoga and wellness.

Diwali, Oct 19: The annual Hindu festival of lights is celebrated in the streets with candles and lamps.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct 7-15: Hundreds of colourful air balloons take to the skies.

Day of the dead, Oct 31-Nov 2: Fascinating costumes and street parades are held to celebrate the lives of the dearly departed.

The Melbourne Festival, Oct 5-22: A festival of art, culture, creativity and communal feasts.

Wine and Dine Festival, Oct 26-29: It's a gourmet party in Asia's food-crazy party capital.

Anniversary of Puno, Nov 5: Traditional dance, fireworks and a re-enactment of the Inca origin myth.

Festival of Lights, Nov 4: Thousands of lanterns are sent into the sky to honour the Buddah.

Airwaves Festival, Nov 1-5: An eclectic music festival held in cool bars, old churches and museums.

Galungan and Kuningan, Nov 1-11: A Hindu festival celebrating dharma (good) over adharma (evil).

Guy Fawkes Day, Nov 5: Bonfires and fireworks celebrate the capture of Guy Hawkes in 1605.

Times Square New Years Eve, Dec 31: Celebrate as the ball drops amidst thousands of revellers.

Whirling Dervishes, Dec TBC: A spectacle of twirling men dressed in white skirts and tall hats.

Hogmanay, Dec 30-Jan 1. Finish of the year in boozy style with thee days of drinking, music and spectacular events.

Krampusnacht, Dec 5: Mythical Krampus creatures scare kids into behaving at Christmas.

Ice Sculptures Festival, Dec 25-Feb 28: Winter is celebrated with exquisite ice sculptures and figures.