Holidays & Festivals

London:

Holidays:
In England, public holidays include New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (first Monday in May), spring and summer bank holidays (last Mondays in May and August, respectively), Christmas Day and Boxing Day (Dec 26).

Festivals:
London is not naturally a festival city. It’s simply too large to get into the spirit – Royal funerals seem to be the obvious exception. Many of the best events capitalize on the river, though, and throughout the year innumerable individual festivals and festivities enliven other parts of the city. Some are important dates in the social calendar: The Chelsea Flower Show, Wimbledon, the Proms, the Boat Race and the Notting Hill Carnival, all in their different ways are enjoyed by ardent fans and are also annual occasions unique to the city. Whatever the time of year, in this city there’s always likely to be some kind of celebration going on near you.

Edinburgh:

Holidays:
Scotland holds the same holidays as England: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (first Monday in May), spring and summer bank holidays (last Monday in May and August, respectively), Christmas Day and Boxing Day (Dec 26).

Festivals:
Edinburgh plays host every year to the Edinburgh International Festival (August), which celebrates the arts with music, dance and fringe theater. Other popular festivals are the Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival, considered the largest jazz event in Britain, and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which is held around the famous Edinburgh Castle and celebrates more than 50 years of military music and performance.

Dublin:

Holidays:
Holidays in Ireland include New Year’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17), Good Friday, Easter Monday, spring and summer bank days in May, June and August, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (December 26).

Festivals:
Of course the biggest festival in Ireland is Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival (March 13 – 17). Crowds reach up to one million for the carnivals, theater, dance and music that fills the streets. Other festivals are the Heineken Green Energy Festival (April – May), Handel’s Messiah Festival (April), International Dance Festival (late April), Dublin City Soul Festival (May) and the Summer in Dublin Rose Festival (July).