World Calendar: Must-Attend Events in October

There are some amazing events on tap all over the world, all the time. Here’s a taste of what you can see and do in October:

• Attention, leaf peepers: Follow the fiery glow northwest of Beijing to the bucket-list-worthy Fragrant Hills Red Leaves Festival. Hike up an ancient pathway traversed by Chinese emperors and scholars (or opt for a cable-car shortcut instead) to the top of the mountain for a panoramic bird’s eye view of Fragrant Hills Park ablaze with the changing fall hues of maple and smoke trees.
• From Balkan beats and opera arias to circus acrobatics, the CAFe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival offers something to satisfy creative types of every ilk. More than 100 events—sited at prized venues like the recently restored Castle Garden Bazaar and ultramodern Bálna—round out the festival line up. The bonus? October is one of the best times to explore the Pearl of the Danube.
• Take in public art with a side of crashing surf at Sydney’s annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. Stroll the cliffside coastal walk from Bondi Beach south to Tamarama during this free event, pausing to admire scores of installations created by a range of artists in tune with the city’s natural splendor along the way.
• Experience one of the widely attended religious gatherings in the world…on the banks of the Amazon River. On the second Sunday of October, Belém plays host to Círio de Nazaré to honor Our Lady of Nazareth. But while the event—held in northern Brazil since 1793—may be an expression of Catholic faith at root, its significance is far more complex.
• Take a trip through time at the family-friendly Santa Fe Harvest Festival. El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a living history museum just south of New Mexico’s modern capital, offers a glimpse into the state’s Spanish roots through an autumnal lens. Learn how to make fresh tortillas and corn husk dolls, join villagers as they stomp grapes to produce wine, and string up chili pepper wreaths and ristras to take home as a souvenir.

What would you add to the list? Let us know what we’re missing by leaving a comment below.