See also: Lists of festivals. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to festivals:
Festival - celebration that focuses upon a theme, and may run for hours to weeks. The theme of a festival might be an area of interest such as art, or an aspect of the community in which the festival is being held, such as the community's history or culture. Festivals are often periodical, for example, held annually.
The activities or events of a festival may be primarily of the spectator or participatory variety, or a mixture of these. A festival may include spectator or participatory variations of one or more of the following types of events or activities, among others.
History of festivals
Following are festivals that are events (similar to a fair). They are typically hosted, and are held at a specific location.