25 Events Worth Traveling for in October 2018

Think October is all about Halloween, fall foliage and apple picking? Guess again! Around the world, major events catering to a huge variety of interests are taking place, which gives you the perfect reason to travel. From food-centric events and art exhibits to centuries-old festivals and light shows, check out this roundup of the most exciting and diverse events at home and abroad that are worth traveling to next month.

On Oct. 28, Setouchi, Japan will be hosting the Cycling Shimanami Bike Tour, an exciting event that takes place on one of the world's most incredible bike routes. Shimanami Kaido is a 60-kilometer-long road and bridge network running between Japan's Hiroshima and Ehime prefectures. The route connects across several islands, offering incredible views of the Seto Inland Sea National Park.

Head to Berlin to experience one of the most famous light art festivals in the world. In its 14th year, The Festival of Lights welcomes international artists to tell their stories through light. From Oct. 5-14, the entire city is transformed into a stage, with its landmarks, monuments, buildings, streets and squares becoming canvases for expression.

Where to stay: the iconic Hotel Adlon Kempinski, located just opposite the famous Brandenburg Gate.

From Oct. 18-Nov. 4, Sydney's Eastern Suburbs transform into the ultimate Instagram-worthy travel destination. From Tamarama to Bondi, the coastline is transformed into a 1.2-mile-long sculpture park featuring over 100 sculptures by Aussie and international artists. Sculptures by the Sea is the world's largest annual free-to-the-public outdoor sculpture exhibition.

Where to stay: QT Bondi, which is offering a special Sculpture by the Sea Package.

Travel to West Ireland where the 800-year old Ashford Castle offers the ideal Halloween experience for the entire family with its towering walls, hidden passageways and secret gardens. From Oct. 29-Nov. 3, Ashford is offering their two-night Wizard School package, which includes a Treasure Hunt through Ashford's own 'Forbidden Forest', themed Halloween movie screenings at the Castle's in-house cinema, a 'house elves' cookery school, an 'Afternoon Chamber of Art' experience for kids and more.

Held for 350 years, the Takayama Autumn Festival takes place on Oct. 9 and 10. This beautiful autumn event takes place in Takayama's old town and is centered around the Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine. The festival features a parade of eleven handcrafted floats through the town to celebrate the harvest season.

Soneva continues to celebrate their yearlong "Festival of Color" campaign in Oct. by welcoming six Michelin-starred chefs, wellness experts, tennis champions and more to Soneva Fushi, their flagship resort in the Maldives. From Oct. 24-30, the theme color is gold and the emphasis is on culinary experiences. Guest Chefs will be cooking at the resort's newest dining venue, Once Upon a Table, an intimate restaurant seating just eight guests, offering panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.

Oct. 1-8 is Fleet Week in San Francisco. This special week honoring the Bay Area naval tradition will include tours of Navy ships at Marina Green, a parade of ships under the Golden Gate Bridge, air shows with the Blue Angels and military dogs. Pier 39 also is featuring a Fleet Week Celebration from Oct. 5 to 7 with bands and exhibits.

Love Ramen? So do we The Tokyo Ramen Show is completely free and runs from Oct. 25-Nov. 4. It's held at Tokyo's Komazawa Olympic Park. Guests can purchase tickets which can be exchanged for bowls of ramen.

San Clemente Palace Kempinski is offering a special package in honor of the 2018 Architecture Biennale, taking place now through November 25, 2018. Centered around the theme of "Freespace," exhibits around Venice will look at the role of architecture in daily life. The package includes two tickets to Biennale.

From October 25-28, visitors can attend the 10th edition of the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, which brings together over 400 vendors showcasing everything from single malts to craft beer. In addition to world-class food and drink and entertainment, the festival is set on the picturesque Victoria Harbor skyline.

The Lan Kwai Fong Halloween Street Party in Hong Kong is famous for its massive outdoor fun and goulash festivities. The holiday, which runs from Oct. 25-31, has increased in popularity over the past few years and travelers now have an array of parties and experiences to choose from. From parades and parties to outrageous costumes and elaborate decorations throughout the city, it's definitely a Halloween experience to remember.

Tugs-of-War have been held throughout the island of Okinawa for centuries, to pray for rain and give thanks for a bountiful harvest. The most important festival is the five-century-old Naha Great Tug-of-War, which goes from Oct. 5-8. From 1995 through 2005, Naha's giant rope was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest rice straw rope used in a tug-of-war.

Also called He Sapa Wacipi, the Black Hills Powwow is three days filled with indigenous singing, dancing, drum groups, art show, hand games, athletic competitions and a variety of other events. Since it began decades ago, the Black Hills Powwow has become one of the premier American Indian cultural events in the country, attracting hundreds of dancers, singers, artisans and thousands of spectators.

As one of Virginia's largest events, The Richmond Folk Festival brings in visitors from all over the country to downtown Richmond's riverfront. This three-day musical event takes place from Oct. 12-14 and features a variety of performing groups from different cultural traditions showcasing their talents on seven different stages. The event is free and open to the public.

Taking place in Newcastle, Australia from Oct.1-4 is TiNA, an annual festival of "experimental and emerging arts" that started in 1998. With over 150 smaller events, from performances and parties to panels and hands-on workshops, it's an ideal event for innovators and those who appreciate creativity and artistic expression.

The inaugural Orange County edition of The Los Angeles Times The Taste is set for Oct. 19-21. The festival will feature Taco María chef Carlos Salgado, recipient of the Restaurant of the Year award, the Filipino cuisine of Irenia and responsibly sourced cuts from Electric City Butcher, among a diverse collection of chefs and dishes. Admission to each event includes unlimited tastings from dozens of restaurants, sips of seasonal cocktails and cooking demos.

If you love dessert, Dessert Goals is your dream come true. Taking place Oct. 13, 14, 20, and 21 in Long Island City, this fall's festival boasts a sweet lineup of over 20 dessert vendors, countless Instagrammable ops, waterfront views of Manhattan and more. Participants will include People's Pops, Stuffed Ice Cream, Smoothme, WOOPS!, Baked in Color, 2 Dough Boyz, and Marino's, Rebecca's Cake Pops, Petee's Pie Co., Too Cool Chix and more.

This Oct. 8, guests interested in Native American culture can visit Crazy Horse Memorial, the world's largest mountain carving in progress, a 563-foot tall mountain carving depicting the famed Oglala Lakota warrior. Native American Day events will feature performances, arti, storytelling and hands-on activities for all, as well as a traditional buffalo stew lunch. The memorial celebrates 70 years since the first blast on the mountain.

Taking place from Oct. 4-Nov. 4 is the much-anticipated Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island. Admire over 5,000 intricately carved pumpkins that illustrate the most beloved characters from literary favorites, comic book classic and even historical figures. New for this year are special themed nights throughout October including Fairytales, Wizarding and Superheroes.

On Oct. 21, cyclists will compete in KwaZulu-Natal's premier cycle race and the oldest road classic cycle race in South Africa, the Amashova Durban Classic. The 99.5-mile race starts in Pietermaritzburg and ends on the beautiful Suncoast of Durban's Golden Mile. Sponsored by Tsogo Sun, Resolute Travel + Sport and the Tsogo Sun Amashova are offering an extended package to offer travelers more to see and do in the region.

This Oct 6-7, Fairmont Chateau Whistler and Mountain Galleries at the Fairmont are teaming up to create 'Trees of Hope,' a special weekend for artists and art aficionados. The two-day event sees renowned Canadian artists come together, donating their time and talent for a cause. Guests can watch and interact with artists during the weekend then bid on the work between December 1 and January 7, with proceeds going to Canuck Place Children's Hospice.

From Oct. 5 to 8, guests can take all the Instagram-worthy pics they desire at the pumpkin patch, rev their engines at the Fairmont 500 zucchini car races, or get styling with the scarecrow scramble. Harvest-themed dining includes Chateau Whistler's famed turkey feasts and Sunday Brunch. Right next door, the Whistler Farmer's Market and Whistler Blackcomb's 'Turkey Sale' offer major retail therapy.

The annual Cranberry Festival returns on Oct. 6, celebrating the island's 161-year history with cranberry farming. Hosted by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, the event features organic berries from the island's last two remaining commercial bogs. In addition to live cranberry harvesting, festivalgoers can embark on a guided tour of the grounds, or dive into kid-friendly activities such as hayrides, sack races, tug-of-war and a petting zoo.

This annual design fair is in its 15th year and is the biggest in Latin America, attracting more than 400 exhibitors and showcasing the latest trends in fashion, home design, accessories, jewelry, decoration, graphic design, textiles, photography and illustration. The Puro Diseño Design Fair is held twice a year (this is the second 2018 edition, taking place Oct. 11-14) and takes place in La Rural. This event is ideal for travelers looking to take home something uniquely Argentine, including indigenous and rural designs.

Fancy beer and running? Celebrate the fall season with fall foliage, crisp breezes, views of the river and a 5k (or 8-mile run) in Richmond, VA. The Trails and Ales run also features food trucks and music for both runners and friends, and plenty of gorgeous running scenery.