10 Boozy European Celebrations That Aren’t Oktoberfest

May 17 (Syttende Mai) marks the signing of Norway’s constitution in 1814. While it’s not a beer festival per se, it’s a celebration well worth knowing for travelers who love a good party. Across the country, streets fill with parades of flag-waving locals dressed in bunads, traditional attire that’s sold or rented for eye-watering prices and worn for weddings, christenings, and other special occasions.

There’s an overwhelming sense of national unity in the air on May 17 and everyone greets each other with “gratulerer med dagen,” which actually means happy birthday. Celebrations start with a champagne breakfast (for grownups) and later, outdoor seating areas at bars and restaurants are packed, the social atmosphere is contagious, and the sun stays up late. It’s the perfect occasion for an utepils (a beer that’s enjoyed alfresco on a sunny day) with friends old or new. Take your pick of popular Norwegian brews Aass, Frydenlund, Hansa, Mack, or Schoush Pils.

Until 2013, King’s Day (Koning’s Dag) in the Netherlands, was actually Queen’s Day (Konninginnedag). The rebrand took place when Queen Beatrix abdicated the throne, passing the torch to her son Willem-Alexander. His birthday is celebrated throughout the country on April 27 and it’s the country’s biggest soirée of the year.

On King’s Day, some Dutch folks center their days around catching a glimpse of the royal family while others focus their attention on shopping at flea markets, eating, drinking, and being merry. Amsterdam’s canals are filled with boats blaring music and you’ll have a grand time in The Hague the night before King’s Day (King’s Night) when the center of the city becomes one big free music extravaganza during the Life I Live Festival. You’ll want to bring your drinking hat for King’s Day carousing as well as a predominantly orange outfit to blend in with the Dutch.

Finland is truly in a league of its own when it comes to unique festivals. There’s the Air Guitar World Championships where “musicians” rock out with nothing but air and imagination and the Wife Carrying World Championship where spouses show their support in the most literal sense. Other quirky contests are the Finnish Hobbyhorse Championships (replica equestrian events with toy horses), Heavy Metal Knitting World Championships, the Sleepyhead Day Festival, and the Tree Hugging World Championships, where contestants compete for the most heartfelt connection with nature.

As of 1997, the world’s happiest country has also hosted a floating beer festival called Kaljakellunta. This is an unofficial annual event where thousands of people float down the Kerava or Vantaa River in inflatable dinghies and rafts, drinking olut (beer) along the way. It’s become a beloved, chaotic tradition since its humble beginnings with just a handful of friends but there is no official organizer, which means it’s impossible to stop. Finland’s “Everyman’s Right”—an ancient law allowing public access to nature—makes sure of that. Kaljakellunta operates on social media democracy, with dates and routes decided by online votes. It happens sometime between July and August whenever the people are ready to bob down the river, beer in hand.

Festa Major de Gràcia or Fiesta de Gràcia is one of the most riveting events on Barcelona’s bursting social calendar. Every August, the Gràcia neighborhood transforms into an open-air week-long festival during which locals pour their hearts into decorating their streets, each vying for the title of the best. The not-to-be-scoffed-at decorations are called guarnits in Catalan and past themes have ranged from video games and the Netflix show Money Heist to homages to Don Quijote and artist Joan Miró, making every corner a unique visual experience.

During this good old-fashioned street party, jolly-makers wander from bar to bar purchasing cañas (small beers), tinto de verano (a Spanish wine-based drink), and light bites while taking in parades, extravagant fire shows, and Catalan concerts. The festival draws over a million people every year, but it remains proudly local and free to attend with no tickets required.

Baumblütenfest, Germany’s largest fruit wine festival, is a springtime escape just 30 minutes from Berlin in Werder (Havel). Held over two weekends around May 1st, this festival attracts over half a million vino enthusiasts looking to sip fruit wines made from gooseberry (stachelbeere), red currant (johannisbeere), peach (pfirsich), and more.

What started in 1879 as a quaint gathering of Berliners has evolved into a major event where oenophiles roam orchards, sample wine, listen to live music, and enjoy carnival rides. The festival is a colorful affair, complete with a parade led by the “Fruit Wine Queen,” and the atmosphere is part country fair, part boozy carnival.

The Great British Beer Festival, dubbed “the biggest pub in the world,” brings over 650 brews under one roof at London’s Olympia and it’s an annual pilgrimage for serious beer lovers. Hosted by the voluntary organization Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the early Autumn festival offers everything from dark milds and hoppy ales to perry and cider, with most of the offerings sourced from the UK. And if beer’s not your thing, they’ve got gin and wine too alongside music performances, drinking games, and pub grub making this event a piquant mix of brews and British culture. CAMRA recently made headlines by banning beers with sexist names and imagery to make beer more inclusive.

The Feria de Agosto in Málaga is an unapologetic celebration of Andalusian culture that stretches over nine days in mid-August and it’s one of Spain’s biggest street parties. By day, the historic city center shapeshifts, with streets like Calle Larios draped in lanterns and banners, buzzing with music, dancing, and the scent of Iberian ham and pescaito (fried fish) in the air. Flamenco dresses swish, Andalusian horses trot by, and glasses of sweet Málaga wine and rebujito (a sherry and lemonade mix) flow freely.

Once the sun sets, the action moves to the Feria de Noche at the Cortijo de Torres fairgrounds on the outskirts, where neon-lit rides, food stalls, and casetas (party tents) keep the fête alive until dawn. Each caseta is named and offers a unique vibe. Some are traditional with live flamenco while others are more modern, blasting pop and reggaeton, but all generously stocked with libations.

Oerol Festival is a ten-day escape into the surreal on Terschelling, a Dutch island nestled in the UNESCO-protected Wadden Sea. During this June arts festival, the island becomes an open-air theater with performers taking to beaches, forests, dunes, and quaint villages to stage plays, art installations, live music, and dance performances. The festival’s name, “Oerol” means “everywhere” in the local Frisian dialect and reflects its immersive nature.

Anyone looking for a non-commercial summer event with a laid-back vibe, avant-garde shows, scenic beauty, and the chance to savor a drink or two with the sounds of waves crashing in the background will find Oerol particularly special.

La Batalla del Vino, or the Wine Fight, is Haro’s annual red-soaked tribute to Saint Peter’s Feast Day. Every year from June 27-30, thousands trek up a mountain in Spain’s La Rioja region to feed and douse each other in gallons of red wine. Wearing white shirts and red scarves, revelers “battle,” armed with anything that can hurl, spray, or launch wine—buckets, sprayers, or even wineskins. Once soaked to the bone in sweet Rioja, the crowd heads into town for food, frolicking, and flamenco-fueled dancing in Plaza de la Paz. The town of Haro has a population of less than 12,000 which swells considerably during this spirited fiesta.

The Erlangen Bergkirchweih might not have the worldwide fame of Munich’s Oktoberfest, but what it lacks in recognition, it makes up for in history and charm. Quite the mouthful, Bergkirchweih is more intimate and older (by almost six decades). Dating back to 1755, this 12-day celebration held during Pentecost draws nearly a million visitors to Erlangen’s Castle Hill. Beneath lantern-strung chestnut trees, revelers sip cool beer from stone mugs, indulge in Franconian food, and ride carnival carousels. The hop fest peaks with the ceremonial “beer burial” on the last day when attendees sing Lili Marleen and wave white handkerchiefs bidding farewell to the final keg ahead of next year’s beer bash.