Discover the Best Festivals You’ve Never Heard of in North America

Forget Coachella and SXSW this year because beyond these heaving headline-making mega-events is a host of fantastic, rare gem festivals that celebrate every pastime you can imagine. Whether you’re after a festival of food, music, or film, here are our five best North American festivals you’ve probably never heard of that need to be seen to be believed.

Art Basel Miami Beach

Miami Beach, Florida – December 5 to December 7, 2025

We kickstart our shortlist of the best festivals in North America with a fascinating trip to the Art Basel Miami Beach gala, which is credited with transforming the city into a mecca for international art lovers. Every December since 2002, the Miami Beach Convention Center has become a showcase of spectacular art galleries, featuring numerous satellite fairs and external installations that also spill out across the city.

Here at the Art Basel Miami Beach festival visitors are treated to a unique opportunity to explore the countless masterpieces on display, attend captivating art talks, and mingle with world-renowned art collectors. Located in the heart of Miami Beach’s stunning Art Deco surroundings of South Beach, this awe-inspiring North American festival is a must for those with an eye for contemporary and innovative art.

Stay at the marvelous Hotel Arya, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Miami, Florida, to experience the best art festival in unrivaled style.

Dine Out Vancouver Festival

Vancouver, British Columbia – January 21 to February 8, 2026

Our next top North American festival you may not have heard of is the two-week celebration of Vancouver’s hottest culinary treats. Rated as the best Canadian festival of food, Dine Out Vancouver Festival originally started in 2002 to boost its winter restaurant scene, but has since turned into a citywide feast for food lovers from around the world.

Featuring over 300 restaurants, the Dine Out Vancouver Festival offers visitors numerous special events and fixed-priced menus featuring culinary specialties from every corner of the globe. From seafood foraging tours to multicultural pop-ups, this mouthwatering festival is a genuine deep dive into the vibrant flavors that are a benchmark of the British Columbia’s food scene.

Book your stay at the exquisite Best Western Premier Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites & Conf. Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, as you taste your way through the best foodie festival in North America.

Sea Otter Classic 

Monterey, California – April 16 to April 19, 2026

Next up, we head to Monterey, California, for the world’s largest celebration of outdoor biking at the Sea Otter Classic. What started as a single mountain bike race in 1991 now sees over 70,000 riders and fans gather at the Laguna Seca Raceway every April to race and celebrate the joys of pedal power.

Set among the gorgeous scenic hills, this top Californian festival is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Whether you’re a professional racer or you simply love the outdoor lifestyle, the Sea Otter Classic is a family-friendly event that features three days of downhill and gravel racing, along with kids’ rides and community fun runs.

Relax at the Best Western Plus Monterey Inn in Monterey, California, after exploring the trails of the best bike festival on the planet.

Ottawa Bluesfest

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – July 9 to July 19, 2026

Our next best North American festival sees us heading north of the border again to the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, for the stunning Ottawa Bluesfest music festival. This festival’s origins date back to 1994, which has progressed from a small blues event to one that now draws over 300,000 music fans to Ottawa’s LeBreton Flats Park each July.

These days, the Ottawa Bluesfest has expanded beyond just blues to entertain music fans of all genres and has seen icons including Ray Charles, the Foo Fighters, and Shania Twain all playing live. Beyond the music, this family-friendly carnival of sound also features tasty food trucks, local bars, and art galleries, for a truly remarkable Canadian festival experience.

Stay at the Best Western Plus Ottawa City Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, to enhance your trip to enjoy the best music festival in Canada in full swing.

Nashville Film Festival

Nashville, Tennessee – September 2026

For the moviegoers among you, our final top North American festival sees us heading to Nashville, Tennessee, in mid-September for the historic Nashville Film Festival. Celebrating storytelling through the lens of music and cinema, the Nashville Film Festival has been going since 1969 and has become a firm favorite with movie buffs worldwide.

Showcasing hundreds of films from around the world, including award-winning shorts to pioneering new indie features, the Nashville Film Festival has something for everyone. Guests to this week-long celebration of film can attend screenings, filmmaker panels, and, of course, enjoy seeing a few red-carpet premieres throughout the downtown Nashville and The Gulch areas of this prestigious city.

Book your stay at the splendid Best Western Plus Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee, and discover the cinematic charm of the best film festival in the South.