(iStock)
Austria
VIENNA: This Human World, international human rights film festival, through Dec. 10.
SALZBURG: Advent Singing, Grosse Festspielehaus, through Dec. 15.
SALZBURG: Winterfest, circus performances in tents in Volksgarten, through Jan. 6.
SALZBURG AND SUBURBS: Krampus Runs, Dec. 3-6, 8 and 21.
INNSBRUCK: East Tyrolian Krampus Run, Dec. 4- 7.
ST. ANTON: Stanton Ski Opening, celebrations to open the winter ski season, Dec. 6-8.
SCHLADMING: Start of Winter Opening Party, this year’s acts include Sting, Bryan Adams and Simply Red, Dec. 6-8.
PITZTAL: Hochzeiger Open Air, Tim Bendzko performs, Dec. 7.
FLACHAU: Winter Start Up, equipment testing and musical entertainment, Dec. 7-8.
SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM: Rave on Snow, club festival with electronic music, Dec. 12-15.
SOELL: SkiWelt Winter Opening party, Wilder Kaiser Brixental, Dec. 14.
KALTENBACH: Ski Food Festival, international gourmet set menus offered at huts throughout area, Dec. 14-15.
VIENNA: Christmas in Vienna, gala concert, Wiener Konzerthaus, Dec. 19-20.
INNSBRUCK: Christkind Parade, Dec. 22.
VIENNA: New Year’s Trail, live entertainment, waltzing lessons, food and drink stands throughout town, Dec. 31.
Belgium
LEUVEN: Short Film Festival, through Dec. 7.
LIEGE: Village de Noel, Belgium’s largest Christmas village, through Jan. 4.
BRUSSELS: Winter Wonders, Christmas market and skating rink, through Jan. 5.
BRUGES: Winterlichter, Christmas market and illuminated trail, through Jan. 5.
BRUGES: December Dance, international dance festival, Concertgebouw, Dec. 4-15.
MODAVE: Christmas at the Castle, festively decorated rooms at the Chateau de Modave, this year’s theme is “Bonbons & douceurs sucrées à dévorer des yeux,” Dec. 7-Jan. 5.
ROTTERDAM: Bridges Run Rotterdam, 15 km route through city, Dec. 8.
ANTWERP: Art and Antwerp, contemporary art fair, Expo, Dec. 12-15.
BASTOGNE: Battle of the Bulge commemorations, Dec. 13-15.
NAMUR: Salon du Vin, wine and gastronomy fair, Namur Expo, Dec. 13-15.
ESSEN: Christmas Beer Festival, Dec. 14-15.
MECHELEN: Christmas Jumping, horse jumping event, Expo, Dec. 26-30.
Croatia
DUBROVNIK: Winter Festival, through Jan. 6.
ZAGREB: Advent in Zagreb, through Jan. 7.
Czech Republic
PRAGUE: Eve of Saint Nicholas Day, Dec. 5.
JINDŘICHŮV HRADEC: Advent market with music, dance and theater, Dec. 7-8.
KRIVOKLAT: Christmas in the Castle Courtyard, Dec. 7-8 and 14-15.
PRAGUE: Christmas Night Run, Dec. 14.
PRAGUE: Dyzajn Market Winter, craft and design market, Expo Center, Dec. 14-15.
Denmark
COPENHAGEN: Christmas in Tivoli Gardens, through Jan. 5.
AARHUS: Christmas in the Old Town Museum, through Dec. 31.
ELSINORE: Kronborg Castle Christmas fair, Dec. 1, 7-8.
COPENHAGEN: Christiania Julemarked, Oriental bazaar-style Christmas market, Den Gra Hal, Christiania, Dec. 6-20.
COPENHAGEN: Lucia Kayaking, Santa Lucia parade made up of kayaks in the canals, Dec. 13.
England
LONDON: Christmas at Kew, trail of lights through Kew Gardens, through Jan. 5.
LONDON: Hogwarts in the Snow, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, through Jan. 19.
LONDON: Pig’s Ear Beer Festival, CAMRA event, Historic Round Chapel, Hackney, Dec. 3-7.
BATTLE: Illuminated Battle Abbey, trail of lights where the Battle of Hastings took place in 1066, Dec. 3-8.
NEWARK: IACF Antiques & Collectors Fair, Showgrounds, Dec. 5-6.
LONDON: The London International Horse Show, ExCeL, Dec. 18-22.
BRIGHTON: Burning the Clocks, lantern procession and fireworks, Dec. 21.
SALISBURY: Winter Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, Dec. 21.
EXMOUTH: Christmas Day Swim, Dec. 25.
LONDON: The Peter Pan Cup, race open to Serpentine Swimming Club Members only, Hyde Park, Dec. 25.
LONDON: New Year’s Eve fireworks, Thames riverbanks, Dec. 31.
Finland
HELSINKI: Dog Show, Exhibition and Convention Center, Dec. 7-8.
HELSINKI: St. Lucia Day, Lutheran Cathedral, Dec. 13.
France
RENNES: Trans Musicales, contemporary music festival, Dec. 4-8.
LYON: Fete des Lumieres, light festival, Dec. 5-8.
NANCY: Saint Nicholas weekend, Dec. 7-8.
ROUBAIX: La Braderie de l’Art, art fair and exchange, Dec. 7-8.
AVORIAZ: Rock on Snow, ski and snowboard gear testing and DJ sets, Dec. 13-15.
EPERNAY: Habits de Lumiere, illuminations and entertainment along the avenue de Champagne, Dec. 13-15.
Germany
ESSEN: Essen Motor Show, Messe, through Dec. 8.
HAMBURG: Hamburg DOM, volksfest, through Dec. 8.
MUNICH: Tollwood Winter Festival, Theresienwiese, through Dec. 23.
BAMBERG: Nativity Trail, crèche scenes in churches and squares, through Jan. 6.
RUST: Winter at Europa-Park, through Jan. 12.
TUEBINGEN: Chocolart, chocolate fair and illuminations, Dec. 3-8.
HANNOVER: Passion Pferd, horse fair, Messe, Dec. 5-8.
NUREMBERG: Retro Classics Bavaria, classic auto show, Messe, Dec. 6-8.
BOCHUM: The Hard Circle, heavy metal fest, Ruhrcongress, Dec. 7.
MANNHEIM: Toxicator, electronic music party, Maimarkthalle, Dec. 7.
DRESDEN: Stollenfest, Dec. 7.
MUNICH: Krampus Runs, Marienplatz, Dec. 8.
BERLIN: Louis Lewandowski Festival, celebration of synagogue music, Dec. 10-22.
COCHEM: Christmas at Cochem Castle, Dec. 14-15.
TRIPPSTADT: Romantic Forest Market, Haus der Nachhaltigkeit, Dec. 14-15.
FRANKFURT: International Horse Riding Show, Festhalle, Dec. 18-22.
WIESBADEN: Christmas Circus, Festplatz Gibber Kerb, Dec. 19-Jan. 5.
TRIBERG: Christmas Magic, Dec. 25-30.
OBERSTDORF: Four Hills Tournament, ski jumping competition, Dec. 29; also Garmisch-Partenkirchen Jan. 1.
BERLIN: Silvester at Brandenburg Gate, musicians on stage this year include Peter Schiller, Nemo, Sarah Engels and Maite Kelly, Dec. 31.
TRIER: Silvesterlauf, 5 and 8 km runs, Dec. 31.
Hungary
BUDAPEST: Christmas fair and winter festival at Vorosmarty Square, through Dec. 31.
Ireland
WATERFORD: Winterval, Christmas themed events and market, through Dec. 23.
CORK: Corkmas, Christmas themed winter wonderland, Bishop Lucey Park, dates through Dec. 30.
DUBLIN: New Year’s Eve celebrations, Dec. 30-Jan. 1.
Italy
MILAN: L’Artigiano in Fiera, high quality crafts market, Fieramilano, through Dec. 8.
SALERNO: Luci d’Artista, light installations, through late Jan.
TURIN: Torino City Marathon, Dec. 1.
FLORENCE: River to River, Indian film festival, Dec. 5-10.
CERNOBBIO: City of Toys, Dec. 7-Jan. 7.
TOBLACH: Krampus Party, Dec. 7.
COUNTRYWIDE: Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8.
SIRACUSA: Procession of Santa Lucia, Dec. 13.
TURIN: XMas Comics and Games, Lingotto Fiere, Dec. 14-15.
ORVIETO: Umbria Winter Jazz, Dec. 28-Jan. 1.
Luxembourg
CITY: Winterlights, Christmas market and festivities, through Jan. 1.
CITY: Creator’s Market, indoor holiday market, Foundry, Dec. 8.
Malta
VALLETTA: Republic Day, Dec. 13.
Netherlands
VALKENBERG: Christmas Town, through Jan. 5.
AMSTERDAM: Amsterdam Light Festival, through Jan. 19.
AMSTERDAM: Masters of Lxry, lifestyle fair, RAI, Dec. 12-16.
GOUDA: Candle Night, Dec. 13.
DEVENTER: Dickens Festival, Victorian-themed Christmas market, Dec. 14-15.
BIDDINGHUIZEN: Ice sculpture exhibition, Dec. 14-March 2.
THE HAGUE: Christmas Circus, Dec. 21-Jan. 5.
Norway
OSLO: Christmas market, Norsk Folkemuseum, Dec. 1 and 7-8.
Poland
WARSAW: Watch Docs, human rights film festival, Dec. 1-10.
KRAKOW: Christmas cribs competitions, Dec. 5.
POZNAN: Ice Sculpture Festival, Dec. 9-11.
Portugal
LISBON: Sao Silvestre race, 10 km run through city center, Dec. 15.
Scotland
EDINBURGH: Christmas at the Botanics, illuminated trail through the Botanical Gardens, through Dec. 30.
EDINBURGH: Christmas Craft, Art and Design Fair, Assembly Rooms, Dec. 7-8.
EDINBURGH: The Santa Run, runners race in Santa costumes to benefit charity, West Princes Street Gardens, Dec. 8.
GLASGOW: Glasgow’s Santa Dash, participants race in Santa costumes to benefit charity, George Square, Dec. 8.
KIRKWALL: The Ba’, historical street ball game, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
EDINBURGH: Hogmanay, New Year celebrations include torchlit procession Dec. 30, street party, concert in the gardens and ceilidh Dec. 31; Loony Dook swim in the River Forth, Jan. 1.
STONEHAVEN: Fireball Festival, Hogmanay celebrations, Dec. 31.
Slovenia
POSTOJNA: Living Nativity Scenes inside cave, Dec. 25-30.
Spain
VALENCIA: Feria del Automovil, auto show, fairgrounds, Dec. 5-8.
SEVILLE: Festivity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8.
MALAGA: Malaga Marathon, Dec. 15.
MADRID: San Silvestre Vallecana, 10 km race with thousands of participants, Dec. 31.
MADRID: New Year’s Eve at the Puerta del Sol, Dec. 31.
Sweden
GOTHENBURG: Christmas at Liseberg, various dates through Jan. 5.
COUNTRYWIDE: Santa Lucia, candlelit processions, Dec. 13.
STOCKHOLM: Hundmassa, dog show, fairgrounds, Dec. 14-15.
Switzerland
SOLOTHURN: Kunst Supermarkt, art fair, through Jan. 12.
VEYTAUX: Christmas at the Chateau, Dec. 1, 7-8 and 14-15.
AROSA: Humor Festival, comedians on stage, Dec. 4-15.
FRIBOURG: La Saint-Nicolas, celebrations honor city’s patron saint, Dec. 6-8; parade takes place Dec. 7.
DAVOS: Songbird Festival, singer and songwriter festival, Dec. 6-21.
ZURICH: Samichlaus-Schwimmen, swimmers in Santa outfits jump into the lake, Dec. 8.
LENZERHEIDE: Magic Forest, shows, culinary specialties and illuminations, Dec. 12-30.
GENEVA: Escalade, commemorates attack on city ramparts in 1602, Dec. 13-15.
ZURICH: Lichterschwimmen, floating candles on the Limmat River, Dec. 19.
Wales
HAY-ON-WYE: Hay Festival Winter Weekend, through Dec. 1.
CARDIFF: Christmas Light Trail at Bute Park, through Dec. 31.
CARDIFF: Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland, through Jan. 5.
CONWY: Winterfest, includes torchlit parade, Dec. 7.
TENBY: Boxing Day Swim, Dec. 26.
