British Film Festival: for ten days in the middle of the month the Tel Aviv Cinematheque shows a wide variety of British films which were released in the previous year.

Israel Marathon: each year the Israel Marathon attracts Israeli and foreign athletes to the beautiful area of Tiberius. The 12km route follows a lovely track which offers stunning views of the Sea of Galilee and its surrounding mountains.

Jazz and Blues Festival: for four days in the middle of the month the Tel Aviv Cinematheque puts on a vibrant schedule of local and international musicians. Besides the music, there are lots of other sideshows and good food to keep you entertained.

Irish Festival: once again, the popular Tel Aviv Cinematheque hosts another cultural event at the beginning of the month. This time the theme is Irish folk music. The four day festival features lots of traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance and beer.

Fashion Designers Bazaar: at the beginning of every February, Tel Aviv’s top clothing designers hold an end of the season fair where they sell their clothes at discounted prices. It’s always a crowded and colourful affair, with music and other entertainment to supplement the vast amount of shopping.

Holon’s Woman Festival: each year, in conjunction with International Women’s Day, this small city just outside of Tel Aviv hosts a four day festival to celebrate the art of women. All kinds of art media (film, music, visual art, literature) which relate to feminism and womanhood are presented and discussed. The event is held at the highly respected Holon Theatre in early March.

Purim: this is Israel’s equivalent of Halloween for people of all ages. Adults and children alike put on outrageous costumes and party in their own respective ways. For the adults, this means the Jewish tradition of drinking until you don’t know where you are. The parties often go on for 3 days or more right in the middle of the month.

Days of Flamenco: this three day event at the end of the month celebrates the famous Spanish dance, flamenco. During the festival, a number of dancing events take place at the Suzanne Dellal Centre.

Passover: this is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar, and one of the longest. It is a holiday celebrating liberty. In particular, the time when the Jews fled Egypt and made their way through the dessert to the land of Israel. Since this is a family oriented holiday, almost every shop in the country will be closed on the first day of Passover, though some restaurants remain open for the tourists. During the 7 days of Passover in the middle of the month, you are not supposed to eat bread. Only matzo is allowed, in memory of the flight of the Jews. This is a great time to visit, as spirits are high and festivities abound.

Mimoona: this traditional North African holiday falls at the very end of Passover and focuses on the art of hospitality. The locals make vast amounts of delicious Moroccan food on the night of Mimoona and leave their doors open in invitation to any stranger who wishes to join the celebration. The next day sees a traditional outdoor barbeque, and again, the food is offered freely to anyone passing by.

Teatroneto Theatre Festival: monologues are the focus of this unique theatre festival. Considered the rawest form of theatre, some of the finest actors in Israel have performed monologues at this event. This four day production takes place at the Suzanne Dellal Centre in early April.

Independence Day: as in every country, this is a day full of food, drink, celebration and fireworks. On May 3rd, hundreds of kids run amok with plastic hammers, which are symbols of their patriotism. Party people will find lots of special events at the city’s nightclubs on the eve of the 2nd. On the day itself, every person in the country settles down outside and cooks a barbeque, or Al-haesh, as it’s called in Hebrew.

The Israel Festival: a wide selection of global art performances are brought to Israel throughout the month and shown in a number of locations. In Tel Aviv, the Suzanne Dellal Centre hosts the culturally fascinating events.

Taem Hair: Tel Aviv’s grand food festival takes place at the end of the month in the Hayarkon Park over a period of four days. Many of the best restaurants in the city set up booths and sell small, yet cheap, portions of delicious specialties. You can wander from booth to booth and try an amazing variety of regional food. This event is extremely popular with Israelis and is often quite crowded.

French Film Festival: the Tel Aviv Cinematheque puts on this week long film festival dedicated to the latest and greatest pieces of cinematic art to come out of France.

Shavuot: the charming Jewish holiday which celebrates harvest time falls at the beginning of the month. It focuses on nature and it’s customary to wear white clothing and eat lots of fruit and cheese. Children can often be seen wearing little wreathes of flowers on their heads as they trot off to school.

The Gay Parade: is the chance for Tel Aviv’s gay community to come out and support their community. The parade is always guaranteed to be a fun and colourful event and is one of the largest processions of the year.

The Humus Festival: every year one the country’s leading humus manufacturers puts on this massive event celebrating Israel’s national dish. Humus shops from all over the city congregate in Hayarkon Park to feed the hungry locals. The atmosphere is decidedly Arabic, and features belly dancing, musical performances by famous Arabic groups and other exotic activities.

Jerusalem Film Festival: probably the most important film event in Israel, this international film festival screens new films from all over the world. Competitions are held for local film producers, accompanied by a series of lectures by renowned figures of the cinematic world. It’s well worth the trip to the capital to check out some of the newest innovative films about to be released.

The Beer Festival: takes place in the beautiful Charles Clore Park for two solid days of imbibing and listening to live music. Breweries from around the Israel and neighboring countries show off their best brews for all to enjoy.

Beach Cinema: for one week in the middle of August, Banana Beach puts on nightly screenings of popular films outdoors in the sand. It’s a great way to beat the mid-summer heat with a cold beverage and cool sea breezes.

Red Sea Jazz Festival: for four days at the end of the month, the small town of Eilat comes alive with the sounds of some of the best jazz musicians in the world. Besides the scheduled shows, the festival is famous for its impromptu jam sessions which spring to life in hotel lobbies, small bars and other unexpected places. This festival is one of the best of its kind.

Rosh Hashanah: the Jewish new year is very much a family holiday. For three days at the end of the month, the city comes alive as everyone stops what they usually do to eat, drink and be festive. Many Jewish tourists return to Tel Aviv during this holiday to reconnect with their roots. It’s another great time of the year to be in Tel Aviv, as the atmosphere is warm and welcoming.

Yom Kippur: on the 2nd of October is the most important religious day of the year for Jews. It is a day of fasting and to ask for forgiveness. There is a special reverent atmosphere around the city as people wear white and ponder over their deeds of the past year. The hotels will still serve food, but literally everything else in the city shuts down on this day. In Tel Aviv, it’s a great day to ride a bike around the deserted city and enjoy the beach.

Sukkoth: this important holiday is another harvest festival which has been celebrated since biblical times. During this 7 day holiday, it is tradition to build a tent made from palm leaves and white sheets. Children decorate the interior with colourful paper art and the whole family is supposed to eat and sleep in the Sukka throughout the week. Sukkoth is one of the most eventful holidays, with dozens of festivals and interesting cultural events taking place all over the city.

Haifa Film Festival: part of the Sukkoth holiday, this film festival shows over 150 films of all genres and topics during the 8 days that it runs. It doesn’t skirt controversy and often shows provocative and intelligent art films. An array of other entertainment performances add to the festivities.

The Acco Film Festival: another film festival which takes place during Sukkoth, this event focuses on alternative theatre and brings many provocative and experimental shows to the stage. It all happens in Old Acco, and the array of interesting young artists will surely amaze you. There are also a number of street performances which give the festival a truly circus-like atmosphere.

The Love Parade: is an enormous event that brings over 200,000 people to Tel Aviv each year. The message is simple: love; and it’s a message which this part of the world sorely needs more of. The parade begins at the beachside promenade and slowly crawls its way to Charles Clore Park, where it turns into one big party. All of the best nightclubs in the city have stages in the park and put on some excellent music. It’s definitely a good time for all.

DanceEuropa: the Suzanna Dellal Centre invites individuals and dance groups from all corners of Europe to participate in a month of dancing. It’s one of the most prestigious festivals of its kind and attracts some very talented performers. There are also workshops for dancers.

Hanukkah: this Jewish holiday serves a similar function as Christmas does for Christians. A favorite of children, Hanukkah is actually the celebration of a miracle. When the Israelis recaptured the Temple from the Greeks, they had only one small vessel of oil left to light the temple. Yet somehow this tiny amount lasted for 8 days until more oil could be made. Thus, the holiday’s main focus is on light and oil and the return of power to the Israeli people.

Sylvester Eve: celebrated on the same day as new year’s eve in most other countries, this night is one big party with fireworks and lots of drinking.