Our Luxury Calendar provides a comprehensive overview of the top events unfolding around the world every month. Some are micro-luxuries (like a really good book) and others are on a grand, epic scale. Personally, if schedules and money were no object, and we could do anything we’d like, here are our top picks for the best luxury events and experiences in the world in August 2023. Consider it your luxury calendar of the can’t-miss events in fashion, art, music, sports, travel and culinary arts in this month of August.
luxury calendar: how to have a brilliant august
What to do in August 2023? Well, dear reader, August is shaping up to be stellar. For three nights across France, les nuits des étoiles will encourage contemplation of the night sky. There’s terrestrial as well as celestial fun on the docket: Copenhagen Fashion Week, the 76th Maine Lobster Festival and sunflowers; vacations, action packed thrillers like Heart of Stone hitting the big screen, juicy beach reads and blue cocktails. There’s even the Fifa Women’s World Cup!
From Jazz On The Vineyard and Edinburgh International Festival to classic cars in Pebble Beach, the U.S. Open and the newly renovated Raffles London at the OWO– there’s potential joy all around.
It’s also the last full month of summer – if you haven’t already, it’s high time to find your summer love.
This is a big month for us – we’re celebrating our seventh birthday here at Dandelion Chandelier on August 1st. One year older, one year wiser. We can’t wait to make a wish.
the best events in the world of luxury in august
It’s hard to narrow the list down to just the top 25 picks in the world of luxury in August 2023, but here goes.
we want to see
1. basquiat x warhol. painting 4 hands
This month is your last chance to catch two of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michael Basquiat on display together at Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris. During 1984 and 1985, they worked on a series of 160 paintings together. Basquait x Warhol. Painting 4 Hands is dedicated to that partnership – through Aug 28
2. edinburgh international festival
The 76th Edinburgh International Festival presents dance, opera, music and theater performances. This year’s festival will explore three key themes: community over chaos, hope in the face of adversity and a perspective that is not one’s own – Aug 4 – 27
3. copenhagen fashion week
Copenhagen Fashion Week will see a number of top Nordic brands showing their Spring Summer 2024 collections. They include Saks Potts, Stine Goya, Stand, Holzweiler and By Malene Birger – Aug 7 – 11
The luxury calendar is our insider’s guide on what to do, top 25 luxury events in the world in August 2023 in fashion, food, culture and art.
4. pay the writer
Marcia Cross, Bryan Batt and Ron Canada will star in the premiere of the play Pay the Writer, with the first performance set as a benefit for the Writers Guild. The comedy-drama follows a well-known literary agent Bruston Fischer (Batt) and his complicated relationship with his best friend, Cyrus Holt (Canada) who is also his most successful client, as well as Holt’s ex-wife Lana, played by Cross. Previews Aug 13, Opens, Aug 21
5. la traviata
The New York City Opera will perform The Barber of Seville in Bryant Park as part of the ongoing summer Bryant Park Picnic Performance Series – Aug 18
we want to read
6. diana: the life and legacy of the people’s princess
More than 25 years after her death, Princess Diana remains admired for her grace, compassion and beauty. Brian Hoey’s Diana: The Life and Legacy of the People’s Princess ($18) commemorates this and may even help you find some inspiration for your fall wardrobe – Aug 1
we want to watch
7. blackstar film festival
The Philadelphia-based BlackStar Film Festival has been showcasing the work of black, brown, and Indigenous artists for a decade and features more than 75 films online and in person – Aug 2 – 6
8. shortcomings
Shortcomings tells the story of a couple working in the film industry in northern California. When one half, Miko (Ally Maki), moves to New York for an internship, the other, Ben (Justin Min), hangs back with his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola) and tries to figure out what he really wants out of life – Aug 4
The luxury calendar is our insider’s guide on what to do, top 25 luxury events in the world in August 2023 in fashion, food, culture and art.
9. problemista
Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, and Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA star in Torres’ directorial debut Problemista. It follows an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador (Torres) on an expiring work visa facing obstacles as he tries to bring his ideas to life – Aug 4
10. heart of stone
In Heart of Stone on Netflix Gal Gadot plays Rachel Stone, a CIA operative standing between “an ultra-mysterious, powerful, global, peace-keeping organization, the Charter, and the loss of its most valuable—and dangerous—asset, the Heart” – Aug 11
11. venice film festival
The oldest film festival in the world, The Venice Film Festival, returns for its 80th year. The SAG-AFTRA strike has shifted the premiere schedule around a bit but will see J.A. Bayona’s ‘Society of the Snow’ concluding the event – Aug 30 – Sept 9
we want to hear
12. bbc proms
BBC Proms is back at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Highlights of this year’s summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts include debut of French pianist Alexandre Kantorow (Aug 15) and the return of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Aug 25) – through Sept 9
13. monte-carlo summer festival
One of the most glamorous music festivals of August, the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival, continues. This month there are performances by Mika (Aug 4), Nile Rodger (Aug 12) and Tarkan (Aug 19) – through Aug 22
14. outside lands
At the Outside Lands music festival, Northern California’s version of Coachella, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco transforms into a celebration of music, food, wine, beer, art and comedy. Headliners include Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters and Odesza – Aug 11 – 13
The luxury calendar is our insider’s guide on what to do, top 25 luxury events in the world in August 2023 in fashion, food, culture and art.
15. jazz on the vineyard
Jazz On The Vineyard celebrates its 12th year and will feature Somi leading the festival – Aug 13
we want to check out
16. fifa women’s world cup
All eyes are on New Zealand and Australia as the greatest female soccer stars around the globe gather for the Fifa Women’s World Cup. The U.S., England and Spain are among the favorites to win – through Aug 20
The luxury calendar is our insider’s guide on what to do, top 25 luxury events in the world in August 2023 in fashion, food, culture and art.
17. premier league
The Premier League, England’s primary football competition, starts its season with Burnley facing off against Manchester City – Aug 11
18. nantucket race week
Nantucket Race Week is nine days of regattas, awards ceremonies and parties hosted by Nantucket Yacht Club and Great Harbor Yacht Club to benefit Nantucket Community Sailing. Highlight of the week includes the Opera House Cup – Aug 16 – 20
19. pebble beach concours d’elegance
Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula in California is the center of the motoring universe with the arrival of Pebble Beach Automotive Week, culminating with the 72nd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It’s not a contest of speed, but of elegance. Automobiles are judged for their style and technical merit, as well as their history, their originality and the accuracy of their preservation or restoration – Aug 20
20. ncaa college football
NCAA College Football is back with Nebraska playing Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, among other scheduled matchups – Aug 26
21. the us open
In what is unquestionably the best event in tennis in August, the last Major of the year takes place in Flushing Meadows, Queens at The U.S. Open – Aug 28 – Sept 10
we want to check into
22. raffles london at the owo
One summer’s most anticipated hotel openings is the Raffles London at the OWO. Located at the Old War Office, where Winston Churchill had an office and Ian Fleming found inspiration for the James Bond series, the landmarked building has been restored to its original glory, with interiors by Theirry Despont. In addition to 120 rooms and suites and 85 residences, it’s home to London’s first Guerlain Spa and nine restaurants
The luxury calendar is our insider’s guide on what to do, top 25 luxury events in the world in August 2023 in fashion, food, culture and art.
23. cap karoso
Situated in the surfing honeypot of Sumba, Indonesia, Cap Karoso is the first property from Fabrice and Eve Ivara. The eco-friendly retreat features a beach club, open-air cinema, spa and restaurant set across the land, with produce sourced from an organic on-site farm
we want a taste of
24. maine lobster festival
What do you get when you mix 20,000 pounds of lobster, a sea goddess coronation, top notch entertainment, an international crate race, fine art, cooking contests and more? The Maine Lobster Festival. This year marks the 76th year of this annual Rockland tradition – Aug 2 – 6
25. big feastival
The Big Feastival in the Cotswolds is both a music and food festival where you can enjoy incredible music and tickle your tastebuds – Aug 25 – 27
The luxury calendar is our insider’s guide on what to do, top 25 luxury events in the world in August 2023 in fashion, food, culture and art.
what else is going on?
patriotic events
August 1 is Swiss National Day, which commemorates the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Expect fireworks, speeches, and special bread rolls with a small Swiss flag on top. August 9 is National Day in Singapore, commemorating independence from Malaysia in 1965; there’ll be parades, dances and a spectacular fireworks show over Marina Bay in the evening.
stellar events
Stargazers of the world will be out in force this month. For three nights, August 11 – 13, les nuits des étoiles, (“night of stars”) will be held all over France; over 300 events will invite both amateurs and certified astronomers to contemplate the planet Mars, “the little sister of the Earth.”
fiery nights
In one of the best luxury events this August, the summer night will be alight. On August 15 – 16th in Nyoigatake, near Kyoto, at the Kyoto Gozan Okuribi (Daimonji Bonfires), five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city at dusk. They burn for about half an hour as a form of prayer and seeing off the souls of the departed for the Okuribi people.
Despite it being the high season for summer vacations, there are a few elite gatherings that le beau monde will be stopping in this month. Luxurious rebellion unfolds at Burning Man in Nevada – Aug 27 – Sept 4. – Attendees build a temporary metropolis, Black Rock City, before sending it all up in flames. This year’s theme is “Animalia.”
The luxury calendar is our insider’s guide on what to do, top 25 luxury events in the world in August 2023 in fashion, food, culture and art.
days to honor . . . all kinds of things
In addition to all of that, August 1st is National Girlfriends Day. National Girlfriends Day is the day on which we are to take the time to show our baes, BFFs and besties how much we love them. Besides that, August 25th is National Kiss and Make Up Day (a potential do-over for those who blew it on the 1st).
August 26th is Women’s Equality Day. This is the day women achieved the right to vote in the US in 1920. It is also the chance to celebrate women leaders in every field of endeavor. August 26th is also National Dog Day and is the day “for people to recognize the importance of dogs and how they impact their lives on a daily basis.” Maybe a luxury doggie gift is in order?
It’s literally the dog days of summer, people – stay chill.
what to do to have true luxury experiences in august 2023
That’s it. Our luxury calendar of the best luxury events and true luxury experiences in August 2023. What are you most excited about?
