Global Social SeasonWhere the world gathers ★
Palais de Tokyo @ Paris, Paris Fashion Week

Season · September–November

Autumn Social Season

September to November: fashion month, the yacht shows, Frieze and Art Basel Paris, the Arc, the autumn auctions and Geneva

Autumn is the season of the cities and the harbors, and it is the busiest quarter of the year by number of fixed events. September opens with the Venice Film Festival, the US Open and the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in the same week, then hands itself to fashion month, which runs New York, London, Milan and Paris in that order over four weeks. The last week of September is the Riviera's second season: the Cannes Yachting Festival, the Monaco Yacht Show and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez in consecutive weeks, with the Régates Royales in Cannes alongside. The Goodwood Revival, the Toronto film festival, Frieze Seoul, the London Design Festival and the UN General Assembly's high-level week all fall in the same month.

October is the art month. Frieze London and Frieze Masters in Regent's Park in the second week, Art Basel Paris in the Grand Palais in the third, the London October auctions between them, PAD London alongside Frieze, and Paris Photo in November. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on the first Sunday of October opens the month; the Audrain Newport Concours and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews fall in the same week. November closes the season with the Breeders' Cup, the Melbourne Cup, the New York and Geneva auctions, the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, the ATP Finals in Turin, the Hospices de Beaune wine auction and the Alba truffle fair. Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris at the end of November is the last fixture before the festive season.

01The destinations

Queensboro Bridge, viewed from Roosevelt Island, New York City United States New York The commercial capital, busiest in May's fairs and September's fashion and UN weeks. Palazzo Ferro Fini in Venice Italy Venice A lagoon city on stilts, its calendar set by the Biennale's six-month run and the tides. Photograph of Monaco Monaco Monaco A sovereign principality, at its busiest for the Grand Prix in June and in September. Aerial photographs of Saint-Tropez France Saint-Tropez A Riviera fishing port turned yacht harbor, busiest from July through early October. Castello Sforzesco, Milan Italy Milan Italy's design and fashion capital, busiest for Salone del Mobile and two fashion weeks. Entrances to Abbesses metro station, Paris France Paris France's capital: two fashion weeks, a Grand Slam in June, an autumn art season. Aerial photograph of Hyde Park, London, courtesy of Luke Massey & the Greater London National Park City Initiative United Kingdom London Capital where Britain's social season runs each summer, and Frieze each October. Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) campus photographed from near junction of Somapah Road and Changi South Singapore Singapore Southeast Asia's financial hub, with its own Grand Prix, art week and yacht show. TVB City, Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong Asia's art and auction capital, at its busiest each March and again each autumn. Symphony Park & The Smith Center, DTLV August 2016, Las Vegas United States Las Vegas A desert resort city, running on trade shows year-round rather than one social season. Panorama of the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the national anthem prior to the AFL Grand Final on 30 September 2017 in Australia Melbourne Australia's sporting capital: a Grand Slam, a Grand Prix and a Cup carnival in one year. Play of colors of the water on the Sardinian beach, Costa Smeralda Italy Costa Smeralda Sardinia's planned yacht coast, built from 1962, busiest from June to September. Le Suquet is the old quarter of Cannes, probably best known to tourists as the climbing, winding cobbled lane lined with France Cannes A festival and trade-fair city on the Croisette, busiest in May, June and September. Seoul National University South Korea Seoul South Korea's capital, host each September to Asia's other major Frieze fair. Toronto, ON Canada Toronto Canada's financial and cultural capital, busiest each September for its film festival.
New York Venice Monaco Saint-Tropez Milan Paris London Singapore Hong Kong Las Vegas Melbourne Costa Smeralda Cannes Seoul Toronto

02How it moves

The autumn moves west to east across September and then settles in Europe. The month begins split between Venice and New York, with Telluride over the Labor Day weekend and Toronto immediately after. New York Fashion Week starts in the second week and the fashion calendar then crosses the Atlantic: London in the third week, Milan straight after, Paris into the first days of October. The Riviera's yachting fortnight runs concurrently with Milan and Paris, so the last week of September has the fashion crowd in Milan, the yachting crowd in Monaco and the diplomatic crowd in New York at the same time. Formula 1 is in Europe until Monza and then in Singapore at the end of the month; Laver Cup and the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup fall in the same weeks in alternate years.

October is concentrated in London and Paris. The Arc at Longchamp on the first Sunday, then Frieze week in London, then Art Basel Paris the week after, with the October auctions in London bridging the two. Homo Faber in Venice, in even years, and the BFI London Film Festival fill the middle of the month; the Fort Lauderdale boat show at the end of October and the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh pull part of the calendar away from Europe again. Formula 1 spends October in the Americas: Austin, Mexico City and, in November, Las Vegas.

November is auctions and awards. New York's fall sales in the second and third weeks, Geneva's watch and jewelry sales and the GPHG ceremony in the same fortnight, the Breeders' Cup on the first weekend and the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday, the Hospices de Beaune on the third Sunday, Dubai Watch Week in odd years, the ATP Finals in Turin and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in the middle of the month. The season ends in Paris with Paris Photo and Le Bal, and the calendar turns toward Miami.

03The events

  1. 1Sep
    Venice LidoVenice International Film Festival · 84th edition Expected
  2. 29Aug
    New YorkUS Open Expected
  3. 10Feb
    New YorkNew York Fashion Week · Autumn/Winter 2027 Expected
  4. 18Feb
    LondonLondon Fashion Week · Autumn/Winter 2027 Expected
  5. 23Feb
    MilanMilan Fashion Week · Autumn/Winter 2027-2028 Confirmed
  6. 1Mar
    ParisParis Fashion Week · Autumn/Winter 2027-2028 Confirmed
  7. 22Sep
    Monte CarloMonaco Yacht Show Expected
  8. 7Sep
    CannesCannes Yachting Festival · 50th edition Expected
  9. 25Sep
    Saint-TropezLes Voiles de Saint-Tropez Expected
  10. 5Sep
    Porto CervoMaxi Yacht Rolex Cup Expected
  11. 1Sep
    GoodwoodGoodwood Revival Date pending
  12. 13Oct
    LondonFrieze London Expected
  13. 13Oct
    LondonFrieze Masters Expected
  14. 23Oct
    ParisArt Basel Paris Confirmed
  15. 2Oct
    ParisQatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Expected
  16. 1Oct
    SingaporeSingapore Grand Prix Date pending
  17. 16Sep
    Hong KongHong Kong Autumn Auctions Expected
  18. 9Nov
    New YorkNew York Fall Marquee Auctions Confirmed
  19. 31Oct
    MelbourneMelbourne Cup Carnival Confirmed
  20. 19Nov
    Las VegasLas Vegas Grand Prix Confirmed
  21. 3Sep
    MonzaItalian Grand Prix Expected
  22. 28Oct
    Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale International Boat Show Confirmed
  23. 12Nov
    ParisParis Photo · 29th edition Confirmed
  24. 12Oct
    LondonPAD London Expected
  25. 9Sep
    TorontoToronto International Film Festival · 52nd edition Expected
  26. 1Sep
    SeoulFrieze Seoul Expected
  27. 1Sep
    GenevaGeneva Watch Days Expected
  28. 23Sep
    New YorkThe Armory Show Expected
  29. 1Sep
    Blenheim PalaceSalon Privé Expected
  30. 30Sep
    NewportAudrain Newport Concours & Motor Week Expected
  31. 11Sep
    LondonLondon Design Festival · 25th edition Expected
  32. 1Sep
    VeniceHomo Faber · fifth edition Expected
  33. 29Aug
    BridgehamptonHampton Classic Horse Show Confirmed
  34. 30Oct
    Breeders' Cup World Championships · 43rd World Championships Confirmed
  35. 2Nov
    New YorkCFDA Fashion Awards Confirmed
  36. 7Nov
    GenevaGrand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève · 26th GPHG Confirmed
  37. 18Nov
    Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi Art · 17th and final edition under the Abu Dhabi Art name Expected
  38. 21Sep
    New YorkUN General Assembly High-Level Week · 82nd session high-level week Expected
  39. 24Sep
    rotatingLaver Cup · Los Angeles Confirmed
  40. 6Nov
    GenevaGeneva Watch and Jewelry Auction Weeks · Autumn (November) auction week Expected
  41. 6Nov
    Sao PauloSao Paulo Grand Prix Confirmed
  42. 9Nov
    LisbonWeb Summit Confirmed
  43. 1Sep
    MadridSpanish Grand Prix Date pending
  44. 1Oct
    TriesteBarcolana · Barcolana 59 Expected
  45. 28Nov
    ParisLe Bal des Debutantes Confirmed
  46. 24Sep
    rotatingPresidents Cup · Medinah (next edition) Confirmed
  47. 20Nov
    LucerneLucerne Festival · Forward Confirmed
  48. 19Oct
    Las VegasNBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition Confirmed
  49. 9May
    VeniceVenice Biennale · 61st International Art Exhibition Confirmed
  50. 7Nov
    Los AngelesLACMA Art+Film Gala · 15th annual Confirmed
  51. 30Sep
    St AndrewsAlfred Dunhill Links Championship Expected
  52. 15Nov
    DubaiDubai Airshow · next edition Confirmed
  53. 12Nov
    DubaiDP World Tour Championship, Dubai Confirmed
  54. 6Oct
    LondonBFI London Film Festival · 71st edition Expected
  55. 18Sep
    CannesRégates Royales de Cannes Expected
  56. 10Jul
    rotatingAmerica's Cup · Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup Match Confirmed
  57. 16Sep
    NewportNewport International Boat Show Expected
  58. 30Oct
    Mexico CityMexico City Grand Prix Confirmed
  59. 27Nov
    LusailQatar Grand Prix Confirmed
  60. 21Sep
    New YorkMetropolitan Opera Opening Night · 2027-28 season opening Expected
  61. 23Oct
    AustinUnited States Grand Prix Confirmed
  62. 15Nov
    TurinNitto ATP Finals Confirmed
  63. 9Nov
    GustaviaSaint-Barth Gourmet Festival · 13th edition Confirmed
  64. 14Jan
    ParisMaison&Objet Paris · January edition Confirmed
  65. 26Oct
    RiyadhFuture Investment Initiative · FII10 Confirmed
  66. 13Oct
    LondonLondon October Auction Week Expected
  67. 3Sep
    TellurideTelluride Film Festival · 54th edition Expected
  68. 10Oct
    AlbaAlba International White Truffle Fair · 96th edition Confirmed
  69. 8May
    VeniceVenice Architecture Biennale · 20th International Architecture Exhibition Confirmed
  70. 3Nov
    The World's 50 Best Restaurants · Lima Confirmed
  71. 2Jul
    Saratoga SpringsSaratoga Summer Meet · 2026 summer meet Expected
  72. 13Sep
    Porto CervoRolex Swan Cup Confirmed
  73. 17Sep
    rotatingRyder Cup · Adare Manor (next edition) Confirmed
  74. 14Nov
    BeauneHospices de Beaune Wine Auction · 166th sale Confirmed
  75. 17Nov
    DubaiDubai Watch Week · 8th edition Expected
  76. 30Nov
    LondonThe Fashion Awards Confirmed

04Weather

September on the Riviera is the best month of its year: warm sea, thinner crowds, the first cooler evenings, and the risk of the autumn storms that have interrupted the Monaco Yacht Show more than once. Venice at the start of the month is still hot; by October it is cool and can flood. New York in September is warm and humid and then, by fashion week's end, turning. London in October is mild and wet; Paris the same. Longchamp on Arc day has been run on heavy ground in wet years and on fast ground in dry ones. Melbourne in early November is spring, changeable and sometimes hot; Dubai in November is at the start of its comfortable season; Geneva and Turin in November are cold and grey, which is why their season is indoors.

05Where next

The festive season begins in Miami in the first week of December with Art Basel Miami Beach and Design Miami, with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix closing the Formula 1 year the same weekend and La Scala opening on December 7. The yachts that were in Monaco and Saint-Tropez in September cross to the Caribbean in November for the Antigua Charter Yacht Show in early December and the St. Barts season that follows. The ski season opens in the Alps and in Aspen in the same weeks.