Ten of the best upcoming events: What next in culture and festivals

COACHELLA MUSIC FESTIVAL, CALIFORNIA, US

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is an annual event held over two consecutive three-day weekends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The festival features a variety of popular music genres, playing continuously across a number of live stages. Scheduled for April next year, it's also known for its art installations and sculptures and both emerging talents and reunited bands from the past. splash.coachella.com/

COMMONWEALTH GAMES, GOLD COAST

Put this in your diary. It's just up the road and how often do we go into a major sporting event where Australia is among the favourites in most events? The Commonwealth Games will be held on the Gold Coast on April 4-April 15. It's a contest featuring the best athletes in the world (apart from those from the US, China, Russia, Europe and other countries that were never colonies of Britain). gc2018.com/

GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL, ENGLAND

Next year sees the 100th anniversary of the death of French composer Claude Debussy, an event marked by the Glyndebourne Festival production from June 30- August 9 of his only completed opera, Pelleas et Melisande. Performed as a concert to rave reviews by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra earlier this year, the opera will be directed by in-demand Norwegian Stefan Herheim. Leading the cast are Austrian soprano Christina Gansch and American baritone John Chest. glyndebourne.com/

FOOTBALL WORLD CUP FINALS, RUSSIA

The round ball game celebrates its quadrennial bragging rights contest in Russia next year. This will be the first World Cup ever held in eastern Europe with all but one of the stadium venues in European Russia. Australia is leaving it late to qualify and you should wait until you find out which group we are in and which of the 11 cities will host our qualifying matches before you book your tickets. The event runs from June 14 to July 15, 2018. fifa.com

CENTENARY OF RAF, MALDON, BRITAIN

April 1 marks the 100th anniversary of the formation of Britain's Royal Air Force and there are events all over the UK throughout the year to mark the occasion. One for real flying buffs will be watching replicas of Great War aircraft take off from Stow Maries Aerodrome, near Maldon outside London. It's Britain's only surviving unadulterated World War I airfield so this will be a trip back in time. raf.mod.uk

INGMAR BERGMAN THEATRE FESTIVAL, SWEDEN

The 100th anniversary of the legendary Swedish film director's birth will be celebrated at the Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival in Stockholm, Sweden, between August 23 and September 2 next year. The festival was established in 2009 to highlight contemporary Swedish and international theatre creativity in the spirit of Bergman. Subsequent editions in 2012 and 2016 have drawn increasing numbers to performances, concerts, discussions, lectures, film screenings and radio plays. dramaten.se

MACKINTOSH FESTIVAL, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

Next year is the 150th anniversary of legendary architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh's birth. This year's annual Mackintosh festival hasn't happened yet (October) so details of next year's events are yet to be released. However, you can bet Glasgow will put on a show to celebrate one of its most creative sons. The Glasgow Art School, badly damaged by fire three years ago, won't be fully restored for another year but that just means there's an excuse for another celebration in 2019. glasgowmackintosh.com/festival.

BYRON BAY BLUES FEST

If you can't make it to California, and with Glastonbury taking a year off, let the music come to you at Byron Bay Blues Fest, which celebrates its 30th anniversary over five days in March-April next year. It's not just blues music, of course. Country, folk, funk, pop, rock and jazz all get a spin, too. As well as established and emerging local artists, last year's line-up included Santana, Jimmy Buffett, the Doobie Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Madness, Billy Bragg, Patti Smith and too many other legends to mention. Hard to believe that they can top that for the 30th birthday – but they will try. bluesfest.com.au/

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE

Our own Hannah Gadsby won the stand-up comic of the year award this year so it's fitting that we feature what is widely regarded as the greatest comedy festival in the world (apart, maybe, from Montreal). The Edinburgh Fringe, which has just celebrated its 70th year, started as an adjunct of the Edinburgh International Festival but has outgrown the mothership in recent years, if only in terms of international awareness. Start honing your stand-up act or writing your challenging one-person play now for August next year. edfringe.com/

ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL

If big outdoor rock festivals are too big and outdoors for you, and comedy festivals are beyond a joke, why not go for cabaret where music and humour come together in a more intimate, not to say comfortable, environment? Next year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival – it's generally held for two weeks in June – with be the 18th annual event and it is growing in reputation and popularity every year. adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au/