Rio de Janeiro

The biggest sporting event of the summer takes place in Brazil—the 2016 Olympic Games—with the top athletes from more than 200 countries vying for gold. rio2016.com

edinburgh

august 5–29 The Edinburgh international and fringe festivals run in sync this month jointly hosting more than 3,000 shows in a programme that includes theatre, comedy, dance and music. edfringe.com

Lucerne

august 12–september 11 Classical music stars perform 100-plus concerts over a month at the Lucerne Festival. This year’s theme, “Primadonna,” turns the spotlight on female artists. lucernefestival.ch

new York

august 29–september 11 The world’s top tennis players go head to head to challenge for the singles crowns of Novak Djokovic and Flavia Pennetta at the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year. usopen.org