Photography by (clockwise from top left) Trent Strohm, Jane Henriques, Christina Gordon, and Branca Nitzsche

GLOBAL GOODNESS: (Clockwise from top left) An enormous, illuminated, ice sculpture at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China; Fandango by Jane Henriques from Impress in England; a customized cutie from the Blythe Beauty Contest in Tokyo; cupcake cars lined up at Maker Faire in California.

JUNE

Blythe Beauty Contest, Tokyo Revamped and restyled, doe-eyed dolls compete in categories like “Natural Beauty” and “Special Beauty” before a panel of live judges. The owners of the crowned winners have their original designs remade into actual Blythe dolls and dress sets. craftzine.com/go/blythecontest

JULY

Sand Sculpture Festival, Belgium Artists sculpt stunningly realistic architectural works, automobiles, and personal images from frame-supported sand heaps. Past works have included a five-story, walk-through castle, complete with a climbable corner tower, hand-formed by 60 artists with 20,000 tons of sand. zandsculptuur.com

Oerol Festival, Netherlands

Terschelling Island becomes a ten-day stage for transforming boathouses, army bunkers, and streets into makeshift visual and performing art venues. Last year, visitors were treated to the vision of 250 steel silhouettes slowly migrating across a beach. oerol.nl

The Crucible Fire Arts Festival, Oakland, Calif. An annual open-air exhibit of more than 50 fiery installations, such as the 40-foot, modular Steampunk Treehouse in 2008. Expect to feel the flames! thecrucible.org/fireartsfestival