A Guide to the Major Fashion and Entertainment Award Events
From the Golden Globes to the Met Gala and TIFF: what each major award show and red carpet event is, who runs it and when it usually happens.
The year’s biggest red carpets follow a predictable calendar. Film and TV awards cluster from January to March, fashion’s biggest night arrives in May, and the fall brings festival season and the Emmys. Here is what each major event is, who organizes it and when it usually takes place, so you know what you are watching when the looks start trending.
The calendar at a glance
| Event | What it honors | Usual timing |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | Film and television | Early January |
| Grammy Awards | Recorded music | Early February |
| Academy Awards (Oscars) | Film | Late February or March |
| Juno Awards | Canadian music | Spring |
| Met Gala | Fashion fundraiser | First Monday in May |
| Cannes Film Festival | International cinema | May |
| Toronto International Film Festival | Film festival | September |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Television | Usually September |
Exact dates change every year, and ceremonies are sometimes moved, so check the organizer’s announcement for the current year.
Golden Globes
The Golden Globes honor both film and television and open the season in early January in Beverly Hills. The original organizer, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, disbanded in 2023, and the awards are now run by a private company with a new voting body. The show is known for a looser, dinner-party atmosphere.
Grammy Awards
Presented by the Recording Academy, the Grammys recognize achievement in recorded music, usually in early February in Los Angeles. Red carpet looks here tend to be bolder than at film awards, since musicians often treat fashion as part of their stage persona.
Academy Awards (Oscars)
The Oscars, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are the film industry’s most prominent awards. The ceremony is traditionally held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Its red carpet is one of the most photographed of the year and often defines formalwear trends for the season.
Met Gala
The Met Gala is a fundraising benefit for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, held on the first Monday in May. Each year has a theme tied to the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition and a dress code that guests interpret, sometimes very literally. It is a fashion event rather than an award show, and it is often called fashion’s biggest night.
Cannes Film Festival
Held each May on the French Riviera, Cannes is one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals; its top prize is the Palme d’Or. Evening screenings come with formal dress codes, which makes its red carpets a showcase for couture.
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
TIFF takes place in Toronto each September and is one of the largest public film festivals in the world. Its People’s Choice Award, voted by audiences, is watched closely as an early signal for awards season.
Primetime Emmy Awards
The Television Academy’s Primetime Emmys honor television programming and are usually held in Los Angeles in September, though the date has moved in some years.
Canada’s own awards
Canadian readers can also follow the Juno Awards for music and the Canadian Screen Awards for film, television and digital media, both held in the spring.
How red carpet looks reach your closet
A look seen at these events can influence what stores sell months later, especially colors, silhouettes and hairstyles. Follow our Awards & Events coverage and fashion trends to see which ideas translate to everyday style, and use our capsule wardrobe guide to adopt trends without overbuying.
