Wherever you’re heading in the world, there’s likely a traditional festival to attend if you’re there at the right time. Here are 10 festivals around the world and the details of where they happen.
Chinese New Year
Chinese lunar new year – the first day falls between January 21 and February 20
The Chinese New Year festival is celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar and is also known as the Spring Festival. Celebrations run from Chinese New Year’s Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the 15th day of the first month when the Lantern Festival takes place. The celebrations include dragons, fireworks, lanterns and flowers.
Around the March Full Moon
India and Nepal
Holi, the Festival of Colours, is a Spring festival which starts with a Holika bonfire on the night before the full moon. The following day people throw dry powder and coloured water at each other and everyone is fair game.
Saint Patricks Day
The 17th of March, when Saint Patricks day is celebrated is the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
In Ireland celebrations include parades and festivals as well as dressing in green. Christians also attend church services and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day, which has resulted in the holiday’s tradition of alcohol consumption (which has been carried to celebrations around the world).
The Rio de Janeiro Carnival
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
5 days of celebrations at the beginning of lent (40 days prior to Easter)
The Carnival officially starts on Friday and finishes ends on the day before Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent. The famous and very colourful Winners’ Parade actually happens on the Saturday after the carnival ends.
San Fermin Festival
The most famous event during the annual San Fermin Festival is The Encierro, or the Running of the Bulls, where the bulls are lead through a stretch of the street to the bull ring by runners at 8am from 7 -14 July.
The week-long celebration involves many other traditions and events – you may also find yourself covered in doused with sangria, flour and eggs and the streets are filled with music and dancing. Over a million people come to participate each year.
Black Rock City, Nevada, USA
Last Monday in August until the first Monday in September
Burning Man is about self-reliance and community. You are expected to bring everything (food, water, clothes, somewhere to sleep, a bike and something to gift) you will need for that week and you won’t spend money once you’re there and will take your trash with you when you leave.
It takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy, which is set alight on Saturday evening and while it really doesn’t sound like my thing, over 60,000 people attend each year and I’m told you have to do so in order to understand.
Bunol (near Valencia), Spain
Last Wednesday of August
La Tomatina is a food fight festival where 20,000 people (they started ticketing in recent years) fight in the ‘World’s Biggest Food Fight’ where more than one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets.
16 days from late September until the first weekend of October
Attendees hang out in massive beer tents dressed in Barvarian costume and there are amusement rides and traditional foods. It’s certainly on my bucket list.
Dia de los muertos (Day of the Dead)
October 31st – November 2nd
Celebrated throughout Mexico but particularly in the Central and South regions, and acknowledged around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.
Full Moon Party
Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand
The night of every full moon
Massive crowds (mostly tourists) dress in fluro and attend an all night beach party known for the music, fire skipping ropes and alcohol buckets on an island in Thailand. Definitely another one for my bucket list.
Which of these are on your bucket list?