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Discover the unique and diverse cultural festivals around the world that celebrate the beliefs and traditions of different regions. From the sacred Black-necked Crane Festival in Bhutan to the colorful Holi Festival in India, learn about the history, rituals, and attractions of these celebrations.
- Sundance Film Festival. Where: Park City, Utah—USA. When: January 19-29, 2023. Founded in 1978, the most prestigious independent film festival in the world is all about breaking the mold.
- Harbin International Ice Festival. Where: Northeast China. When: January 5-End of February. The arctic climate of Harbin is known for intensely cold winters, with daily temps averaging around 2°F, the perfect conditions for one of the world’s grandest winter festivals.
- Timket Festival. Where: Ethiopia. When: January 19th. Ethiopia is an ancient nation with one of the oldest Christian populations in the world. The annual festival of Timket (Timkat) has been celebrated since the 4th century and commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.
- Carnivale di Venezia. Where: Venice, Italy. When: Two weeks before Ash Wednesday. Since 1162, Venice has celebrated its victory over Aquileia with a masquerade to top them all!
- Lara Picone
- Gion Matsuri – Kyoto, Japan – July. Widely considered to be the summer festival in Japan, Gion Matsuri is more than 1000 years old. It all started as a means to appease the gods who wrought chaos by way of fire, floods and earthquakes, but these days, it’s a little more light-hearted and certainly a huge tourist magnet.
- Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras – Sydney, Australia – March. A true celebration of love in all its forms, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has been showering Sydney with a glittering rainbow every March since 1978.
- Songkran – Thailand – April. A water fight on a national scale, Songkran in Thailand is the celebration of the Buddhist New Year. Initially, water played a part in this auspicious day by being poured over statues of Buddha, but these days, the drenching isn’t just reserved for deities and its purpose of purification is applied to everyone who doesn’t take shelter.
- Saint Patrick’s Festival – Dublin, Ireland – March. Sure, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated anywhere in the world where there is an Irish diaspora (or even just an Irish pub), but if you’re going to get involved, there’s no better place than Dublin.
- Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Brazil: A Symphony of Samba and Spectacle. In the heart of Brazil, the Rio de Janeiro Carnival stands as a testament to the country’s vivacious spirit.
- Diwali, India: The Festival of Lights. In India, the festival of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, illuminates cities and towns with a radiant glow.
- Oktoberfest, Germany: A Toast to Bavarian Tradition. Oktoberfest transforms Munich, Germany, into a jubilant sea of lederhosen, dirndls, and frothy beer steins.
- Loy Krathong, Thailand: Floating Lanterns and Waterways of Tranquility. Thailand’s Loy Krathong, the Festival of Lights, is a mesmerizing spectacle on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month.
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- January: Tweede Nuwe Jaar, Cape Town, South Africa. As the world recovers from its collective New Year hangover, Cape Town bursts into action with music, dancing and parades as it celebrates Tweede Nuwe Jaar.
- February to March: Adelaide Fringe, South Australia, Australia. Adelaide Fringe takes place at the tail end of the Aussie summer and provides a 31-day extravaganza of cabaret, comedy, circus, music, theatre, visual arts and workshops.
- March: South by Southwest (SXSW), Austin, Texas. Always at the cutting edge of the new trends, SXSW has flourished from its music conference root in 1987 to what is now a celebration of “the convergence of the interactive, film and music industries”.
- March: Las Fallas of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Every March 14-19, Valencia welcomes in spring with the Fallas, where giant papier-mâché figures (known as ninots) are burnt on the night of San José (St Joseph), the patron saint of carpenters.
Mar 12, 2024 · Discover the best festivals in the world for every month of the year, from cultural to musical to film. Whether you want to experience Japan's mountain roast, Italy's carnival, or Brazil's carnival, this post has it all.
Explore the world's biggest gatherings of art, music, food, and traditions. From the lantern festival of Chiang Mai to the water fights of Songkran, discover the diverse and colorful ways people celebrate culture.
